Homemade Creamy Italian Dressing

Creamy Italian dressing is a versatile and flavorful dressing that is perfect for salads, sandwiches, and dips. This dressing blends creamy, tangy, and simple savory flavors that can elevate just about any dish.

Jun 22, 2023

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Master Our Classic Creamy Italian Dressing with These Simple Steps

Just Mix, Whisk, and Drizzle... Indulge in the flavors of Italy with this smooth and velvety creamy Italian dressing. We make it with a perfect blend of mayo, olive oil, vinegar, tangy Dijon mustard, and just the right amount of aromatic and flavorful herbs to add a refreshing zing to any salad or sandwich.

My Favorite Easy Peasy Creamy Italian Dressing

I first tasted creamy Italian dressing in college - now eons ago. It quickly became my favorite for adding that little extra flavor to Italian submarine sandwiches and salami and pepperoncini salads, which I scarfed down hundreds (or maybe thousands) between and after classes. I fell head-over-heels in love with the taste of this dressing. I couldn't get enough of it - and still can't. Flash forward all these decades, and the creamy texture and consistency of the dressing (not to mention the slightly tangy taste) continue to make my mouth water every time I think about it. Yep, I'm an all-around fan!

How to get this recipe:

You can access the Creamy Italian Dressing recipe card on GfreeDeliciously.com, where you can easily pin, favorite, or print it. Keep scrolling 👇 for a quick look at my kitchen notes and everything else needed to ensure your best success!

Of course, if you’re a paid pass subscriber, you can also download the PDF-formatted, 3-ring binder-ready recipe sheet that is ready for you at the end of this post.

It's all about the perfect creaminess, consistency, and taste...

When making the perfect creamy Italian dressing, it should have enough creaminess to cover and gently coat all the nooks and crannies when dressing salad. Still, it also should stand up and be thick enough to slather on a sandwich without dripping and oozing all over the place. The taste should be tangy but not sour, and the herbs and sweetness must be balanced with enough of each to create that memorable taste you'll always remember. This dressing does all that and more.

After graduating from my indulgent college diet of Italian salads, sub sandwiches, and eating out more than anyone should have, I discovered I could create a better-than-cafeteria (or cheap restaurant) version of creamy Italian dressing at home. So, over the years, I've tweaked and played with the ingredients and their amounts to combine all the traditional flavors you'd expect into this simple make-it-at-home recipe, which can be tailored to your preferences by adding or subtracting elements.

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Creamy Italian Dressing Recipe

Gluten-Free + Corn-Free, Egg-Free, Grain-Free, Healthy Choices, Keto-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan or Vegetarian, Whole30

This Creamy Italian Dressing is an easy and versatile recipe that’s a must for your go-to recipe arsenal. It can be tailored to your preferences by adding or subtracting ingredients to elevate almost any dish’s tangy and savory flavor. So, try it out today and impress your family and friends with your homemade dressing skills!

Equipment you’ll need:

1 Medium Mixing Bowl
Fine Mesh Microplane Grater
Utensils (Whisk, Measuring Cups & Spoons, Rubber Spatula, or Large Spoon)

Gather the following ingredients:

▢ 1/2 cup Mayonnaise

▢ 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar

▢ 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

▢ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

▢ 2 teaspoons Granulated Sugar or honey

▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend

▢ 1/2 teaspoon Coarse ground Black Pepper

▢ 1/4 cup Olive Oil

Instructions

Mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, and sugar in a medium bowl until well combined.
Then, whisk in the Italian seasoning blend until everything is fully incorporated.
Slowly drizzle the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously until all the ingredients are combined and fully emulsified. You’re looking for the dressing to become thick with a smooth yet creamy consistency that does not separate.
For the best taste, let sit 30 minutes before serving for the flavors to develop.

Kitchen Notes

This recipe can be easily doubled and made with ingredient substitutions to taste.

Footnotes:

[1] We recommend using a fine mesh microplane grater to grate the parmesan cheese to make the dressing have the smoothest consistency.

Make this Creamy Italian Dressing to suit your taste...

You can add more olive oil to your preference for a thinner consistency. If you prefer a thicker dressing, you can add more mayonnaise.

Want an extra punch of flavor? Stir in some lemon juice or a few red pepper flakes.

This creamy Italian dressing is perfect for dressing your favorite salads or as a dip for vegetables and chips. It is also delicious on sandwiches, burgers, and as a marinade for chicken or fish.

Once made, you can keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Enjoy the Recipe! Scroll to the end for the downloadable PDF, which you can print and save to your recipe binder.

L♥VE this recipe? Have you tweaked this recipe to be over-the-top delicious? Have a question? Please let everyone know in the comments below! 😉 It’s super helpful for other readers and me.

Before we go…

In addition to making healthy foods at home to ensure they are made gluten-free, we're also huge fans of making everyday condiments and dressings at home to save money. So here are a few reasons you might want to make this Classic Creamy Italian Dressing recipe yourself.

Easy to make: The recipe requires few ingredients and can be prepared in just a few minutes.
It's a crowd-pleaser: Classic creamy Italian dressing is a widely loved dressing that can be used on salads, as a vegetable dip, as a sandwich spread, or even as a marinade!
Customizable: The recipe can be tweaked to suit different tastes, whether somebody wants a spicier or milder dressing.
Homemade: Making a salad dressing can be more cost-effective and allows you to control the ingredients' quality.
Versatile: The dressing can be used on various salads, from a simple garden salad to a traditional Caprese salad with tomatoes and mozzarella.

I hope you'll love this dressing recipe as much as we do! Keep scrolling for the recipe card below to print or save the recipe. Then try it tonight to enjoy a taste of this classic Italian dressing in your home. If you change it up, let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear!