Italian Herb Dressing

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The only difference between this light Italian Herb Dressing and traditional recipes is the lack of sugars and sweeteners, but it doesn't lack flavor! A blend of sweet & tangy balsamic vinegar, rich olive oil, and dried Italian herbs creates a flavorful, sugar-free version of a salad dressing classic.

Check out my Keto Broccoli Salad and my Low Calorie Taco Salad for some delicious salad recipes.

A bottle of Italian dressing may claim to be "light" (or "lite"), but that doesn't necessarily indicate the dressing is low sugar and made without additives or preservatives. So instead, grab the ingredients from your pantry to make this healthy Italian herb dressing from scratch.

The base of this Italian dressing is primarily balsamic vinegar and just enough olive oil to brighten every flavor and create a thick, cloudy consistency. The two blend together beautifully without the need for sugar syrups.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• No trips to the store. You can shop the pantry for the ingredients, and it's easy to modify the herbs with dried Italian herbs you already have.
• No dishes to wash. You can shake, store, and serve this dressing from the same jar. 
• Delicious multipurpose condiment. It doubles as a zesty marinade for chicken, beef, and veggies.
• The perks of no sugar. It's also low calorie, low fat, and low carb.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Dried Italian Herbs: I like using equal parts dried oregano, basil, and thyme for rustic Italian dressing flavor. Feel free to mix and match the herbs you already have in your spice cabinet. Dried parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are good options -OR, you can use a store-bought Italian seasoning blend. You will need roughly three tablespoons of dried Italian herbs in total.
• Salt & Ground Pepper: Just enough to wake up the aromas of your dried Italian herbs.
• Balsamic Vinegar: To switch things up, you can also make this with white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. What's most important is that you use your best vinegar as a canvas for the dried herbs.
• Olive Oil: The standard oil and vinegar dressing ratio is three parts oil to one part vinegar. This recipe calls for a fraction of the oil, significantly cutting the fat and calorie count.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Blend dried herbs with oil & vinegar.

Mix the dried herbs and salt & pepper in a glass mixing bowl or glass measuring cup. Then, add the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and whisk everything together to temporarily emulsify the oil and vinegar.

Step 2: Store; and shake before using.

Pour the dressing into a glass jar or bottle with a secure lid and keep it in the refrigerator. The oil and vinegar will separate. Give the container a good shake before each use to re-emulsify the ingredients.

NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!

Expert Tips

• Save yourself from the dirty dish and use a mason with a tight-fitting lid to mix the dressing and store it.
• The dressing will solidify and thicken once it gets cold. Let it warm up at room temperature for a few minutes to thin back out.
• The flavor is perfect, but you can add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup, honey, or sugar to make sweet Italian vinaigrette.

Variations & Ways to Use

Boosty the zesty savory flavors by adding any of these tasty flavor enhancements:

• Roasted red pepper flakes
• Granulated garlic
• Dried onion flakes
• Dijon mustard
• Ground mustard powder
• Fresh lemon juice
• Lemon zest

As for ways to use this dressing, the options are endless! It's the perfect light and tangy dressing to add zing to no-frills salad greens, blanched vegetables, meats, etc. See below for more ideas:

• Pasta salad - Replace store-bought Italian dressing with Italian herb dressing in this gluten-free Italian pasta salad.
• Add bold flavor to simple veggies - Make balsamic vinegar broccoli with Italian herb dressing instead of white balsamic vinegar, toss with edamame, or drizzle over roasted potatoes.
• Veggie & protein marinade - Soak fresh veggies and tender cuts of chicken, steak, or pork for 1-2 hours before baking, air frying, or grilling. It's also great drizzled over the top of your favorite sheet pan dinners.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Store your homemade dressing in a mason jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to two weeks. It will solidify when it gets cold, so let the dressing warm up on the counter and shake before each use.

Freezing: Unfortunately, the mixture won't fair so well in the freezer. It's best made fresh and used within two weeks.

Recipe FAQ‘s

More Healthy Dressings

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Italian Herb Dressing

Erika

The only difference between this light Italian Herb Dressing and traditional recipes is the lack of sugars and sweeteners, but it doesn't lack flavor! A blend of sweet & tangy balsamic vinegar, rich olive oil, and dried Italian herbs creates a flavorful, sugar-free version of a salad dressing classic.

4.76 from 33 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Servings 7 Servings

Calories 77 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  0.25 Liter Mold Jars with Lids
• ▢
  Measuring Spoons
• ▢
  Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (Set of 6)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 3 teaspoons dried basil
• ▢ 3 teaspoons dried thyme
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 6 ounces balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil

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Instructions

 

• Mix the dried herbs and salt & pepper in a glass mixing bowl or glass measuring cup. Then, add the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and whisk everything together to temporarily emulsify the oil and vinegar. 
• Pour the dressing into a glass jar or bottle with a secure lid and keep it in the refrigerator. The oil and vinegar will separate. Give the container a good shake before each use to re-emulsify the ingredients.

Notes

• The dressing will solidify and thicken once it gets cold. Let it warm up at room temperature for a few minutes to thin back out.
• The flavor is perfect, but you can add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup, honey, or sugar to make sweet Italian vinaigrette.
• Storing: Store your homemade dressing in a mason jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to two weeks. It will solidify when it gets cold, so let the dressing warm up on the counter and shake before each use.
• Freezing: Unfortunately, the mixture won't fair so well in the freezer. It's best made fresh and used within two weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4g

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Keyword italian herb dressing

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