Creamy Italian Salad Dressing and Salad

Name: Creamy Italian Salad Dressing and Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1/3 cup lemon juice; 1/3 cup red wine vinegar; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried parsley; 1 tsp dried basil; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese; 4-6 cups chopped romaine lettuce; 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced; 1 tomato, sliced; 1/4 cup Kalamata olives; 1/4 cup whole pepperoncini; Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for topping; Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; 1/2 cup croutons

This creamy Italian salad dressing combines lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese to replicate the zesty, restaurant-quality dressing served at Italian-American tables. The dressing comes together in minutes and transforms fresh greens, tomatoes, and onions into a classic composed salad.

🍴Copycat

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Italian salad 🏷️Salad dressing 🏷️Creamy italian Salad

🏷️

🏷️Romaine

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TikTok

Total

15 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$32–$53

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

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TikTok

Ingredients

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
4-6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup Kalamata olives
1/4 cup whole pepperoncini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for toppingoptional
Freshly cracked black pepper, to tasteoptional
1/2 cup croutonsoptional

18 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mayonnaise, and olive oil.
2
Add the dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and garlic powder.
3
Whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
4
To assemble the salad, combine chopped romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, sliced tomato, olives, and whole pepperoncini in a large bowl.
5
Top the salad with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.
6
Add croutons if desired.
7
Drizzle with the prepared dressing just before serving and enjoy.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Whisk the dressing vigorously to emulsify the mayo and vinegar evenly; use a mason jar and shake hard if whisking by hand.
Add fresh cracked black pepper and adjust salt to taste just before serving—acidity and salt levels vary by brand of vinegar and mayo.
Chill the dressing for 15 minutes before use to allow flavors to meld; it will thicken slightly as it sits.
Toss salad ingredients separately, then dress just before plating to prevent wilting and maintain crisp lettuce.

Substitutions

Red wine vinegar → white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (slightly less sharp taste)
Lemon juice → fresh lime juice (more assertive citrus note)
Dried herbs → fresh parsley, basil, and oregano (triple the amounts, add just before serving)
Grated Parmesan → Pecorino Romano (sharper, saltier flavor)

Storage & make-ahead

Store dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Shake well before each use. Dress the salad immediately before serving to keep greens crisp.