Easy Italian Dressing Recipe - So much better than store-bought! (2024)

FAQs

How to improve store-bought Italian dressing? ›

Adding freshly ground black pepper can often be an easy way to up your dressing game, but also freshening up any ingredient listed on the bottle can be useful. An extra dollop of mustard in your Dijon vinaigrette, or pinch of oregano in your Italian dressing can make a world of difference.

Stirring in half a cup of freshly grated or crumbled cheese to boost flavor and texture is the easiest way to up your dressing game. Buy the highest quality cheese you can afford, and stir it in. Most cheeses are salty, so you should not need more salt in the dressing.

If I were to take an unscientific stab at it, I would say that the water opens up the dressing a little, cutting some of the intensity between the contrast of the unctuous oil and the sharp vinegar. It helps to balance everything out.

Her various adds were grated cheese, dried oregano, pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper. It also was tailored to the salad ingredients too. Use really good olive oil and rice vinegar with chopped up garlic and Italian blend spices, plus a little salt and fresh pepper.

Distilled Vinegar, Water, Vegetable Oil (soybean Oil, Canola Oil), Sugar, Salt, Garlic**, Contains Less Than 2% Of Red Bell Pepper** Onion**, Xanthan Gum, Spice, Oleoresin Paprika (for Color), Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Calcium Disodium Edta To Protect Flavor.

Avoid using a blender for olive oil based dressings as the rapid mixing will cause the oil to oxidize and turn bitter. A squeeze bottle or a mason jar with the lid secured works well when giving a good shake to mix and emulsify the dressing properly.

Unfortunately, most store-bought dressings are brimming with added sugar, preservatives, and artificial flavorings that can diminish the potential health benefits of your salad. Making your own salad dressing at home is an easy and cost-effective alternative to store-bought varieties.

The main difference between zesty Italian salad dressing and Italian dressing is the addition of vinegar. Zesty Italian dressing usually has a higher vinegar content than regular Italian dressing. The zesty dressing also had more crushed red peppers added.

Rather, the disordered existence of water on one side of the bottle and oil on the other side is more desirable for the water molecules. And that's why you will always have to shake that bottle of Italian Salad Dressing before pouring it on your salad.

Why did my homemade Italian dressing solidify? ›

But these oils will eventually start to solidify in the refrigerator because in cold temperatures, their saturated fat molecules lock together and stop moving, forming crystals.

It may be obvious to store creamy ranch dressing on your refrigerator's shelf, but oily dressings such as Italian or a vinaigrette should be kept cold after opening too. That's because their key ingredients—think things such as shallots and citrus juice—will go rancid without refrigeration.

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

Once the dressing is ready, make a slurry using the tapioca flour: Combine the flour and water in a 1:1 ratio. Mix well to dissolve the tapioca flour until you form a smooth paste. Now add the slurry to your prepared salad dressing and stir well.

And of course, you can always make a flavored ranch by adding in mashed roasted garlic, sriracha (or your favorite hot pepper sauce), barbecue spices, cilantro and lime, and more.