Sunday, July 25, 2010

Perfect Homemade Italian Dressing

Wish Bone Salad Dressing, Robusto Italian, 16-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)
Don't buy this stuff.
My pics are MIA.
Welcome to PennilessParenting.com, the site where I teach you to live well on a minimum budget. A big part of that is I teach you to make everything you use yourself, for much cheaper than the store bought variety, and much healthier too. I can teach you to make foods from scratch, including all the condiments and sauces you'd ever need, homemade candies, homemade breads and crackers, as well as non food items such as homemade toys. So you don't miss out on all these money saving tips, subscribe to my blog via email!

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I make everything from scratch because not only is it cheaper and healthier, it also tastes better!
And it really is not a lot of work to make your own homemade dressing! I never buy bottled dressing, especially not Italian, which is so easy to make at home, and can be stored in the fridge for a long, long time.

Here's how I make the most perfect zesty Italian dressing. This is delicious on salads, but is also delicious as a sauce on chicken, on pasta salad, or mixed with egg for breading different foods recipes, such as shnitzel.


Zesty Italian Dressing Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup of the vinegar (any type is fine, whether ACV, wine vinegar, rice vinegar, etc...)
1 1/3 cup of olive oil or other oil (I usually do half olive oil, half cheaper oil)
2 tablespoons of water
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon honey, white sugar, or sucanat
1 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoons salt

Instructions
1. Pour ingredients into a glass jar or bottle with a cover. You may need to use a funnel, in which case pour the dry things in first before the liquids.
2. Cover and shake well.
3. Use, or refrigerate for months and months.
4. Enjoy!

P.S. If you leave out one or two of the spices, it'll still taste terrific.
P.P.S. The texture is exactly like the bought stuff.


Here are some other homemade condiment recipes to save you money
Homemade Mayonnaise
Homemade Vegan Mayonnaise (Soy Free)
Homemade Tahini Dressing (And a Vegan Falafel Recipe)
Homemade Healthy Ketchup
Homemade Healthy Vinegar
Homemade Yogurt


Here's Some Money Saving Salad Tips and Recipes:
Homemade French Dressing
How to Make the Perfect Salad Out of Just About Anything
Mock Tuna Salad
Sprouted Lentil and Tomato Salad
Dilly Beet and Carrot Salad
Easy Beet Salad
Russian Carrot Salad
Korean Turnip Salad


Do you make homemade italian dressing? What is in yours?

57 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting, I just made this!
    I would not skimp on the quality of the oil! Organic olive oil all the way! (Organic avocado oil or flax oil would be great too)
    Also the quality of the salt is so important! No iodized table salt - that stuff is bad for you! I used ground pink Himalayan salt.
    I used as much organic ingredients as I had (the oil, honey, and dried herbs).
    : )

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    1. For those of us making the Italian at home to save a buck (penniless parenting) pink Himalayan salt isn't gonna be an option. You sound like gwenyth paltrow.

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    2. Gwenyth paltrow lol that made me laugh. Trader Joes sells some pretty inexpensive...Im sure its still more than the other, but it wasnt as much as I expected so I tried it...

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    3. Splurge for the Himalayan salt and pass on going out to eat once a week. Trust me. Your health will never regret it.

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    4. I'll stick with the cheaper salt...I don't even have the luxury of going out to eat once a MONTH, much less once a week. I "splurge" when I take myself to the doctor for bronchitis. Smh...some people and their quick judgements.

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    5. Speaking of quick judgements, I don't think the op was trying to be pretentious (like Paltrow) when she suggested getting better salt. I've been on both sides of the poor vs financially stable fence. Research is pretty much free and I've found the stuff that passes as food at the store is in many cases closer to poison (especially the cheaper it is). It might be worth it to watch what we eat because we can either spend extra at the store or at the doctor but either way it will cost us.

