Today, I'm sharing a fantastic Italian Salad Dressing Mix Recipe that's bound to become a staple in your kitchen.
This homemade Italian dressing mix is simple and versatile. When made into a simple Italian vinaigrette, it provides a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors.
Whether you're dressing up a green salad or pasta dishes or using it as a rub for a pot roast, this spice blend will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen. It's a great recipe for any home cook looking to create their own seasoning mixes and avoid store-bought dressings.
Why You’ll Love This Dry Italian Dressing Mix
- Quick and Easy - With just a few minutes of prep time, you’ll have a delicious dressing mix ready to go.
- Versatile - Use it for salads, pasta salad, as a dry rub, or as a marinade for meat or fish.
- No Mystery Ingredients - It contains no preservatives or artificial ingredients, just wholesome spices. When you make your own salad dressings, you can avoid the high fructose corn syrup and artificial additives found in many store-bought dressings.
A salad with the dressing would be a perfect pairing with my Authentic Pasta Fagioli recipe. I've also made an Italian vinaigrette with this seasoning mix and poured it over the top of my Panzanella Salad.
Substitutions
- Onion and Garlic Powder - If you don’t have granules, powder works just as well.
- Sweetener - Use powdered sugar if you want a dry mix. For a more natural option, honey, maple syrup, or molasses are perfect when making the vinaigrette.
- Oregano, Thyme, and Basil - Feel free to use fresh herbs if you have them. Just remember, when using fresh herbs the mix will have to be made into a dressing right away.
Variations
- Spicy - Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.
- Lemon - Substitute some of the vinegar with fresh lemon juice for a zesty twist.
- Creamy - Make a creamy Italian dressing by adding a bit of Parmesan cheese or Dijon mustard.
Ingredients
*For specific recipe amounts, please scroll down to the printable recipe card.
How To Make Italian Dressing Mix Recipe
Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together.
How To Make An Easy Homemade Italian Dressing
Step 1. To make a vinaigrette, add 1 rounded tablespoon of the spice mix to a jar with a lid or a mini blender.
Step 2. Add 2 tablespoons of water, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ⅓ cup olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of honey or molasses. Blend well. The honey or molasses helps to prevent the dressing from separating.
*White wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar can be used. Each type of vinegar will give a slightly different flavor.
*You can also use avocado oil or canola oil for different results.
Storage and Freezing
Store your Italian Salad Dressing Mix in an airtight container or mason jar in your spice cabinet. It lasts at least a year, so you can always have it on hand. Leftover dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Pro Tip
Make a big batch of this spice blend and keep it in your spice cabinet. It’s a great way to always have a homemade dressing ready.
For the best results, let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Notes and FAQs
Yes, this spice blend works wonderfully as a dry rub for meats and fish. Use about 1-1 ½ teaspoons per pound of meat, fish, or poultry. This homemade Italian Salad Dressing Mix is a fantastic option for those who love to create their own condiments.
The dry mix lasts for at least a year. Once you've made the dressing, it can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, you can easily double or even triple the recipe to have more on hand. Just store it in an airtight container.
Fresh herbs can be used, but they will significantly reduce the shelf life of the mix. For longer storage, stick to dried herbs.
Feel free to experiment with other spices like red pepper flakes for heat or celery seed for extra flavor.
Use a rounded tablespoon of the spice mixture for each batch of vinaigrette you make.
Absolutely. Feel free to adjust the amount of Kosher salt to suit your taste preferences.
Yes, you can double or triple the recipe to keep a larger batch on hand.
Italian Salad Dressing Mix Recipe
Equipment
- Whisk
- small bowl
- lidded jar or airtight container for storage
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon onion granules or powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic granules or powder
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together. Use immediately by following the directions below to make a simple vinaigrette and store according to the notes.
Notes
Nutrition
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