Italian Dressing

How to Make Italian Dressing

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1. Crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of the salt, using the flat of a knife.

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2. Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, water, mustard, sugar, remaining salt, pepper and chilli flakes together in a bowl or jug until the sugar has dissolved.

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3. Whisk in the garlic, oregano and basil, then pour in the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking all the time, until the dressing is cloudy and lightly thickened.

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4. Pour into a jar. Shake well and taste on a leaf, then adjust with more salt or vinegar if needed.

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Tips for Making Italian Dressing

• Crush the herbs between your fingers as you add them. It warms them and releases their oils, and it makes the dressing taste of more than dust.
• Let the dressing stand in the jar for a few minutes before you use it. The dried herbs soften in the vinegar and the flavour rounds out.
• Pour it over the salad just before serving and toss lightly. Leaves dressed in advance wilt and go soft.

Changing the Recipe

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Serving Suggestions

• Mixed green salad
• Antipasto platter
• Pasta salad

Leftovers and Storage

Keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The olive oil may solidify when cold, so let the jar stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and shake it.

Italian Dressing: Questions and Answers

What's in a Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.