My Mom’s Legendary Italian Salad Dressing
Homemade Italian Salad Dressing – My mom’s famous recipe that makes everyone exclaim, “this is the best salad I’ve ever had!” Make it today!
Growing up, my mom cooked dinner almost every single night. Take out, pizza, or restaurant outings were rare treats; each night, my mom would make your typical well-rounded dinner consisting of protein, either rice or a baked potato, some type of vegetable, and always a salad.
Back in the ’80s, fancy green mixes weren’t all the rage yet, so we had your run of the mill iceberg lettuce. For awhile, my mom served it with an assortment of bottled dressings to choose from, and then at some point that stopped. She started putting her own Italian salad dressing on the salad… and, it was good. Like, really good.
As far as I could tell, she’d just sprinkle a little of this and a little of that directly onto the salad, mix it all together, and it was delicious. Eventually, extended family members would get a taste of the salad at a family party, and suddenly my mom become “the salad lady”. Everyone loved her unique Italian salad dressing, and to this day, if there’s a holiday or family function, my mom is always asked to bring the salad.
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Two of my best friends from high school still mention my mom’s Italian salad dressing on occasion. “Does your mom still make that same salad? That’s the best dressing I’ve ever had!” A cousin of mine got married a few years ago, and when the invitations arrived for his fiancé’s bridal shower, they included a blank recipe card and everyone was asked to bring a favorite recipe to share. My mom’s invitation had a special request from the bride: “Aunt Marie, Could you please give me your salad dressing recipe?” it read. When I make a salad, my Chief Culinary Consultant routinely asks, “Is that your mom’s salad dressing?”
When I asked my mom if she got the recipe somewhere, she said she hadn’t, and that she had gotten bored with bottled dressing and just started making her own, throwing in things she liked. The recipe is really quite simple, and you can use more of less of any ingredient based on your own taste preferences. I personally love a ton of fresh cracked black pepper in my salad, so I always add a lot more. When I’m being extra good with my eating habits, I omit the sugar entirely. My dad always sprinkled much more Romano cheese into his salad bowl. You should also feel free to use your favorite type of vinegar; I’m partial to salad vinegar, but my mom has made this with red wine vinegar, balsamic, and even rice wine vinegar if that’s all she has in the pantry.
When my mom makes her dressing, she never, ever makes it in a container, rather directly on the salad, sprinkling and drizzling everything right on, then mixing it together. She began teaching my sister and I how to make it when we were in our early teens, and after awhile, you just sort of get a feel for it. It took me quite a bit of time measuring and adjusting, then measuring and adjusting some more, to get the right ratios here. Use this as a starting point for adding or subtracting to make it your most loved salad dressing!
Our family’s favorite salad dressing, from my mom, with love :)
UPDATE: A video of my Mom’s Legendary Italian Salad Dressing for you!
One year ago: Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder
Two years ago: Peanut Butter Blondies
Three years ago: Apple & Cheddar Pupcakes for Einstein’s 4th Birthday!
Four years ago: Dog Birthday Cake
Six years ago: Hidden Berry Cream Cheese Torte
Mom's Legendary Italian Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (72 ml) olive oil
- 3½ tablespoons (3.5 tablespoons) vinegar, suggestions: salad, red wine, or balsamic
- 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) garlic powder
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a salad shaker, mason jar or other container. Close with a tight-fitting lid and shake for about 10 seconds to combine. Drizzle over salad and serve! Leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I’ve been making my own dressings for well over 30 years now; much better than any bottled dressing and less expensive to make. Hint, lately I’ve been adding a touch of honey in place of sugar. Hubby loves it. He’s always been a blue cheese dressing guy, but he loves my vinaigrette and I always throw in some kind of cheese. Use blue cheese often for him. btq, I’m 71 and have never heard the term ‘salad vinegar’. My mother used apple cider vinegar.
What a great story. I can’t wait to try this dressing. Thanks,BEB!
Your mom’s salad looks great!! Such a fabulous recipe!
That’s definitely my kind of recipe!
http://www.ninegrandstudent.wordpress.com
Fabulous post for January healthy eating! And your salad looked super, too!
Ooh sounds right up my street! I have salads for lunch most days and this will definitely liven it up!
Thanks for this! I just made it for my lunch salad, it was delish! I used balsamic this time but may try a lighter vinegar like the salad vinegar you suggested next time to get a lighter flavor. Although I love balsamic sometimes it can be overpowering :)
Simple and delishious!
I love visiting you blog thank you!
I always make my own dressing, too but never measure. I better start so i can pass it on to my kids. What a great tribute to your mom!
I loved homemade salad dressing! So simple, healthy and good!
