Vegan Italian Dressing (Oil-Free!)

This tangy Vegan Italian Salad Dressing recipe is ready in just 5 minutes! Made with bold flavors and an optional creamy base using hummus or tahini. Drizzle it over leafy green salads, pasta salads, or grain salads! (Vegan, gluten-free, refined oil-free.)

This bold & zesty Italian salad dressing is quick and simple!

It's full of bright, tangy flavor and fresh herbs. Plus it's refined oil-free, vegan, gluten-free, and also naturally sweetened.

Best of all, you can choose to make it either thin or creamy! (I like the creamy version better, but do whatever suits you.)

Homemade salad dressings are great because you can customize them exactly how you want. They're so much fresher than store-bought alternatives. I hope you enjoy this bold and flavorful recipe as much as I do!

Ingredients for Vegan Italian Dressing

For this recipe, you'll blend together in a small high-speed blender:

• Red wine vinegar
• Hummus: I use my easy homemade Oil-Free Hummus for this recipe, but you can use plain store-bought hummus instead. This creates the luscious base for a creamy Italian dressing. (Or you can simply swap in about a tablespoon of tahini!)
• Nutritional yeast: This adds a slightly cheesy, savory flavor to the dressing. Classic Italian dressing often includes parmesan cheese, so I use this instead for a dairy-free cheesy taste.
• Pure maple syrup: Or you can substitute agave nectar or vegan honey for sweetness. Simply add more if you prefer yours sweeter.
• White miso: This fermented soybean paste has mild umami flavor. It's delicious in dressings to give it a deeper, more complex flavor. I highly recommend including it, but if you don't have any then simply salt to taste. (And add black pepper if desired.)
• Dijon mustard
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Dried garlic powder: Or you can substitute one clove fresh garlic for a stronger flavor if desired.
• Fresh parsley: We'll pulse in just a little of this fresh herb right at the end. Either flat leaf parsley or curly parsley works great. I enjoy the added freshness, but if you don't have it on hand, simply omit.

Customizing

Vinegar: White wine vinegar is generally the more classic choice for Italian dressing, so you can substitute that if desired. Red wine vinegar has a stronger flavor, but I enjoy it.

Italian seasoning: If you don't have this in your spice cabinet, simply replace with a combination of dried herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, or marjoram. A small amount of onion powder can be added as well.

Flavors: Fresh lemon juice can also be added in place of some of the vinegar. Or add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

Adding oil: If you prefer to include oil in your diet, then you can add 1-2 tablespoons high quality extra-virgin olive oil to turn it into an Italian vinaigrette.

Don't have a small blender? Add all ingredients to a jar, seal it well, then shake vigorously to combine. Or you can also whisk it together in a bowl. But if you have a blender, I recommend using it so the ingredients & herbs are fully broken down and incorporated.

Serving

Leafy green salad: Drizzle this homemade Italian dressing over your favorite greens like a spring mix, kale, arugula, or romaine lettuce. (This Vegan Italian Chopped Salad is a favorite!)

Wraps: Add it to sandwiches & wraps for a flavor boost! I love it on this Roasted Veggie Wrap.

Pasta salad: Toss it with an Italian-style pasta salad (like this Arugula Pasta Salad or Vegan Italian Pasta Salad). Or create your own with ingredients like onion, green bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh arugula, olives, artichoke hearts, etc.

Grain salad: Try it as a dressing for various grain and bean salads like quinoa, lentil, rice, etc.

Storing

Store leftover dressing in a sealed glass mason jar with lid (or other airtight container) in the refrigerator. I find it keeps for about 5-6 days.

For more inspiration, also browse all oil-free salad dressing recipes.

If you're enjoying this oil-free Vegan Italian Salad Dressing recipe, also check out:

• Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
• Vegan French Dressing

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