Italian salad dressing is hands down the most frequently used condiment in our kitchen.

Not only do we use it to top our garden fresh salads, we also use it as a marinade for grilled chicken breasts and as the main flavoring agent in our homemade pasta salad.

However, one look at the ingredient label on the store-bought versions can cause anyone to hesitate to purchase. 

There are so many added preservatives which allow the dressings to have a guaranteed shelf life for several years.

I don’t know about you, but for me, that is just plain scary. Making any type of salad dressing is simple and easy, and quite honestly take only minutes to prepare with basic ingredients found in your pantry. 

We use Zesty Italian salad dressing most often as it provides great flavor with a balanced level of the traditional tang found in classic Italian dressings and combines it with just the right amount of spice to give it a little bit of a kick.  

This recipes uses a mixture of both fresh and dried ingredients that mimics that flavor without all the extra preservatives. 

Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Making homemade dressing in a mason jar allows for instant storage.[/caption]

Ingredients:
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 large clove of garlic – minced
2 TBSP finely chopped shallots
2 TBSP finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid
2. Shake vigorously until mixture is well-combined.

*You can also place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously for several minutes until combined and thickened. 

Enjoy!

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Mary and Jim