Gluten-free Italian Dressing

Is Italian Dressing Gluten-free? This homemade gluten-free Italian dressing recipe is! Made with olive, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, seasoning, and a touch of honey for a delicious zesty Italian vinaigrette, you’ll want to put on everything!

Italian salad dressing seems like it should be naturally gluten-free. Unfortunately, finding gluten-free salad dressings isn’t easy. More often than not, store-bought Italian salad dressing brands contain gluten or aren’t labeled certified gluten-free, so it’s hard to tell.

To be safe, I started making this gluten-free Italian Dressing, and it’s better than anything you’ll buy in the stores.

It’s a staple in my kitchen, and I make it to drizzle on salads, marinate chicken in, mix in with rice and veggies, or even spread some on a gluten-free Italian sandwich. We also love this Gluten-free Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe

• Pantry ingredients. If you keep a stocked pantry, then you probably have everything in your kitchen right now to make gluten-free Italian salad dressing.
• Super easy to make. Just add the ingredients into a jar and shake! That’s it. You can have this salad dressing ready in less than 5 minutes. 
• Naturally gluten-free! This Italian salad dressing uses clean, authentic ingredients.
• Can make ahead of time. Prepare a jar on Sunday to use in salads and recipes all week.

Ingredients

When putting together a gluten-free Italian Dressing, the most important thing to keep in mind is to purchase high-quality ingredients and check labels to ensure there aren’t gluten-containing ingredients.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I recommend using high-quality olive oil since it’s one of the homemade Italian Dressing stars.
• White wine vinegar gives the Italian Dressing its tang. You can use either red wine vinegar or white; both will work. I don’t have a preference, so use whatever you have on hand. My only recommendation is to purchase organic with the mother. This gives the wine vinegar good bacteria and a more robust taste. It also provides the wine with a cloudy appearance, but that doesn’t affect its recipe role.
• Dijon mustard adds another layer of flavor but is an emulsifying agent that helps to keep oil and vinegar together.
• Dried oregano and basil season the Italian salad dressing. You can also use equal parts homemade Italian Seasoning mix.
• Garlic and onion powder add another layer of flavor to the dressing. I’ve also used one grated garlic in this recipe and think it’s delicious, but it’s a more robust garlic flavor. If you like garlic, then I recommend trying it with raw garlic.
• Red pepper flakes add zest to this gluten-free Italian Dressing.
• Pure honey balances out the acidity and tang of the wine and mustard. If you don’t have honey, use ½ teaspoon of regular sugar and add more if needed. If you don’t want any sugar, you can leave it out altogether, keeping in mind the dressing will be extra tangy without it.

Supplies

16-ounce mason jars and lids. These are my favorite containers to use for making and storing salad dressings.

How to Make Gluten-free Italian Dressing

• Pour all of the ingredients into a mason jar.
• Tightly place the lid on and shake vigorously for a few seconds.
• Enjoy or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Storage tips

Store the gluten-free Italian dressing in an airtight container for three weeks in the fridge. The dressing will separate and solidify, give it a few shakes and then continue using. You might need to let the dressing sit on the counter for a few minutes to liquefy before using. Or I’ll run the jar under warm water and then shake the dressing.

Serving suggestions.

This gluten-free Italian Dressing is delicious on everything!

• Drizzle it on your favorite antipasto salad or pasta salad. 
• Use it as a marinade for chicken or fish.
• Stir it into a bowl of rice and roasted vegetables.

Cooking Tips

• Traditional vinaigrette dressings use a 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio, but it depends on the amount of tang you want. I prefer a tangier Italian dressing, so the ratio I use is 3:2, which equals ½ cup oil and ¼ cup vinegar. 
• If you want a salad dressing with less tang, start with two tablespoons of white wine vinegar and add more until you get the desired taste.
• You can also use avocado oil or other oils in place of olive oil. 
• Melt the honey in the microwave so it blends easier into the dressing.
• This Italian Dressing is also dairy-free, but you can stir in some freshly grated parmesan cheese for a sharp cheese flavor; I suggest starting with a tablespoon and then adding more if you need to. 
• I like the convenience of dried herbs, but you can also use one tablespoon of finely chopped fresh Italian herbs. Add more or less depending on your taste.

One of the great things about making homemade gluten-free Italian Dressing is tweaking it to fit your taste. So use this recipe as a base and then experiment with different flavors to make it your own.

FAQS

Other Gluten-Free Italian Recipes

• Gluten-free meatballs
• Gluten-free garlic bread
• Gluten-Free Baked Ziti
• Sunday Sauce

Did you make this recipe?

Have you tried this Gluten-free Italian Dressing Recipe? I can’t wait to see it! If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #glutenfreeitalianeats.