Classic Shaken Italian Dressing
A tangy, herby Italian-American house dressing made in a jar in five minutes. Red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano and a touch of honey and mustard keep it balanced and help it stay creamy-emulsified for salads, pasta salad, or as a marinade.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Makes
- About 1 cup (240 ml), eight 2-tablespoon servings
Steps
Before you start
- Use a clean 12-ounce (350 ml) or larger jar with a tight-fitting lid so there is room to shake.
- Plan on a 30-minute rest so the dried herbs soften and the garlic flavors the vinegar.
- Use a good extra-virgin olive oil you enjoy the taste of, since it is the main flavor.
- Take the dressing out of the fridge 15–20 minutes before serving if the oil has firmed up.
Prepare the garlic
- Peel the garlic cloves and grate them on a Microplane (or press them) into a small paste.
- Scrape every bit into the jar.
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Ready when: Garlic looks like a wet, fine paste with no chunks.
Tip: Large garlic pieces taste harsh and sharp; a fine paste blends evenly.
Add the acids
- Pour the red wine vinegar and strained lemon juice into the jar with the garlic.
Add seasonings
- Add the Dijon, honey, oregano (crush it between your fingertips as you add it), onion powder, dried parsley, dried basil, salt, pepper, optional red pepper flakes, and the water.
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Tip: Salt dissolves in vinegar better than in oil, so add it before the oil.
Let herbs hydrate
- Screw on the lid and shake for 10 seconds to combine.
- Let the jar sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the dried herbs soften and the garlic mellows.
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Ready when: Herbs look plump and darker, and the mixture smells fragrant.
Tip: Skipping this rest gives a flatter, grassier-tasting dressing.
Add oil and shake
- Pour in the olive oil, seal the lid tightly, and shake hard for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Dressing looks slightly thickened, cloudy, and uniform, with herbs suspended.
Tip: Check that the lid is tight first; oily jars are slippery.
Taste and adjust
- Dip a lettuce leaf or a piece of bread into the dressing and taste.
- Add a pinch of salt if flat, a splash of vinegar if too mellow, or a drop more honey if too sharp.
- Shake again for 10 seconds.
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Ready when: Bright and tangy up front, with a rounded herby finish.
Tip: Taste on greenery, not from a spoon; the leaf shows how the dressing will really taste.
Good to know
Tips
- Keep a 2:1 oil-to-acid ratio by volume (here 1/2 cup oil to about 1/3 cup acid plus water) for the classic tangy balance, and add a bit more oil if you prefer it milder.
- Dijon acts as an emulsifier, so don't skip it if you want the dressing to stay blended longer.
- Use as a chicken or vegetable marinade for 30 minutes to 4 hours, but discard any leftover marinade that touched raw meat.
- Dress salads just before serving, starting with 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of greens, to avoid wilting.
Make ahead
"Make up to 5 days ahead; the flavor improves after a few hours. Shake well before using."
Storage & reheating
"Store in the sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Olive oil will solidify when cold; let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, then shake vigorously. Not recommended for freezing, as it separates."
Substitutions
- red wine vinegar → white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Slightly milder and fruitier; use the same amount.
- honey → maple syrup or sugar. Use 2 teaspoons maple syrup or 1½ teaspoons sugar; maple makes it vegan.
- extra-virgin olive oil → half olive oil, half neutral oil like avocado. Gives a lighter, less peppery flavor and stays more fluid when chilled.
- dried parsley → 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley. Brighter flavor, but use within 4 days.