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    6. If you're going to "splurge" on anything, salt is a pretty inexpensive thing to pick, so not a big deal. I think that pink Himalayan salt is like $2 at Trader Joe's. You could also get sea salt as an alternative, which is pretty cheap. Also, finding organic foods doesn't always have to be more expensive, you might be surprised what you find if you shop around. To anyone living in the northeast, Ocean State Job Lot sells a lot of organic foods for cheaper $$ than their regular counterparts at the grocery store. Organic olive oil is only $4 a bottle there! Organic foods have made a HUGE difference in my life. After less than a year of switching to organic foods (and not even 100% organic, just what I could afford, probably about half of my food), not only did I feel healthier, but I finally got pregnant after trying for a baby for 5 years. Organic foods are free of GMO ingredients, herbicides and artificial chemical ingrediets- a lot of these are carcinogens and cause lots of problems.

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    7. Maria, thanks for your input regarding alternative ingredients. I will try these and compare my results. I think it is great to explore with healthier options when available. Ignore the negative responses posted as these types of sites are supposed to be for the betterment of our lives and our health; not to judge other peoples lifestyle choices as the first and fourth commenter did. Thanks for your suggestions and be well! Signed, Penniless and Peaceful :)

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    8. I used course sea salt, dropped the thyme and sugar (out of sugar, and had no thyme in the kitchen, either) but had all the other ingredients. Used Crisco olive oil and vegetable oil. Turned out fantastic. Made spaghetti noodles and used them as a base for pasta salad, with Kraft 3-cheese sprinkle cheese blend. My kids ate it up, and they do not like salad or dressing at all. So easy and cheap.

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    9. You know, I never comment on these things, but one of you said you "splurge" when you take yourself to the doctor for bronchitis? Aren't you covered under the Affordable Care Act? I'm not making this political, but everything I see says that uninsured people are now covered, and have health care. My wife, and I don't have to worry about anything like that. We're very, very comfortable. You also said you don't go out to eat even once a month? Have you thought about getting a Pell Grant, and going to a local junior college or vocational school to learn a marketable skill? I'm just trying to understand how someone could actually BE in the situation you describe without channeling that frustration into an energy source that might fuel your financial ascent. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to make a list of many, many very small things. And go through that list thoroughly, and conscientiously, and to hell with ANYONE who gets in your way for ANY reason. If you want something more you have to take it from others, and that means building your future meticulously. Piece by tiny piece.

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    10. You ask about the affordable care act? Let me tell ya......my husband and I have to PAY 1/3 of our check for insurance! plus a $3,000. deductible and then we have to pay 20% of all medical bills. If you have an employer that offers insurance and although they give you option to take it or not, you are forced to take it, otherwise we would be fined by our government for not having it. My sons employer doesnt offer insurance so he has to pay 1/3 of his check for the so called "Affordable Care Act" he and his wife does not make easy money either. They too have a very large deductible, and due to all our having to pay high premiums we cant afford to go to the doctors, my husband has a serious heart problem but the cost of tests, and hospital he cannot afford to go, I too have health issues but not serious but we are trying to get the last hospital bill paid off before he can go back for more care. So I appreciate sites like this that offer home made recipes and such. Any help is great help! I hope this helps people understand that the "Affordable Care act" really is not always affordable. We were better off without the insurance.

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    11. This comment thread is mindblowing. I'm not poor now, but I've been quite poor. I guess I should feel appreciation for those poor years because now I'm someone who understands that low-income people are often already doing everything they can. Pink salt? Telling someone doing the best she can that she's POISONING herself, and her family, by making homemade salad dressing? First of all, homemade anything, even with salts you find enraging, is going to be better for your family than storebought. Second of all, some of you guys are bananas. Organic food is great. High quality oils are great. Good salts are great. I am lucky enough and financially stable enough now to prioritize these things in my own kitchen. But how dramatically out of touch with the real lives of poor Americans do you have to be to assume - even after you're corrected - that these luxuries of the middle classes and above are accessible to all? Get real. A mom relying on minimum wage to feed a family can't even dream of fussing over fancy salts and the perfect oils and organic free-range thyme, she's counting pennies to make sure she has tomorrow's bus fare to work. Just unbelievable how blind some are to how many, many working Americans have to live to survive. Educate yourselves before you judge, commenters.

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    12. Is it really better for your children to be shipping salt from the Himalayas and leaving such a huge carbon footprint? Adding in iodine to salt was done because children had iodine deficiencies. There is nothing wrong with table salt. Do other forms of salt have more natural minerals, yes. But don't shame someone for saying they can't afford these things. We're all doing the best we can and no one knows anyone's personal situations.

