You won’t believe how fast you can pull together this Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese. The magic literally happens in five minutes flat.
I originally shared this recipe way back in 2015 on my baking site. I know, putting a salad dressing on a baking blog sounds completely crazy! But I posted it because it was actually one of my absolute favorite dipping sauces for warm, crusty bread right out of the oven.
A while ago, I decided to clean up my website and took the post down. Big mistake! My inbox flooded with messages from you guys asking where it went. You demanded I bring it back, and I honestly can’t blame you.
I’ve been making this exact recipe for years. It never fails me. Once you taste that fresh, zesty flavor mixed with the rich cheese, you’ll never buy the bottled stuff from the grocery store again. Trust me on this one!
Why You Will Love This Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese
I promise you’re going to be obsessed with this recipe. Once you see how easy it is to make your own dressing at home, those store-bought bottles will stay right on the grocery shelf. Here is why this recipe is a total game-changer for my kitchen:
- It literally takes five minutes to throw together. You just measure, shake, and you are done!
- The fresh taste knocks the socks off anything you can buy in a plastic bottle.
- You know exactly what goes into it. No weird preservatives or strange ingredients here.
- That grated Parmesan cheese adds the most amazing savory bite.
- It doubles as the perfect quick marinade for chicken or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients For Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese
I’m super picky about my dressing ingredients! The secret here is balancing sharp vinegar, rich cheese, and simple pantry spices you probably already own. Grab your measuring spoons, because here is exactly what you need:
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Make sure you chop that red bell pepper super fine so it blends beautifully into the mixture. Trust me, squeeze that lemon juice fresh! It gives a bright, vibrant zing that bottled juice just can’t match. Since the extra virgin olive oil makes up our base, try to use the best quality one you have sitting in your cupboard.
How To Make Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese
Okay, let’s get to the fun part. Making this Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese is unbelievably simple. You don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets for this!
First, grab a bowl or a glass jar with a really tight-fitting lid. I almost always use a mason jar because it saves me from washing extra dishes later! Just dump all of your ingredients right into your container. Yep, the oil, vinegar, Parmesan, spices, and that tiny bit of honey—everything goes in together at the exact same time.
If you’re using a jar, screw that lid on super tight and shake it like crazy until the mixture blends completely. If you went with a bowl, grab a wire whisk and beat it vigorously until the oil and vinegar stop separating.
Here is my absolute biggest secret: do not pour it over your greens right away! Let the dressing rest for at least a minute to let those amazing flavors mix and mingle. Also, don’t panic if the dressing looks a little cloudy or if the cheese sinks to the bottom. That is totally normal for a real, homemade vinaigrette!
Tips For Success
Want to make this dressing taste even better? I have a few quick tricks up my sleeve. While letting it rest on the counter for a minute works perfectly in a rush, the real magic happens when it chills.
If you have a little extra time, pop your jar in the fridge for an hour or two before serving. This gives those dried herbs a chance to soften and really release their flavors into the olive oil.
Because we aren’t using those weird chemical emulsifiers found in store-bought bottles, the oil and vinegar will naturally separate while sitting. Just remember to give your jar a really good shake before each use to bring it all perfectly back together!
Serving Suggestions For Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese
I honestly put this stuff on everything! While it’s obviously amazing on a simple side salad, you’ll want to use it for so much more. It’s incredibly versatile, and my family begs me to keep a jar handy for weekday meals. Here are my absolute favorite ways to serve it up:
- Tossed with a massive bowl of fresh mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers.
- Poured into a little dish as a dipping sauce for warm, crusty artisan bread. (This is exactly why it was on my baking blog in the first place!)
- Drizzled over cold pasta salads packed with black olives and mozzarella pearls.
- Brushed over chicken breasts or sliced zucchini right before grilling for a fast, flavorful dinner.
Storage Instructions
If you somehow manage to have leftovers (my family usually gobbles it all up!), storing this dressing is a total breeze. You’ll want to keep the dressing tucked away in an airtight container right in the refrigerator. A simple glass jar with a tight lid is my absolute favorite for this. It stays perfectly fresh in there for up to 2 weeks.
Don’t freak out if you pull it out of the cold fridge and it looks a little thick or cloudy! Real olive oil naturally solidifies when it chills. That just means you used the good stuff. Simply let your jar sit at room temperature for about ten or fifteen minutes before dinner. Give it a really good shake, and it will be perfectly smooth and ready to pour all over again.
Nutritional Information For Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese
I know a lot of you like to keep track of this stuff, so I’ve calculated the basic nutrition facts for us! Just keep in mind that this is simply a rough estimate based on a standard 1 tablespoon serving.
- Calories: 95
- Fat: 10g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Sodium: 115mg
Frequently Asked Questions About Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese
Q1. Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried?
You absolutely can! I usually stick to dried because they’re always right there in my pantry, which keeps this recipe lightning-fast. If you use fresh herbs from your garden, just remember my golden rule: use three times the amount of fresh to replace the dried ones, since dried flavors are much more concentrated.
Q2. Can I substitute the white wine vinegar?
Don’t panic if you’re out! I’ve totally been there halfway through making dinner. You can easily swap it for red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Red wine vinegar gives this homemade dressing a slightly sharper bite, while apple cider vinegar adds a lovely subtle sweetness. Both taste amazing with the Parmesan cheese!
Q3. How long does it last in the fridge?
If your family doesn’t eat it all on the first day, your dressing will stay perfectly fresh in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Since we’re using real extra virgin olive oil, it will solidify a bit when cold. Just let it sit on the counter for a few minutes and shake it like crazy before pouring!
Share Your Thoughts
I absolutely love hearing from you! If you whip up this quick dressing, please drop a comment and a star rating below. I’m dying to know—did you pour it over a huge salad or use it as a bread dip? Snap a quick photo and tag me on social media so I can see! Check out more of my easy recipes here.
Print
Quick 5-minute homemade Italian salad dressing with Parmesan cheese: Best dip
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Whisking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This quick homemade Italian dressing features a savory blend of olive oil, vinegar, and Parmesan cheese. You can prepare it in five minutes for your fresh salads or as a flavorful dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Whisk or shake the container until the mixture blends completely.
- Taste your dressing and add more seasonings if you prefer.
- Store your dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Shake your container well before each use.
Notes
- Shake your dressing before every use to combine the ingredients.
- Keep your dressing in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
- Use your dressing within 2 weeks of preparation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 115mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 1mg
