This homemade version of Olive Garden’s Italian Dressing tastes so good you’ll think you’re dining at the popular restaurant! Made from common pantry staples, it’s so easy to mix up this healthier homemade salad dressing in less than 5 minutes. Simply blend together olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasonings, garlic, and Parmesan cheese for a quick vinaigrette to drizzle over a salad or even use as a marinade for chicken!
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We lived in a small town in Southeast Texas, on the border between Texas and Louisiana. It took us 30 minutes to get to a “city” with a mall and an Olive Garden.
Even as a young kid who would turn up her nose at a head of iceberg lettuce, I found myself scarfing down an entire bowl of Olive Garden’s salad with their delightful Italian dressing.
And then Olive Garden released their bottled salad dressing — and I was in LOVE!!
I put it on everything (like this Italian Dressing Pasta Salad), used it as a marinade on chicken, or would often douse a big ole’ chopped kale salad in it.
But to be honest, the store-bought dressing is made with a few ingredients that aren’t exactly the healthiest (e.g., soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) so I decided to tweak it and make a healthier version at home. And y’all — this recipe is incredible!!
The 2 Things You MUST Do!
You must, I repeat MUST, make the Italian seasoning from scratch. I’ve perfected this recipe and use it in all of my Italian recipes, and it’s what gives this dressing the most complex flavor with the simplest spices and dried herbs.
The second thing… use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. It will take your homemade dressing from good to freaking fabulous!
If you like homemade salad dressing recipes, you should check out this Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette, Homemade Ranch Dressing, and Spicy Cashew Dressing next!
Ingredients
Notes about the ingredients needed for this Italian Dressing recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.
- Oil. A good quality extra virgin olive oil is the best option. Avocado oil is a good alternative since it is mildly flavored and won’t compete too much with the other ingredients. Sunflower or safflower oil can also be substituted for olive oil, but it will affect the taste slightly.
- Italian Seasoning. You can mix in a homemade Italian seasoning blend of dried oregano, basil, and other herbs; or you can find the dried Italian seasoning in your herb and spices aisle at the grocery store.
- White Wine Vinegar. This is the most classic type used, but feel free to swap it out with apple cider vinegar.
- Sweetener. Honey was tested in this recipe, but agave nectar or regular sugar can also be substituted.
- Garlic. Minced garlic is the way. Do not leave this ingredient out! If substituting with garlic powder, you’ll want to use about ½ teaspoon.
- Lemon Juice. A little citrus gives an extra bit of freshness.
- Parmesan Cheese. This is the secret ingredient that makes this the best recipe there is! Choose a dairy-free or vegan variety if needed.
How to Make Italian Dressing
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions.
- Add all of the ingredients to a 16-ounce mason jar and shake until well combined. (You can also use a High Speed Blender or Mini Food Processor.)
- Drizzle over a salad with your favorite toppings and enjoy! A spinach or mixed greens salad with some sliced bell peppers, tomatoes, homemade croutons and Parmesan cheese tastes great with an Italian vinaigrette. You can also make this Italian Dressing Pasta Salad for picnics or a barbecue!
How to Store Homemade Dressings
Homemade dressing can last for up to 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container (such as these cute glass mason jars!) in the refrigerator.
Let this dressing sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before using. Just before serving, shake or blend it up again and then pour it over your salad, pasta salad, or chicken.
FAQs
Yes, the two terms are used interchangeably. A vinaigrette is a type of dressing that includes oil and vinegar.
The zesty version of Italian dressing generally contains more spices and occasionally red pepper flakes for more of a bite.
Yes. Homemade salad dressing is a much healthier alternative to store-bought. It is made with a good quality oil, unrefined sugar, and does not have any additives or emulsifiers. It’s gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan by using a vegan Parmesan cheese.
More Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes
Drizzle any of these homemade dressings all over your favorite salads for a burst of flavor!
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- Cobb Salad Dressing
- Lemon Vinaigrette
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes
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Olive Garden Italian Dressing Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp. lemon juice fresh
- 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tsp. honey to taste
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a 16-ounce mason jar and shake until well combined. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend for 10-20 seconds, or until smooth.½ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, 2 tsp. honey, Pinch of salt
- Use immediately or store Italian dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week between servings. Bring to room temperature and shake well before using.
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Video
Notes
- You can use a mini-prep food processor, NutriBullet blender, or a Vitamix with similar results.
- You can also use a vegan Parmesan cheese to make this recipe dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe tastes exactly like The Olive Garden’s salad dressing. I added pepperoncicini to my salad to make it even more authentic.
Woohoo!! Ya I was so excited when I figured out how to recreate it at home (It’s so much healthier than the store-bought kind!) I bet the peperoncini were the perfect touch- I’ll have to try that out next time. Thanks for leaving a comment & rating- it means a lot. Can’t wait to hear what you cook up next! ❤ London
TU yum 😋 loved it
Yay, so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment & rating- it means a lot. Can’t wait to hear what you cook up next! <3 London
Hi London! I tried this dressing and it’s really good, just like Olive Garden’s! It brought me back to the days of eating there, and now I want their bread sticks! I also used to live in Orange, Texas, and I’m guessing you probably went to the Olive Garden in Beaumont. I lived in Orange for over 40 years and just moved a couple years ago, so I would have lived there during the same time frame you did. I will now be zoned in on your recipes and can’t wait to try more of them! I’m so happy for you that you’re doing what you love!
Hi Jean! Wow, that’s so neat that we lived there at the same time. And yes- it was the Olive Garden in Beaumont I was talking about! So glad you found the site and thank you so much for joining the ET fam 🙂
I have been searching for years for a good Olive Garden dressing recipe. Most call for mayo which I hate. Your recipe was perfection. I tried it last night and now I’m going to make a big batch for the week. So so good.
Yay!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Ya, mayo does NOT belong in an Italian dressing lol. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review- if you have time to hit the stars to rate it, that would be hugely helpful!
Can this be used in crock pot
You could, Kathleen, but it might be best to leave out the Parmesan cheese until the end.
OMGoodness this recipe is just amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. I really struggle with good recipes for a lovely salad dressing and this one is just awesome. LOVE LOVE LOVE it 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Lynda! It is hard to find good dressing recipes. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It is my favorite dressing and I never tire of it. It adds so much flavor to salads.
Yay! So happy you enjoy the dressing so much. Thanks for your comment and rating, Susan!
Olive Garden’s dressing is so good. I can’t wait to make this one at home!
Isn’t it, Tina!! I cannot wait to hear what you think 🙂
I will be making this! So easy, healthier and impressive!
Thank you, Jules!! Yes, it is SO much better for you than the store bought kind!