Is Italian Dressing Vegan?

Typically, Italian dressing is vegan. In fact, vinaigrette, including Italian dressing is widely considered vegan. However, there are a few ingredients that are commonly added to Italian dressing that aren’t vegan including cheese, dairy and egg.

For more information on Common non-vegan Ingredients that are added to Italian dressing recipes check out the section below.

Common Non-Vegan Ingredients Added to Italian Dressing Recipes

Even though most Italian dressings are naturally vegan or “accidentally vegan”. There are still some ingredients that are added to homemade and certain brands of store bought vegan dressing.

Xantham Gum: Is an ingredient that is commonly added to food and skin care products as a preservative and a thickener. I’ve innocently eaten food with xantham gum assuming that it was vegan. In fact, xantham gum can be extracted from animal ingredients like whey protein, milk and eggs.
Eggs: Some Italian dressing recipes use egg yolk to create thicker and creamier dressings. Whisking eggs into a dressing gives it a rich quality and also creates a permanent emulsion (Like in classic Caesar salad dressing). Eggs are of course not vegan because they are derived from poultry. Always check the ingredient list and label for eggs!
Anchovies, Anchovy paste, or Worcestershire Sauce: When you taste a tangy Italian dressing chances are that it has anchovies in it. Anchovies are commonly added to Italian food. I want to mention Worcestershire sauce to you as well because the main ingredient in Worcestershire sauce is anchovies.
Cheese: Parmesan cheese is sometimes added to Italian dressing to make it thicker and tangier.

What Ingredients Is Italian Dressing Made Of

Italian dressing is always some variation of olive oil, vinegar, Italian herbs, mustard, salt, pepper and some sort of sweetener. Here is a list of commonly found ingredients in Italian dressing recipes.

Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
White Wine Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
Maple Syrup
Honey
Salt
Black Pepper
Dijon Mustard
Yellow Mustard
Dried Parsley
Dried Basil
Dried Oregano
Fresh Herbs
Onions
Shallots
Fresh Garlic
Jarred Garlic
Powdered Garlic
Eggs
Lemon Juice
Onion Powder

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve seen Italian dressing recipes with exotic ingredients like parmesan cheese, egg yolks, nutritional yeast and miso paste!

How To A Make Vegan Italian Dressing Recipe At Home

Making Vegan Italian dressing at home is as easy as can be! You can whisk it up in a bowl, emulsify it in a blender, or even shake it up in a mason jar! Simply combine the ingredients in the recipe and mix them together.

I’ve been making this Italian dressing week after week for years. It’s light, flavorful, quick to make and I always have the ingredients in my pantry.

Health Benefits of Making Vegan Italian Dressing At Home

The benefits of making dressing at home vs. in the store are endless.

If you have a gluten intolerance, celiac disease or any kind of allergy, making your own Italian dressing at home will give you greater control over the ingredients. This will reduce the risk of cross contamination from gluten or other allergens getting into your dressing.
Higher quality. When you make homemade dressing you won’t get the common additives found in store bought Italian dressing like preservatives or xantham gum.
Higher quality ingredients and a lack of chemicals, additives and artificial sweeteners commonly found in store bought vegan dressings will lead to better health.
Less sodium: store bought dressings have tons of sodium in them. If you have kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure the hidden sodium in store bought vegan Italian dressing could cause your blood pressure to spike or kidneys to sustain additional damage.

What Is A Vegan Diet?

A vegan diet is a diet that is devoid of all animal products. People who eat a vegan diet don’t eat any food that came from or is made of animals. Many vegans won’t wear leather clothing or use products that contain animal based ingredients.

What Do Vegans Eat?

Vegans eat plant based foods and processed foods that also come from plants including vegetables, soy, grains, beans, lentils, rice, nuts, seeds, fruits, sea vegetables, etc.

The Healthiest Vegan Italian Dressings Brands

How to Serve Vegan Italian Dressing

This vegan Italian dressing recipe is versatile and delicious. There are so many ways you can serve it; the possibilities are nearly endless. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve vegan Italian dressing as apart of a well balanced gluten-free meal.

On a green salad
On pasta salad
On roasted fish
Marinated on roasted chicken
As a dipping sauce for veggies
As as a sauce on top of paninis

Homemade Vegan Italian Dressing Recipe

vegan Italian dressing recipe pouring into a salad in a bowl

If you’re looking for a homemade vegan Italian Dressing recipe, then you have to try mine! This super easy recipe is creamy and tangy, making it the perfect homemade replacement for store bought Italian dressing. This Italian dressing is gluten free, keto, low carb, vegan, dairy free, nut free and paleo friendly.

vegan italian dressing recipe in a reusable salad dressing shaker

Serve it cold or hot, as a salad dressing, or a marinade for meat or seafood. You can also use it to dress up your favorite pasta salad for a bright and exciting flavor. No matter what you want to use this Italian dressing for it will be done in less then five minutes and uses common ingredients that are easy to find in your local supermarket.

More Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes To Try

What is The Difference Between A Vegan & Vegetarian Diet?

A vegan diet completely eliminates all animal products, while a vegetarian diet eliminates the flesh from animals, but still includes animal byproducts like dairy and eggs.

Common Questions and Answers

Is there dairy in Italian Dressing?

Most Italian dressing does not have dairy in it. Some recipes use cheese to thicken the dressing, but that is rare.

Is Wishbone Italian Dressing vegan?

Almost all Wish bone Italian dressings are vegan, but the creamy Italian dressing by wishbone is not vegan because it contains milk.

What is the best vinegar for Italian Dressing?

Red wine vinegar is the best dressing to use for making Italian dressing at home because it has no alcohol in it and yet has a sour taste. This sourness gives Italian dressing it’s popular tangy flavor.

What is the best oil for Italian dressing?

The best oil to use when making Italian dressing at home is olive oil. Olive oil is distinctly Mediterranean in origin and has been used to make Italian dressing for 100’s of years. The sweet nutty flavor of good quality olive oil pairs nicely with red wine vinegar in Italian dressing. My favorite high quality brand of olive oil for Italian dressing is Braggs.

Is Italian Dressing Vegan?

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