5-Minute Homemade Italian Dressing

You’ll never reach for the bottled stuff again once you see how easy this homemade Italian dressing recipe is. It’s a 5-minute keto dressing made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and classic Italian herbs – no vinegar needed. Just shake it up in a jar and you’re done.

It’s true that I’m a total sucker for a good keto ranch dressing (and it’s no secret that my recipe is the best!), but I grew up on Italian salad dressing and I still crave those bold flavors.

We make this Italian dressing without vinegar and use fresh lemon juice for that bright, tangy bite instead. It turns out you don’t need the vinegar (or the sugar) at all to get a dressing that makes a salad pop.

We use this often to dress greens or pour over my Italian cauliflower salad, but we reach for it just as often to marinate chicken before tossing it on the grill!

It’s become a total staple in our fridge.

3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

1. It pulls double duty. This is a salad dressing and a chicken or veggie marinade all in one, so it earns its space in your fridge.
2. It’s ridiculously easy. Everything goes in a mason jar, you shake it, and that’s the whole recipe. No whisking, no blender, no mess.
3. You know exactly what’s in it. No mystery oils, no hidden sugars, no funky preservatives – just real ingredients you already have in your pantry.

Ingredients, Swaps, & Tips:

Want to switch things up? Here’s what I’ve learned works (and what doesn’t):

Olive oil is the base, and a good extra virgin olive oil really does make a difference in flavor here.

Lemon juice is what gives this its tang in place of vinegar. Fresh squeezed is best, but bottled will do in a pinch. If you’d rather use vinegar, red wine vinegar works fine.

The herbs are flexible. I use basil, oregano, and rosemary, but Italian seasoning works if that’s what’s in the cabinet. Fresh herbs are lovely if you’ve got them – just add extra (to taste – usually about 3 times as much as dried) since they’re milder than dried.

Garlic is non-negotiable in my book, but if raw garlic is too sharp for you, a pinch of garlic powder mellows it out.

Sweetener: If you like a slightly sweeter dressing, add a teaspoon of a low carb sweetener like Lakanto monk fruit. A little goes a long way, so start small and taste as you go. Personally, I don’t add any sweetener.

Shake before serving: The oil and lemon juice naturally separate as it sits, so give it a vigorous shake every time before using.

Storage

Fridge life: Keeps for up to 2 weeks in a tightly sealed jar. A mason jar is perfect since you can just shake and pour.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this one. Olive oil gets weird and cloudy when it thaws, and it’s so quick to make fresh that there’s really no need.

FAQs:

More Low Carb Salad Recipes:

Greek Chicken Salad: Made with a tzatziki dressing!

Thousand Island Dressing: Perfect on salads or burgers!

Sugar Free French Dressing: Looks amazing!

Avocado Chicken Salad: The ultimate lunch!

Big Mac Salad: A family favorite and so flavorful!