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Zesty, creamy Italian Dressing Recipe with herbs
Loaded with fresh and dried herbs, Parmesan cheese, shallots and garlic, this zesty dressing is wonderful drizzled on a fresh crispy salad.
I’m always trying out new recipes often with our monthly family dinner in mind. With 9 people around the table, it’s great to have this bright and zesty homemade Creamy Italian Dressing Recipe to serve family style. We make a giant bowl of fresh salad and lightly toss it with this tangy dressing just before serving.
This recipe makes a little more than 1 1/2 cups so there’s plenty to pass around the table for those that want another drizzle. If you have any leftover it will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container. That makes it nice for us to enjoy the leftover dressing as a dip for carrots, celery or my favorite raw sugar snap peas.
How do you bloom dried herbs?
Inspired by a recipe on Cook’s Country, I was fascinated with the process of “blooming” dried herbs. Blooming enhances their flavor and prevent them from tasting old and stale.
Parmesan, oregano, garlic and shallots are combined with vinegar then microwaved just long enough to warm the liquid and draw out the flavors of the herbs. This process also helps melt the Parmesan cheese giving the dressing a smoother, silky texture.
Our creamy Italian dressing recipe is the perfect consistency, a little thick but still easily poured.
The dressing works best on hearty lettuce such as romaine or iceberg. It’s also pretty fantastic served as a dip with your favorite crudités. There’s so much flavor in this dressing you really don’t need to drench the salad. With plenty of tangy bite from the vinegar and brightness from the herbs, this dressing will be the star of your salad bowl!
This recipe makes a great starter for family dinners like our Italian Meatball Recipe, or this Rich & Meaty Classic Lasagna. Have you ever tried making a Homemade Potato Gnocchi Recipe? It’s so much easier than you would think – check out our quick how-to video.
This salad is perfect served with any pasta dish, or alongside a nice piece of fish or chicken, too. You can’t beat a great salad and a terrific dressing!
Make it Italian night and serve our classic Tiramisu for dessert. Enjoy!
Feel free to experiment and substitute red or white wine vinegar for the champagne vinegar.
I love the champagne vinegar in this recipe because it doesn’t mask the other flavors. With shallots and garlic, basil and oregano, there is plenty of flavor going on and I don’t want to miss a thing!
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Creamy Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small shallot minced about 2 heaping tablespoons
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil leaves
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, Parmesan, shallot, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- In a tall sided 2-3 cup measuring cup or bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, basil and vinegar mixture. Using an immersion or stick blender, process until smooth. With the blender on, slowly add the olive oil and blend until incorporated, about 1 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (more or less to taste) and serve immediately or refrigerate until needed. The dressing will thicken when refrigerated. If overly thick, allow the dressing to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Dressing will keep up to 4 days.
- This is a hearty dressing and is best served on crisp lettuce such as iceberg or romaine.
- Recipe adapted from Cook’s Country
Nutrition
Kitchen Essentials – we love to serve a big family salad in a well loved wooden bowl. Click on the photos below for more information:
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Serve your salads with these easy Homemade Croutons, they have tons of flavor and are easily adapted to your favorite herbs. I adore fresh salads and sometimes crave the creaminess of an avocado. I found this recipe for Avocado Caprese Salad and bet it will hit the spot!
And finally, I can’t wait for summer produce so I can make this Tomato Mozzarella Salad so yummy! So much flavor and color, it’s a must make!
Jennie
Had your creamy Italian dressing with fresh salad. It was so delicious. Difficult to get my husband to love salad. He has eaten it two days in a row! This is third day of using dressing and it tastes just as fresh as when made. I think it is more flavorful after sitting in refrigerator a bit. Thank you for always adding yummy recipes to my collection. I am so grateful…..my family is too
Tricia Buice
I am grateful for you and your family Jennie! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Your feedback is so important to us.
Susan
This sounds like a delightful recipe and think the microwave technique sounds like such a great idea! I love making my own dressings and this is a winner, Tricia.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Susan – it really is a great way to freshen up the dried herbs. Yummy recipe!
Denise
Could you please give me the ingredients that you put into the salad that was used with the Creamy Italian Dtessing. Thank you.
Tricia Buice
Hi Denise. I used a variety of lettuce, red onion, cherry tomatoes, croutons, sliced radishes, olives, cucumber and pepperoncini peppers.
Liz
I love the blooming technique! How wonderful for winter, especially, since fresh herbs that I purchase seem to get wasted. Such a versatile, delicious dressing!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Liz! I love this technique too – so brilliant 🙂
Monica
I adore your family dinners and I can just picture them. : ) I see you leave no detail unattended to. I could use this awesome dressing on a lot of things.
Tricia Buice
We try to make them special Monica – thank you so much! This is a terrific and bold flavored dressing and it is great on any salad or vegetable. Hope you get the chance to give it a try!
Gerlinde
I pretty much use the same dressing all the time, it’s time for me to try something different . Yours looks great. Pinned! By the way I enjoy reading your German ads .
Tricia Buice
We have standard favorites too Gerlinde, but every now and then it’s great to try something new. This is a flavorful dressing and I hope you give it a try!
Monique
Looks good!!!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Monique – it is!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
What an interesting method and one I can’t wait to try. We only use homemade dressing and this is one I want to try! Have been craving salad lately! And those photos are gorgeous!
Tricia Buice
We’ve been craving salad too Abbe – and can’t wait to get home and make this again. Thank you!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
Oh wow Tricia, we need to have lunch together today, your dressing on my salmon salad would be heaven! Pinning and sharing 🙂
Tricia Buice
Yes it would Sue! Thanks so much!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I love a creamy salad dressing, so I’m loving this creamy version of Italian dressing. Will be trying this 🙂
Tricia Buice
It has so much flavor with the garlic and herbs. A new family favorite for us!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Very different from Italian salad dressing that I know…but very delicious and tempting with Pam. and sour cream. The salad looks marvelous too.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Angie – this is not the plain old oil and vinegar version. But so delicious for sure!