This zesty Italian dressing recipe with just 2 ingredients plus salt and pepper is so easy to make, and is a puckery Italian vinaigrette you’ll crave over and over again.
If there’s one salad dressing that literally gets my mouth watering, it’s this ultra-easy, zesty Italian dressing. It’s inspired by my mother-in-law’s Italian dressing (the whole family drinks the leftovers from the salad bowl), and the side salad served at my favorite pizza joint I went to as a kid. From serving this Italian dressing salad with my mom’s Spaghetti with Meat Sauce to my Favorite Lasagna, or Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce, this is the easy dressing I crave whenever I have Italian food. And by easy, I mean EASY because there are only two ingredients—oil and vinegar plus kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Because it’s so simple, it’s all about getting the ratios right for the perfect puckery balance that coats crunchy iceberg lettuce in all the right ways.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love This Dressing
- There are only two basic ingredients—neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil with a bracing red wine vinegar (plus kosher salt and coarse cracked black pepper)
- The dressing is so flavorful with that zingy vinegar tang that cuts through the heavy bites of the Italian main dishes it is served with
- This dressing perfectly coats watery lettuces like iceberg and romaine for the best crunchy, simple side salad
What’s In Italian Dressing
Unlike my Dijon Vinaigrette or Tarragon Dressing, this Italian dressing skips expensive olive oils, garlic, extra herbs, and emulsifiers like mustard to create the simplest dressing for side salads. Here’s all you need:
- Canola oil or vegetable oil—a neutral, flavorless oil gives the dressing body but won’t overpower the tangy vinegar bite. Plus, it’s less expensive than olive oil and is almost always in the pantry.
- Red wine vinegar—RWVin is what gives this Italian dressing its sharp, zingy tang. Choose a good quality brand, but you definitely don’t have to get fancy here.
- Kosher salt—I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for its larger crystals and less acidic bite. If using table salt or Mortons kosher salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Cracked black pepper—This dressing recipe relies heavily on very coarsely ground or cracked black pepper. I usually grind my own, but for this recipe, I go with a cheap grocery store brand with super coarse flakes of white and black pepper that infuse the dressing as it sits.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Italian Dressing
- Add the oil and vinegar to a jar with a screw cap.
- Season with the kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
- Screw the lid on tightly, then shake it well.
- If you have time, set the dressing aside for 30 minutes for the black pepper to infuse its flavor
- Dress your lettuce greens and feast!
Ingredient Substitutions
Because this dressing is so simple, there are plenty of ideas for adding to it:
- Add one minced or pressed garlic clove
- Try sweetening the dressing with ½ teaspoon sugar or honey
- Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning or other dried herb like basil, oregano, or marjoram
- If trying a different type of vinegar, you won’t get the same bracing tang. But if you’re looking for a more mellow bite that isn’t as flavorful, try white vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for a creamier dressing
FAQs and Recipe Tips
- It’s true! You don’t need expensive balsamic vinegar or fancy olive oil to create a great Italian dressing. My favorite thing about this dressing is how simple the flavor is with basic pantry staples.
- Allow the dressing to sit for 30 minutes or so for the pepper to infuse flavor in the dressing.
- Keep it simple as is, or add herbs or spices to zing it up.
- This dressing is great on sturdy, mild-flavored lettuces like iceberg, romaine, and little gem.
- It’s also a delicious contrast to bitter-tasting leaves like arugula, escarole, endive, and frisee.
Storage Tips
This Italian dressing will last for 3-4 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
What to Serve with Italian Dressing
- Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce
- My Mom’s Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
- Mediterranean Pizza
- Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
- The Best Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo, and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil , or other neutral oil like vegetable oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the oil and vinegar to a jar with a screw cap. Season with the kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Screw the lid on tightly, then shake it well. Dress your lettuce greens and feast!
Notes
Nutrition
More Salad Dressing Ideas
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Caesar Salad Dressing
- Dijon Vinaigrette
- Greek Salad Dressing
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