Vegan Creamy Italian Dressing - Small Batch

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?
• 📖 What you need to make vegan Italian dressing
• 🥙 Ideas for using salad dressing
• 💭 How long will salad dressing keep?
• ⭐ The best spot in the fridge for dressings
• 🥬 Vegan salad recipes
• 📋 Want new recipes delivered to your inbox?
• ⭐ Pin it for later
• 🥦 Living on the Veg
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Step-by-step photos
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

🥛 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.

🍶 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.

📖 What you need to make vegan Italian dressing

Here are the few simple ingredients you need to make this easy Italian salad dressing.

• Vegan mayo - no need for oil in this simple dressing as there is oil in mayo
• White wine vinegar - or any other clear vinegar, cider vinegar would work too
• Oregano - I use dried oregano
• Chilli flakes - if you don't have chilli flakes you could use chilli powder, but I would use less as it tends to have a more powerful heat
• Salt & pepper - to season

Simple as can be but so, so tasty.

See printable recipe card below for full quantities.

🥙 Ideas for using salad dressing

Here are a few ideas for using salad dressing.

1. Salad - traditional but always good
2. Pitta - drizzle over the salad in a pitta bread
3. Wraps - add a drizzle to the filling of your lunchtime wrap for more flavour
4. Pizza - use it for dunking pizza crust
5. Potato wedges - good with spicy potato wedges
6. Fries - chips or sweet potato fries
7. Pasta salad - it makes the perfect dressing for a pasta salad too, try this Greek Pasta Salad
8. Potato salad - change up your potato dressing by using salad dressing instead of mayo
9. Colelsaw - improve your slaw with salad dressing instead of mayo
10. 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.

• Balsamic Beet Slaw
• Carrot & Dill Coleslaw
• Grinder Salad with Corn
• Macaroni salad
• Ploughman's Salad
• Tex Mex Chopped Corn Salad

🥛 And more salad dressing recipes

Just in case you would like to try some more salad dressing recipes.

• Creamy Russian Dressing
• Greek Salad Dressing
• Pomegrante & Lemon Dressing
• Ranch Dressing

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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

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).
2. Now season with salt and pepper.

Step 2

1. Now add the mayo.
2. Screw on the lid tightly and shake like crazy.
3. Voila, one awesome salad dressing ready to dress a splendiferous salad (or check out one of my ideas above).