I’ve never heard of salad vinegar before. I’ll have to look for it next time I’m in the grocery store! Thanks for sharing this :)
This reminds me so much of both my weeknight dinners growing up in the 80s – protein, starch, vegetable and always a salad – and the salad dressing that we always used on our salads. Sensation Salad Dressing is a staple in Southern Louisiana, at least if you know anyone who has a copy of the River Road Recipes cookbook. Here is a link to a version of the dressing, which is still one of my absolute favorites : http://www.jfolse.com/recipe_week/recipe0909/WAFB_090109SENsalad.html
LOVE your blog! Made many of your recipes, you are an inspiration! I LOVE this type of dressing and will be making your mom’s recipe tomorrow! What a special gift, thank you for sharing! I too have never used salad vinegar but love vinegar, will have to find it!
Your mom and family dinners sound so similar to mine growing up! And an iceberg salad with homemade Italian dressing was on the menu 80% of the time! I can’t wait to try your mom’s recipe – looks so simple but so delicious!
I’m so glad you posted this. I have been wanting to try making homemade dressing (mostly because I don’t eat salad as often as I should and hate having a preservative filled bottle of dressing sitting in my fridge for months!). This looks so easy and I have everything but the romano cheese sitting around my kitchen all the time!
How long does this salad dressing last? I was thinking about doubling it and keeping it in the fridge? Or is it better to just make a new batch each time?
Hi Alyssa, This will last about two weeks in the fridge.
Was just wondering what salad is in the picture there, is looks tasty?!
HI Maire, It was just a salad I had made for lunch with stuff I had in the fridge: romaine, cucumber, mushrooms, radish, carrots, purple cabbage, green onions and feta.
I love the story behind this dressing – so special! And the recipe sounds pretty amazing – printed and pinned!
Freshly made dressing can elevate any salad. This looks like the next thing to try for one of the church luncheons I do. Can you tell me more about ‘salad vinegar’. I’m not familiar with that, but I’d love to try it. Red wine vinegar was on our salads growing up.
Hi Robby, Salad vinegar is something that I’ve always just found at the grocery store. Here is a link to the one they stock at my local store: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-salad-vinegar.aspx
Michelle, thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I love to eat good salads but was getting really bored with the salad dressing in the stores, the were pretty bad so I almost stopped eating salad’s. A few years ago my brother and sister-in-law gave me a couple of bottles of Olive Garden’s salad dressing and it was sooooooo good!! I’ve been using it ever since and eating salad almost every day. I’ve often wondered what they were using to make their italian dressing. This recipe looks like it could be comparable and possibly a substitue from having to go buy a bottle versus making my own delicious dressing! :) I’m going to give it a try!
Hi,
How long will this dressing last in the refrigerator?
Thanks!
Hi Teri, It will last about two weeks. I have updated the recipe above to include that :)
I’m wondering why the dressing wouldn’t last more than two weeks. What would be the perishable part of it?
is salad vinegar white vinegar?
Wondering the same thing! I’ve never heard of salad vinegar!
Hi Jen, I buy it at the grocery store: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-salad-vinegar.aspx
I was wondering, too!
Hi Teri, I buy it at the grocery store: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-salad-vinegar.aspx
I am also wondering what salad vinegar is.
Hi Lucy, I buy it at the grocery store: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-salad-vinegar.aspx
Hi Mary, Salad vinegar is an actual product, I just buy it at the grocery store: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-salad-vinegar.aspx
I’ve been cooking for 32 years and have never heard of or seen salad vinegar!
Yum! Your Mom’s salad dressing sounds wonderful and your salad looks so pretty! Thanks for sharing!!
This dressing looks delicious! Thank your mom for sharing it with us :)
Hi Michelle! Thanks for your mom’s dressing recipe. Even without any dressing your salad pictures look so amazing I think I could live on that. What all did you put in there? Happy New Year!
Hi Leslie, It was just a chop salad with romaine, cucumber, mushrooms, radish, carrots, purple cabbage, green onions and feta.
Happy birthday to Einstein!
Thank you! :)
Hi Michelle, Thanks for posting this! My mom made a homemade salad dressing very similar to this every night as well —and ALWAYS directly on the salad . She used finely minced fresh garlic in place of the garlic powder, and occasionally (if she was making a really big salad!) she shook it up in a small jar and then applied it. And, like your mom, her salad was always requested at every family gathering. Sometimes (whene she could find it) she made a special version with escarole or chicory, but mostly it was good old iceberg lettuce. What wonderful memories, and now , I have shared the technique and the recipe with my own daughter. Love your blog! XOXO
Love this, it reminds me of the dressing at Sabatino’s in baltimore. I could DRINK that stuff with some double-sided garlic bread… my sister will be so happy i found something similar, thanks for sharing!
I love that you grew up with homemade salad dressing and that your mom was making her own blend! That’s awesome! I like making salad dressings too but mine are never usually the same thing twice :) The next time I have some romano on hand, I’m making this! Pinned
Love this (and the story behind it!) I make my own Greek Vinagrette so look forward to adding this to my homemade list!