Salad can be a controversial topic. Some people love it and some people hate it, but I think we can all agree that the dressing is a critically important ingredient. All of the best salads have a fantastic dressing to tie the ingredients together.
This golden Italian salad dressing is tangy, lemony, and full of flavor. With simple ingredients and just a few minutes to make it, you’ll have the best homemade salad dressing for salads, marinades, and more.
If you want to eat more salads and have the perfect multi-purpose dressing in your kitchen, make a big batch of this golden Italian dressing. You’ll find yourself adding it to everything!
Why Make Your Own Dressing?
Making your own salad dressing is an easy way to make your meals extra flavorful and more unique. There are a lot of reasons to make homemade dressing versus purchasing store-bought.
Save money: Homemade dressing can be so much more affordable than purchasing a bottle of dressing. Over time, making your own salad dressing will save you a significant amount of money.
Healthier: Most store-bought dressing has quite a bit of sugar or high fructose corn syrup, along with other ingredients that aren’t the healthiest. Many home cooks prefer to make their own salad dressing with less sugar, healthier oil, and simpler ingredients than bottled dressing.
Tastier: Homemade dressings have a more robust flavor and are altogether more delicious! The ingredients are fresher and you can add a wide variety of herbs and spices to make the flavor pop.
Customizable: Making your own dressing may be preferable to purchasing dressing because you can choose exactly what’s in it. This is ideal for those with dietary restrictions, strong preferences, or a desire to be more creative in the kitchen.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Vegetable oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil for your salad dressing because of its rich flavor. If you prefer a more neutral oil, substitute it with canola oil or avocado oil.
White wine vinegar: I prefer this vinegar because it has the tanginess I like in a dressing and it is less bitter than plain white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar would also be delicious.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is what makes this dressing so fresh and flavorful. Be sure to use freshly-squeezed lemon juice, not bottled juice.
Shallots: Shallots are one of my favorite things to add to a dressing. They make for a great texture when blended into the dressing while adding loads of mild onion flavor.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is absolutely delicious in this dressing, but garlic powder can work too.
Herbs: We will use a blend of dried herbs with Italian seasoning. Feel free to use different dried herbs, fresh herbs, or add red pepper flakes for a kick. Make the dressing your own by switching up the herbs.
Mayonnaise: Mayo adds a bit of creaminess to the dressing and acts as an emulsifier, so the dressing doesn’t separate immediately.
Sugar: Sugar is optional in this salad dressing, but it does balance out the acidity and make the dressing more well-rounded. Feel free to omit it or substitute honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup.
Uses for Golden Italian Dressing
Golden Italian dressing isn’t just for salads; it is a great addition to many meals.
- Green salads: Golden Italian dressing will make any leafy salad taste delicious with its creamy, lemony goodness.
- Cold pasta salad: Use this Italian vinaigrette to make the best pasta salad you’ve ever had!
- Marinade: This dressing makes an excellent marinade for chicken, steak, veggies, and more.
- Hot vegetables: Drizzle some golden Italian dressing on roasted or sauteed veggies before serving to add some zesty flavor.
Zesty Golden Italian Dressing | Best Homemade Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 small shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on high for a few seconds, until the shallot and garlic are pulverized and the dressing is smooth.
- Transfer to a mason jar and use as salad dressing or marinade. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and give it a good shake before using.
1 thought on “Zesty Golden Italian Dressing | Best Homemade Salad Dressing”
Great dressing. I like things more spiced than other people. I ended up adding more Italian seasoning and lemon. This is a keeper.
★★★★★