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  2. Thanks for sharing. I used this on my gluten free pasta salad (http://wp.me/p38Tfs-fG). It was great!

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  3. I made this the other night, I did 3/4 cup red wine vinegar and 1/4 balsamic, we're all balsamic people but great recipe it was delicious thanks

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  4. This is incredible! Just had it in whole grain pasta salad with veggies and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese

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  5. i found that oil to vinegar ratio way too high. I ended up with 2 cups of vinegar and one of olive oil and even now it seems like I have too much oil.

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    1. Its unfortunate that your dressing didnt come out like you hoped. Maybe you can try it out the way I did it. I used the 1 cup vinegar, 3/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil and 2 Tblsp purified water, 1/2 Tblsp garlic powder, 1 Tblsp honey, 1 1/4 Tblsp garlic salt with parsley, 1/2 tsp black pepper along with 1 Tblsp orgegano and blended it in blender. It is delicious! I couldnt put thyme, parsley or basil because I didnt have it on hand. I placed over cold pasta with tomatoes, olives and cucumber. Everyone loved it. Maybe you can try this out.

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    2. I use the Good Seasonings cruet to measure my oil, vinegar & water and just use that to shake all the rest of it up. There are markings right on the side of the bottle.

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  6. I added lemon pepper and it was perfect!

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  7. Thanx just made some going to try it in the morning ! :)

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  8. This was pretty perfect. I was gonna use kosher salt but then wound up using celery salt which I liked. I used 3 cloves fresh minced garlic instead of powder, & added some mustard powder & crushed red pepper flakes. I used half extra virgin & half regular olive oil & added a splash of lemon juice. Never buying from the store again. Thank you so much for the perfect recipe the 1st time around! :-)

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  9. This sounds good but why put sugar in it. Sugar is ruining everything now. The Wishbone Italian is NOT what it was in the 60's and 70's. I know because I grew up with this stuff. It tastes horrible now and I don't buy it. Even Ken's Italian now has sugar in it. YUK! Tried Newman's Own and it's better than most. Going to make it from scratch but omit the poison, sugar.

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    Replies
    1. It helps to break down some of the acids in this. especially if you add any type of tomato.

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  10. Really delicious. I used light tasting olive oil and regular vinegar. It won the vote of everyone at the dinner table! Thank you for sharing!

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  11. This is awesome! Thanks! Wish I could "pin" it!

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  12. I made this exactly as written and then marinaded chicken cutlets in it for 2 days, grilled them 5 minutes on each side in a grill pan...OMG, my taste buds were doing dances. It was absolutely heavenly. About to make this again- can not wait for dinner!!

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  13. It tasted exactly like the Kraft kind. Yum!

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  14. I just tried this and it turned out awesome! And I was missing a few key ingredients. However, I used ACV and it's rather overpowering and there's a small burning kick to it. Is there anything to cut down on the taste of of the ACV? (obviously without using a different type of vinegar)

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    Replies
    1. Try using lemon juice in place of some or all of the vinegar?

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    2. If you want to tweak your already made dressing, add more olive oil, more honey or sugar, or even increase all ingredients but vinegar. I've done that to tweak a too vinegary French dressing for my husband.

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    3. Thanks for the suggestions. This time around I dropped the ACV and went with straight vinegar. So much better.

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    4. I like to add just a Tablespoon of ACV in with the vinegar. ACV is strong, but is such a good vinegar!

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  15. Nice recipe as is, but since you are making it yourself, why not experiment. The best I came up with was when I used a nice light olive oil, rice vinegar, got rid of the oregano for 3/4 tbs (total) of thyme and replaced the powdered onion and garlic for fresh. I keep it mild for family and guests, but like mine with a few drops of habanero sauce to mine. Great on hoagies (guess you know where I'm from).

    Used a nice lite olive oil, got rid of the oregano and used 3/4 tbs thyme, and real onion and garlic instead of the powder

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  16. Thank you for the recipe. I went the "easy way out" and used the Italian seasoning blend instead of all the listed spices. I used olive oil and apple cider vinegar (I didn't have any white vinegar on hand....strange...). It was very yummy. I put this over mixed greens, boiled shrimp and Parmesan cheese. Yummmm....thanks!

