Push the mayonnaise to one side and add a healthy, nutritious kick to your lunchtime salad with this creamy vegan Italian dressing. Made with kitchen staple ingredients in under 5 minutes, this homemade Italian dressing couldn’t be easier or more rewarding to make. Plus, it’s so much cheaper and better for you than the salad dressings you can buy!
It couldn’t be simpler
As long as you have all the ingredients on hand, this creamy vegan Italian dressing is even quicker and easier to make than popping out to the store and buying a bottle. All you have to do is add the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend. In less than 5 minutes you’ll have your own incredibly creamy and flavor-packed Italian dressing made without any nasty additives or preservatives.
Because this homemade Italian dressing is so quick and easy to make, it’s the perfect starter recipe for making with kids. They can measure out all the ingredients, add them into the bowl of the food processor or blender then a responsible adult can pop the lid on and do the blending. Letting your kids create a delicious homemade Italian dressing is also a fantastic way to get them to eat salad without a fuss!
Creamy without the cream
You don’t often read the words “creamy” and “vegan” in the same sentence. But these are 2 words that definitely describe this homemade Italian dressing. It really is so lusciously smooth and creamy. Even the most talented vegan chef will struggle to believe there are no dairy products in this recipe.
The secret to making this vegan Italian dressing super creamy without adding any dairy products is olive oil. When you combine it with the other ingredients and process it at a high speed, the fats in the olive oil emulsify, creating a velvet-like texture that you won’t be able to get enough of.
A healthy salad dressing
Some salad dressings have a bad reputation for being high-calorie and nutritionally-empty. But this homemade Italian dressing is a totally different story. The heart-healthy olive oil which is the foundation for the vegan dressing is rich in monounsaturated fats. Loaded with antioxidants and has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Add that to the red wine vinegar which also contains powerful antioxidants. – garlic which can help reduce blood pressure. Basil which is surprisingly high in vitamin K and you’ve got a remarkably healthy homemade Italian dressing.
How to use this creamy vegan Italian dressing
I love tossing this homemade Italian dressing with some fresh, crispy salad leaves for a light lunch or side dish. But there are loads of other ways you can use this dressing, too. You can use it as a marinade for your favorite protein for a zingy flavor boost. Try marinating these air fryer parmesan shrimp in the dressing for 30 minutes. Another incredible use for this homemade Italian dressing is as a dipping sauce. You can dunk these air fryer sweet potato fries straight into the dressing. Even drizzle it over these no flour vegetable lentil fritters for an extra burst of flavor.
Creamy Vegan Italian Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt more or less to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, combine the oil, vinegar, water, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth. Add mustard and parsley, pulse just one or two times to combine.
- Serve or transfer to a jar or container, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Give a good shake to combine the ingredients before pouring.