This Sweet Italian dressing is bound to become your new favorite recipe. It brings together a delightful mix of tangy lemon, sweet honey, and aromatic herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, making it a versatile addition to salads and beyond. Whether you're dressing up fresh greens, tossing it with pasta, or marinating veggies for the grill, its homemade charm and adjustable ingredients ensure a burst of fresh, flavorful goodness in every bite.
What is Sweet Italian Dressing?
Sweet Italian dressing is a flavorful salad topping known for its blend of sweet and savory notes. It combines ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey for sweetness, fresh herbs such as parsley and oregano, garlic for a kick, mustard for tanginess, and seasonings like salt and pepper. This dressing adds a tangy-sweet touch to salads and is adaptable to personal tastes, making it a versatile and tasty addition to various dishes.
This recipe is perfect with my Summer Pasta Salad and Italian Dressing Chicken.
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🌟 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Balanced and Refreshing: Offers a harmonious blend of tangy lemon, sweet honey, and savory herbs.
- Versatile and Enhancing: Elevates various dishes from salads to grilled vegetables and marinades.
- Fresh and Customizable: Homemade with control over ingredients for a personalized flavor experience.
🥘 Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use high-quality olive oil for its fruity and robust flavor. Substitutions can include avocado oil or a blend of olive and vegetable oils for a lighter taste.
- White wine vinegar: Provides a mild acidity. Substitutions include champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Fresh lemon juice: Adds brightness and tanginess. You can substitute with lime juice for a different citrus twist.
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped: Adds a fresh herbal note. Substitute with fresh basil or cilantro for alternative herb flavors.
- Honey: Adds sweetness to balance the acidity. Substitute with maple syrup or agave syrup for a vegan option.
- Dried oregano: Provides a savory, earthy flavor. Substitute with dried basil or Italian seasoning blend.
- Garlic clove, grated: Offers a pungent, savory taste. Substitute with garlic powder or minced garlic.
- Dijon mustard: Adds tanginess and helps emulsify the dressing. Substitute with whole grain mustard for a slightly different texture.
- Dried thyme: Adds subtle herbaceous notes. Substitute with dried rosemary or marjoram.
- Sea salt: Enhances flavors. Substitute with kosher salt or table salt, adjusting amount to taste.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Adds a hint of spiciness. Substitute with white pepper for a milder taste.
- Parmesan cheese, optional: Adds a savory umami depth. Substitute with Pecorino Romano or nutritional yeast for a vegan option.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, and fresh lemon juice until combined.
Stir in finely chopped parsley, honey, dried oregano, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
👩🏼🍳 Chef's Tip
- Use freshly squeezed citrus: Opt for freshly squeezed lemon juice to enhance the brightness and flavor of the dressing, ensuring a vibrant and refreshing taste profile.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Balsamic Italian Dressing: Substitute white wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar, increase honey for balance, and optionally add fresh basil for depth of flavor.
- Citrus Herb Dressing: Swap lemon juice with orange juice, use fresh basil instead of parsley, and include a pinch of lemon zest for added citrus aroma.
- Garlic-Lime Dressing: Replace white wine vinegar with fresh lime juice, increase garlic amount, and substitute parsley with cilantro for a zesty twist.
🍴 Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring spoons
- Garlic grater or small grater (for grating garlic)
- Optional: Parmesan cheese grater
💭 Recipe FAQs
You can adjust the sweetness of the dressing by increasing the amount of honey used. Start by adding an additional ½ to 1 teaspoon of honey and taste the dressing. Continue adding honey gradually until you reach your desired level of sweetness.
Yes, you can substitute dried herbs for fresh herbs in this recipe. Use about ⅓ of the amount of dried herbs compared to fresh herbs called for in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, use approximately 1 teaspoon of dried parsley.
No, the Parmesan cheese is optional in this recipe. It adds a subtle savory note and a bit of richness to the dressing, but the dressing will still be flavorful without it. Adjust according to your preference or dietary restrictions.
🥣 Storage & Reheating
Store the Sweet Italian Dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, shaking well before each use.
🍷 Wine Pairing
Pinot Grigio is a good wine pairing for Sweet Italian Dressing because its crisp acidity and light, refreshing profile complement the citrusy notes from the lemon juice in the dressing. The wine's subtle fruitiness also harmonizes with the herbal flavors and enhances the overall dining experience without overpowering the delicate flavors of the dressing.
👩🏼🍳 Top Tips
- Taste and adjust: Gradually add ingredients and adjust sweetness, tanginess, and seasoning to taste.
- Chill for flavor: Let the dressing sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to enhance flavors before serving.
- Shake before using: Store in the fridge and shake well before each use to blend ingredients evenly.
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🥗 Pairing Recommendations
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Sweet Italian Dressing
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Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring spoons
- Garlic grater or small grater (for grating garlic)
- Optional: Parmesan cheese grater
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ teaspoons honey
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice.
- Add the parsley, honey, oregano, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, thyme, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- If using, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. Shake or whisk well before serving.
Video
Notes
🌡️ Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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