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  17. Thank you so much for this :) The store bought kind suddenly tastes like plastic

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  18. Outstanding! I used red wine vinegar and all olive oil and I halved the amount of sugar and salt, and now my husband doesn't want to eat any other Italian dressing ever again. I think next time I'm going to add some crushed red pepper. It tastes fantastic!

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  19. I completely agree with leaving out the sugar. I am confused about the aversion to iodinized salt. when people don't have enough iodine in their diets they develop goiters.

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  20. I made this recipe to put into pasta salad. We are on a very tight budget and I did not have any bottled dressing. I used extra virgin olive oil and measured everything perfectly. It tastes horrible. Sorry, but this is the worst tasting salad dressing that I have tried.

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    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, I have to agree. It was terrible.

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  21. Hi, thank you for the recipe, I've tried this recipe for 3 batches already and make mine into perfection (to my palate).
    I don't use any salt, I add more portion of honey (since I like it slightly sweet), I reduce a little portion of vinegar (I use apple vinegar) and I add chopped pickle garlic to add more taste. But I don't shake it though, I just put my hand-blender on ^_^

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  22. Love this recipe! I have tried it three times and each time a bit different...I didn't care for the olive oil as much since it was heavy...I think I may have used sunflower oil or vegetable oil. Thanks for sharing it...I am so happy I found it. I don't buy anything I can make (soap, detergent, mineral make-up, creams, hair gel...) I used hemp seed oil and rice vinegar, minus the garlic and onion, I added flax seeds to the mix...yummy! Oh I also added guar gum to thicken it a bit.

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  23. Thank you for this recipe. We have been use recipe for a year or so. However, lastly be been adding Mayoisne and make it a Creamy Italian. Yummy

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  24. BJs Wholesale Club sells Pink Salt pretty inexpensively in a grinder. Mine lasted 6 months.

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  25. the person that said Iodized salt is bad for you is wrong...iodize salt has a nutrient of iodide which is to help against thyroid cancer and diseases....don't believe me...look up what people are buying to help block the radiation from the Japan nuclear power plant that blew up...Fukashima...that is something the government doesn't want you to know...so yes put iodize salt in your food!..but as always too much of anything is bad.

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    Replies
    1. Its less the iodine that is a problem, but the fact that it is both bleached to remove nutrients that are naturally found in salt, as well as the other ingredients. "Morton® Iodized Salt contains potassium iodide, dextrose to stabilize the iodide and calcium silicate which is an anti-caking agent. This product is fine for baking, cooking and for the table."

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  26. Made the dressing at the weekend and put it in the fridge - checked it this morning and the oil has solidified at the top of the bottle - does it have to be kept in the fridge?

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    1. Mine solidified also!!! No way can I make it smooth again!!! Very disappointed!!

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    2. When I take the bottle out of the fridge I put it in a glass of hot water for about 5 mins and then shake - this usually re-liquifies the oil and clears up the cloudiness it gets from being cold.

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    3. I put the bottle of dressing in a glass of hot water for about 5 mins - this re-liquifies the oil and clears the cloudiness it develops when it gets cold.

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  27. Yum, thanks for this, good to get a little Italian fusion into my salads!

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  28. Olive oil will harden in the fridge so I use mostly organic veggie oil with a splash of olive oil. I have read that garlic and fresh herbs can harbor bugs like botchullism and E. coli so it seems best to keep it in the fridge.

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  29. I made this and stored in the refrigerator , but free a couple of days it all clumped together and the herbs weeee at top with the rest of the water/oil at the bottom. Any thoughts , and is it supposed to be like that?

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  30. Fantastic! Trying to go soy free and cut back on processed foods. My mother likes to cook with zesty Italian dressing, so I'm going to try this and see if we like it.

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  31. Has anyone tried adding a little Dijon mustard to help emulsify?

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  32. I made this dressing to use as a marinade, and even though I usually don't like Italian dressing for salad, I really liked this one. Thanks! I am already on my second bottle.

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  33. Are the "dried" spices listed actually ground spices (basil, thyme, oregano)or do you use the dried leaves instead of ground? I assume parsley is the flakes, but confused about the others....

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