Homemade Italian Vinaigrette is so easy and so delicious you’ll never want to buy bottled dressing again! This simple vinaigrette comes together in moments and is the perfect accompaniment to green salads, pasta salads, and veggies.

Spoon drizzling Italian vinaigrette over mason jar.

Salads are something we eat frequently in our home, usually following a main course.

This homemade Italian vinaigrette is our go-to when we want something easy with the ingredients we have on hand.

Our Italian dressing combines olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, parsley, garlic, oregano, and cheese and comes together in no time.

And it even doubles as a marinade for chicken or pork!

Ingredients shown: Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, Pecorino, oregano, hot red pepper flakes, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and garlic.

How to make it

To the bowl of a food processor or blender add 3/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 5 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of flat-leaf parsley, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard. Pulse a few times to combine.

Steps showing making Italian vinaigrette in food processor.

Add 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil and blend until emulsified and smooth. Taste test the vinaigrette and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with your favorite salad and enjoy!

Top tips

Blending. While we recommend using a blender or food processor for our Italian vinaigrette, you can definitely make this by whisking the ingredients together in a bowl or shaking in a mason jar. If not using a blender or food processor, chop the parsley very finely and grate the garlic. You can also mince the garlic and use the side of your knife to create a paste or break out the garlic press.
Cheese. We use Pecorino Romano for our vinaigrette, but you can also use parmesan. Note that Pecorino is saltier than Parm so you will need to adjust salt accordingly.
Taste test. Be sure to taste your Italian dressing and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Keep in mind that if you’re using this to dress a green salad, you will likely need to add more salt to the salad after you’ve dressed it. It’s always best to sprinkle a bit of salt onto the dressed salad since the salt will stick and adhere better.
Serving. One of our favorite ways to use this vinaigrette is with chopped romaine and thinly sliced onions. It’s a simple salad, but the flavor of the vinaigrette takes it over the top! It’s also a great marinade for grilled chicken or pork!

Spoon drizzling Italian vinaigrette onto a plate of salad.

More awesome dressings

Here are a few more of our favorite homemade vinaigrettes and dressings. I hope you love them!

Balsamic vinaigrette – thick and creamy with Dijon and shallots.
French vinaigrette – with fresh herbs, shallots, and champagne vinegar.
Creamy Italian dressing – a must for garden salads!

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