Skip the ready-made salad dressing and try this vegan creamy Italian dressing. It's a small batch so no waste either.
Ranch dressing or a balsamic vinaigrette have always been my favourite dressings, but now I'm torn as this creamy Italian dressing is so good.
It's a small batch recipe, so enough for 2 or 3 salads and no waste.
Of course, you can scale it up and make a bigger batch if you want to.
Jump to:
- 🥛 Grinder salad dressing
- 🥛 Small batch salad dressings
- 🍶 Storing salad dressing
- 🥣 Add your salad dressing last
- 🥗 Take a lot of salads to work?
- 🥙 Ideas for using salad dressing
- 💭 How long will salad dressing keep?
- ⭐ The best spot in the fridge for dressings
- 🥬 Vegan salad recipes
- 🥦 Living on the veg & social media
- ⭐ Pin it for later
- ⭐ Sign up for a free recipe sent to your inbox every morning
- 👩🏻🍳 Step-by-step photos
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
At a glance - creamy italian dressing
⏲️ Ready in: 3 minutes
👪 Serves: 3
🍽 Calories: 155
🧾 Main ingredients: vegan mayo, white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), dried oregano and chilli flakes
👩🏻🍳 Suitable for: vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian & gluten-free
Summarise & save this recipe:
🥛 Grinder salad dressing
I first made this tasty dairy-free dressing when I was recreating the famous TikTok Grinder Salad Sandwich.
The salad piled high on the sandwich is tossed in this glorious creamy salad dressing.
It needed its own recipe.
One I could return to whenever I have the urge and share with you of course.
🥛 Small batch salad dressings
Small batch salad dressings are particularly good as they are fresh and there is no waste.
Too many recipes make a big jar, sometimes two jars of salad dressing and as much as we all like salads, it's a lot to get through, so some inevitably gets thrown out.
These smaller quantities are perfect.
Enough for 2 or 3 salads but you can scale them up if you need to.
Also, try this small batch vegan French dressing or Also, try this mustard balsamic dressing.
For something a bit more spicy, try firecracker mayo.
🍶 Storing salad dressing
Any airtight container will do, but here are a few ideas.
- Clean jam jars - these are good because you can see how much is left and you can give them a good shake before dressing your salad.
- Mini milk bottles - the ones with a screw on lid.
- Glass cruet - the type of glass bottle with a stopper and lip that oil is often served in.
Glass is always a better option as it doesn't discolour, washes well and can be recycled.
I love the Bonne Maman jar jars. The jam is always so delicious and the jars are as cute as can be with the gingham lids.
🥣 Add your salad dressing last
You should always add your salad dressing at the last moment, so the salad will stay fresh, dressing does tend to make it soggy.
When taking salad to work or school, look out for those little plastic dressing pots you can find in most supermarkets.
You can just pop it in your lunchbox ready for lunchtime.
🥗 Take a lot of salads to work?
Then I have a little trick for you.
Make your dressing, fill your little dressing pots (labelling the underside) and freeze them.
In the morning just select a wee pot of dressing from the freezer and pop it in with your salad.
It will defrost in time for lunch while keeping your salad cool.
🥙 Ideas for using salad dressing
Here are a few ideas for using salad dressing.
- Salad - traditional but always good
- Pitta - drizzle over the salad in a pitta bread
- Wraps - add a drizzle to the filling of your lunchtime wrap for more flavour
- Pizza - use it for dunking pizza crust
- Potato wedges - good with spicy potato wedges
- Fries - chips or sweet potato fries
- Pasta salad - it makes the perfect dressing for a pasta salad too, try this Greek Pasta Salad
- Potato salad - change up your potato dressing by using salad dressing instead of mayo
- Colelsaw - improve your slaw with salad dressing instead of mayo
- Spread - use it as a spread when you are making a sandwich, this works better with creamy salad dressing
💭 How long will salad dressing keep?
Fresh salad dressing can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days once made.
Creamy dressings don't last as long as vinaigrettes.
A vinaigrette can last for a couple of weeks.
⭐ The best spot in the fridge for dressings
Many people keep dressings in the fridge door as they fit well in the compartments there.
However, the fridge door is the warmest part of the fridge as the door is regularly opened, reducing the temperature.
So, for the freshest dressings, keep them on a shelf inside the fridge.
🥬 Vegan salad recipes
Try drizzling some of this easy Italian salad dressing in these vegan salads.
🥛 And more salad dressing recipes
Just in case you would like to try some more salad dressing recipes.
- Creamy Russian Dressing
- Creamy Tahini Dressing
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Pomegranate & Lemon Dressing
- Ranch Dressing
🥦 Living on the veg & social media
If you love my recipes follow me on social media and why not join my Facebook group Living on the Veg?
Such a friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting. It's such a nice place to spend time.
Follow & chat with me here:
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👩🏻🍳 Step-by-step photos
Step-by-step photos. Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe for the best creamy Italian dressing (with full ingredient list and nutritional info).
Step 1
- In a clean jam jar or another airtight container, add the white wine vinegar, dried oregano and chilli flakes (full printable recipe card below).
- Now season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
- Now add the mayo.
- Screw on the lid tightly and shake like crazy.
- Voila, one awesome salad dressing ready to dress a splendiferous salad (or check out one of my ideas above).
📖 Recipe
Vegan Creamy Italian Dressing - Small Batch
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons vegan mayo
- 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoons chilli flakes more if you want it spicy
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a clean jam jar or other airtight glass jar with lid.
- Shake well to combine and emulsify the dressing.
- Taste to check the seasoning and add more salt, pepper or chilli flakes to suit your tastes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep the salad dressing on the shelf in the fridge, not in the fridge door to keep it fresher.
- Keep for 3-4 days.
- Freeze in portions in small plastic dressing tubs, then pop the frozen dressing straight into your lunchbox. it will keep your salad cool and be defrosted by lunchtime.
Sam Burton says
I am all over this! Making it now!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Haha, good show! Enjoy it Sam.
Lorna says
Thanks for letting me test this one. Now it is up I can say how good it is. My new fav!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
No problem at all, it's good to get testers and I am so glad you like it.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
This is so creamy and I love the added flavours too, especially the oregano. Easy to mix up as you need it.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
The oregano adds a lovely flavour that is so Italian. A fabulous dressing.
Mahy says
I could use this dressing for so many things! Love the consistency and the ingredients that you've used!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Super simple but so, so tasty. I love it.
Elaine says
I could never say it's vegan if I didn't know the ingredients. Looks like an easy recipe, too!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
It tastes so good, you would never tell the difference.
Rachna says
This is such a handy dressing recipe. I love using mayo and vinegar in a dressing. Must try your recipe soon.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
It works so well and the vinegar cuts through the creamy mayo.
Dionne says
I've just made a salad and wondered which dressing to use with it. Well, I am not wondering anymore 🙂 This is it!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
You couldn't go far wrong, it is so good.