Creamy Italian Dressing
Creamy Italian Dressing is a versatile condiment that can be used on salads, vegetables, or as a marinade. Made with mayonnaise, vinegar, onion, sugar, and Italian seasoning, it's quick and easy to make with a blender or food processor.
Creamy Italian Dressing is a versatile condiment that can be used on salads, vegetables, or as a marinade. Made with mayonnaise, vinegar, onion, sugar, and Italian seasoning, it's quick and easy to make with a blender or food processor.
- Carbohydrate 35.5836432611286 g
- Cholesterol 84.0000000710095 mg
- Fat 79.1141334000822 g
- Fiber 1.44540419614735 g
- Protein 2.3010562512173 g
- Saturated Fat 12.0637933434775 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (329g)
- Sodium 1916.79427219342 mg
- Sugar 34.1382390649813 g
- Trans Fat 66.989753389938 g
- Calories 868 calories
Step-by-step
- In a blender or food processor, combine mayonnaise, onion, vinegar, and sugar.
- Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Blend until smooth.
Ingredient lists rarely warn home cooks about the physical size of raw aromatics entering a high-speed blade. Tossing a raw half-onion directly into mayonnaise without a preliminary rough chop guarantees visible chunks of white onion suspended in your dressing. Blenders require enough liquid mass to pull solids down into the vortex, yet this formula relies entirely on two tablespoons of red wine vinegar and one cup of mayonnaise to do that work. If the onion pieces remain too large before pulsing, the machine merely flings them against the jar walls rather than shearing them into a smooth emulsion.
Running a standard food processor yields a slightly more uniform particle size than a tall jar blender for this specific viscosity. Mayonnaise is already a stable emulsion of oil and egg yolk, meaning the addition of high-acid vinegar must happen gradually to prevent breaking that suspension. Dumping the vinegar in all at once alongside the sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried herbs creates a watery layer that resists immediate incorporation. Pouring the vinegar through the feed tube while the motor runs at low speed maintains the structural integrity of the base.
Dried Italian seasoning requires time to hydrate in acidic environments before releasing its full aromatic profile into a cold fat medium. Consuming the condiment immediately after processing results in a sharp, disjointed flavor where the dried oregano and basil taste like dry grass rather than integrated herbs. Letting the mixture rest in a sealed glass jar inside the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes allows the vinegar to soften the botanical cells. This resting period also tempers the raw bite of the onion, blending its sulfur compounds smoothly into the garlic powder and sugar balance.
Properly stored in an airtight container at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, this emulsion remains safe and usable for up to five days. Commercial versions rely on chemical stabilizers and gums to prevent oil separation over weeks of shelf life, but homemade dairy- and egg-based condiments lack those industrial additives. Check the surface for any pooling liquid or unusual separation before shaking the jar vigorously to redistribute the ingredients prior to service.
