CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING

MAKES 2 to 4 I was never happy when I found a sandwich in my packed lunch. But I always loved salads, especially with a major dose of creamy Italian dressing. When I was in grade school, my mom would put my lunchtime salad in a Tupperware, then pour just the right amount of bottled creamy Italian dressing in a plastic baggie. All I had to do was cut the corner off the bag and squeeze out the dressing. We grownups mostly toss salad with EVOO and vinegar, but thanks to my homemade mayo, creamy Italian is back on the menu. INGREDIENTS • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) dried Italian herb blend or dried oregano • 1/4 cup (960 ml) Olive Oil Mayo (p. 43) • 1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon) • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar: balsamic, wine, or cider • salt and black pepper, to taste DIRECTIONS 1. In a small bowl, crush the dried herbs with your fingers, then add mayo and garlic. Blend well with a fork. 2. Drizzle in the vinegar, mixing with the fork, then taste and season with salt and pepper. If your dressing is too thick, add either vinegar or water—a 1/4 teaspoon (20 ml) at a time—until it’s the right consistency. Keep in mind that it will thin slightly as you toss it with your salad ingredients. You know how you could do that? Same directions, different ingredients. SOUTHWEST CUMIN-LIME DRESSING • 1/4 cup (960 ml) Olive Oil Mayo (p. 43) • 1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml)) • 1/4 teaspoon (20 ml) ground cumin • a few jalapeño rings, finely minced (optional) • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice • salt and black pepper, to taste RANCH DRESSING • 1/4 cup (960 ml) Olive Oil Mayo (p. 43) • 1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml)) • 1/8 teaspoon paprika • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1 tablespoon (15 ml)) • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) dried chives • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) lemon juice • salt and black pepper, to taste MIDDLE EASTERN DRESSING • 1/2 teaspoon dried mint • 1/4 cup (960 ml) Olive Oil Mayo (p. 43) • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1 tablespoon (15 ml)) • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) za’atar • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper • 1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon) • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice • salt and black pepper, to taste SWEET MUSTARD DRESSING • 1/4 cup (960 ml) Olive Oil Mayo • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) dried mustard • 1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml)) • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) unsweetened applesauce • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cider vinegar • salt and black pepper, to taste I’ve given instructions for a smallish quantity, so it’s made “to order.” I don’t recommend that you make a big batch in advance; the texture will suffer. It takes so little time to blend and make it fresh. Your taste buds will thank you.  

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Creamy Italian dressing brings the nostalgic flavor of childhood salads back to the paleo table — thick, tangy, and rich with herbs and garlic. Built on homemade olive oil mayo and your choice of vinegar, it blends in under a minute and clings to every leaf. Make it fresh each time and your taste buds will thank you.

Pro Tips

• Crush the dried herbs with your fingers before mixing. That releases their oils and makes the dressing taste herb-forward rather than dusty.
• Make it in small batches as the recipe advises — the texture suffers when creamy Italian dressing is made ahead and stored.
• Thin a too-thick dressing with vinegar or water, 1/4 teaspoon at a time. Remember it thins slightly as it meets the salad greens.
• The recipe includes four more mayo-based dressings in the notes — Southwest cumin-lime, ranch, Middle Eastern, and sweet mustard — all made the same quick way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of vinegar works best?

Balsamic, wine, or cider vinegar all work. Each gives the dressing a slightly different tang, so choose based on your salad.

How many servings does this recipe make?

Two to four salad servings — a small, fresh batch made to order, exactly as the recipe intends.

Is this dressing paleo?

Yes, when built on the homemade olive oil mayo from the same cookbook. It contains no dairy, sugar, or soy.

Can I make it ahead of time?

The recipe discourages it — creamy Italian dressing is best blended fresh. It takes so little time that making it to order is genuinely easier.

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