Is Italian Dressing Vegan? This may be a question you are asking yourself as you walk down the salad dressing aisle at the grocery store, or order a dressing at a restaurant. While a simple, yes or no answer would be ideal, as with many food products the answer is sometimes. Read on for a complete guide to buying vegan Italian dressing, as well as a simple recipe you can make at home!
Italian Dressing has always been one of my favorite salad dressings. It’s light and flavorful, and pairs well with so many different types of salads. The challenge with it becomes the added ingredients in store-bought varieties when you follow a vegan diet.
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What is Italian Dressing Made Of?
A standard Italian salad dressing recipe starts with an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, or red wine vinegar). Vegetable oil such as olive oil is added, along with a little salt. Sometimes additional spices are added such as onion powder, garlic powder, herbs, finely chopped onion, garlic, or red pepper.
All of the typical ingredients in a standard Italian dressing are vegan-friendly. The challenge becomes the store-bought brands with additives, sugars, and even dairy in the creamy varieties.
Problematic Ingredients
Dairy and Eggs: The creamy Italian dressing varieties have added dairy such as buttermilk. The store-bought dressings are often made in facilities that make other creamy-based dressings, so even a dressing that is not creamy may have a notice on the label that it was produced in a facility with dairy and eggs, and may contain trace amounts in their product.
Sugar: Many dressings contain added sugar. White sugar that is produced in the United States is often processed with bone char, meaning that you cannot be sure if the sugar added to your dressing is or is not vegan friendly.
Xanthan Gum: This additive is made from fermented sugars which has the same challenges as regular sugar, not to mention that some of these sugars are derived from whey which is a dairy.
Honey: Other dressing brands add honey for sweetness. Honey is not considered vegan.
Does Italian Dressing Contain Dairy?
Not all dressings contain dairy. But those that specifically say “creamy” do contain dairy in the form of buttermilk. Others may have been cross-contaminated with dairy during production.
Some of the common culprits to look out for include:
- Buttermilk
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Lactose
Homemade vs. Store-Bought
While store-bought dressing offers the convenience you have to be careful about which brands you choose. Look at the ingredient label carefully to ensure it does not contain any of the problematic ingredients that are mentioned above. The added sugars and additives in these dressings also make them less healthy than a homemade version.
Homemade Italian dressing is quick and easy to make! All of the ingredients are ones that you likely have in your pantry! It doesn’t take any complicated skill level, and you can keep it in your refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can make a creamy dressing or a vinaigrette!
The Best Vegan Italian Dressing Brands
Primal Kitchen Italian Vinaigrette
Made with plant-based ingredients this vinaigrette dressing is excellent on salads or as a marinade. It contains avocado oil and organic extra virgin olive oil, water, organic red wine vinegar, sea salt, organic lemon juice concentrate, organic onion powder, organic black pepper, organic basil, organic garlic powder, organic oregano, konjac, organic crushed red chile pepper, and organic thyme.
Tessemae’s Classic Italian Organic Salad Dressing
Made with quality ingredients including sunflower oil, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, mustard (vinegar, water, mustard seed, sea salt, spices), sea salt, black pepper, spices, and garlic powder. It’s also organic, gluten-free, and vegan.
Daiya Creamy Italian Dressing
If you like a creamy Italian dressing try Daiya. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. It has a rich and creamy flavor. The ingredients are not as natural as some of the other brands mentioned above. It contains xantham gum and sugar, but since it is verified vegan, it is likely that those ingredients are okay.
Vegan Italian Dressing Recipe
Since making your own homemade Italian dressing is super simple, and only requires a few ingredients, it’s a much more cost-effective way to make a flavorful Italian dressing that you can rest assured is 100% vegan! You can use a mason jar to keep your homemade dressing in or you can use a salad dressing bottle that gives you the exact ratios you need to make a variety of dressings.
Ingredients and Notes
Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar: This recipe starts with the two most basic ingredients of a classic vinaigrette. The oil will separate from the vinegar, so always be sure to give it a good shake before using.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for a touch of added acidity.
Spices: A combination of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, dried basil, salt, and optional red pepper flakes give this dressing a robust flavor.
Instructions
Step 1: Place all the ingredients in a jar, securely attach the top, and shake well.
Step 2: The oil and vinegar will separate when left still. Shake well before serving.
Step 3: Keep refrigerated. It will last for up to 1 week.
Recipe FAQS
Homemade Italian dressing is generally more healthy than store-bought because it doesn’t contain preservatives or sugars. However, this dressing does contain olive oil, which is high in fat, but it is monounsaturated fat which is healthier.
Red wine vinegar is less pungent than other kinds of vinegar, and pairs nicely in a dressing. However, if you do not have red wine vinegar, you could use lemon juice instead. This recipe calls for a combination of red wine vinegar and lemon juice.
I prefer to use olive oil because it has a neutral flavor. Other types of oils that would also work well include avocado oil, or sunflower oil.
Variations and Substitutions
Different Spices: Instead of adding the herbs mentioned you could simplify the recipe by using 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian Seasoning, along with salt.
Different Oil: Avocado oil, sunflower oil, or any other type of neutral oil can be substituted for olive oil.
Oil-Free Version: You can make a creamy oil-free dressing using ½ a cup of raw cashews, ¾ cups of water, and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Place all in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, then add the additional ingredients.
Maple Syrup: If you like a slightly sweet flavored dressing, add a tablespoon of maple syrup.
Dijon Mustard: For a slightly zestier taste, add 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard.
Expert Tips
- Use a neutral flavored oil.
- Choose a mild vinegar or lemon juice.
- Add your favorite herbs.
- For a zesty finish add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Shake well before serving.
More Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Italian Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a jar, securely attach the top, and shake well.
- The oil and vinegar will separate when left still. Shake well before serving.
- Keep refrigerated. It will last for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use a neutral-flavored oil.
- Choose a mild vinegar or lemon juice.
- Add your favorite herbs.
- For a zesty finish add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Shake well before serving.
Claudia Lamascolo
We made ours similiar but not with lemon we tried this and it was fantastic the only way to go great recipe!
Casey
Such an amazing, easy recipe!! Never buying bottled dressing again!
Beth
It’s hard to find a vegan dressing in the store. These are practical tips that I can use to find out. Thanks
Dannii
This is my favourite dressing, and it’s great to know that it is vegan too.