This Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe is an irresistible dressing made with rich parmesan cheese, tangy lemon, savory garlic, homemade Italian Seasoning, and olive oil. This bright dressing blends up quickly in just 5 minutes and is beautiful on salads like my Chopped Italian Salad, Zesty Italian Pasta Salad, or Roasted Cauliflower Salad.
Love homemade salad dressings? Try my 15 Healthy Homemade Salad Dressing.
Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe
This Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing is simply amazing. The rich combination of parmesan cheese, lemon, and garlic creates a flavor bomb that can elevate any salad or dish. The cheese has more flavor and substance than your standard vinaigrette. It's the perfect in-between dressing, a combination of both a light vinaigrette and a creamy dressing. Plus this dressing is keto, sugar-free, and low-carb.
It's the type of dressing that tastes great on a heartier salad like an Italian Chopped Salad. It also works great on chopped veggie salads, pasta salads, or even potato salads. You can even serve it as a dip or drizzle over your favorite roasted vegetables, like my Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Asparagus. It's a huge flavor bomb that will take a boring dinner to the next level.
You have to dive in if you haven't made your salad dressings yet. It's the simplest way to make your salads healthier and more flavorful. This unexpected dressing is surprisingly simple to make in just 5 minutes, you just have to pull out your trusty blender or food processor. I've been making homemade dressings and sharing them with you for 10 years, and I'm so excited to add this one to my collection of 15 Healthy Homemade Salad Dressings which includes Greek Yogurt Ranch, Healthy Greek Dressing, and Thai Peanut Salad Dressing.
Homemade Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing from Running in a Skirt Share on X
Why You'll Love this Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe...
- This Parmesan Vinaigrette is so rich and flavorful. If you like parmesan cheese, you'll adore this dressing.
- It will take any salad from boring to wow!
- It's easy to make with pantry staples in less than 5 minutes.
- It's unique! Not like every other salad dressing you've had.
- It's healthier than eating a bottled dressing. You can feel great making and serving this to your family on a weeknight or for a special occasion.
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: You'll need half a cup of grated parmesan cheese. You can make it with any type, but the better quality parmesan in the refrigerated part of the grocery store will give you a better-tasting dressing. If you are feeling ambitious, the most flavorful dressing will come from grating your own parmesan cheese from a block. Whichever way you decide to go, just make sure your cheese is grated and not shredded, or it will not give you the right salad dressing consistency.
- White Wine Vinegar: White Wine Vinegar balances out the flavors in the dressing and gives it that vinaigrette flavoring. I would not use red wine vinegar, as it has too strong of a flavor.
- Lemon Juice: I like adding lemon juice because it pairs so well with the parmesan cheese. The recipe calls for ¼ cup of lemon juice, which is about the juice from ½ of a lemon. Use fresh lemon juice with a lemon juicer for the best results.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is another key ingredient for this dressing and gives it the richness that you need. For my salad dressing, I like to use a nice Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil that I keep for dressings.
- Minced Garlic: Garlic is another key ingredient to this dressing, giving it a depth of flavor. Use freshly minced garlic for the most flavor, but pre-minced will work if you are busy.
- Italian Seasoning: I like to use my DIY Italian Spice Mix which is the perfect blend of basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage. You can also use your favorite pre-made Italian Spice Blend if you are short on time. These are the classic flavors you'll find in many Italian dishes and it pair perfectly with this dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon Mustard is a magical ingredient that gives this dressing some texture and a lot of rich flavor. Dijon mustard adds a quick and easy zesty kick. It also allows the dressing to emulsify in the blender and helps it all stick together.
- Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper: You'll need a hearty dose of fresh ground black pepper, but the parmesan cheese is already pretty salty, so go light on the salt.
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
- Place the parmesan cheese, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Italian Seasoning, and Dijon Mustard in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor you could use a blender or immersion blender.
- Blend until the dressing has a smooth texture and emulsified.
- Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pro Tips:
- If you don't have a food processor or blender you can still whisk together the dressing in a bowl. It will be chunky and not as smooth, but it will taste the same.
- Parmesan cheese is naturally very salty and can vary in saltiness, so just add a little to start and adjust to taste.
- Don't over-blend the dressing or the olive oil could turn on you.
- How rich and tasty this dressing is depends on your ingredients. So use the good stuff in this!
Variations
I love this Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Make it Lower Calorie: To make this lower calorie, add more vinegar and slightly less olive oil.
- Make it Creamy Parmesan Dressing: To make this a creamier dressing, add a few tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt or mayonaise.
- Mix up the Spices: This would also be great with my homemade Herbs de Provence. You could also use fresh herbs including basil and oregano.
- Make it Vegan or Dairy-Free: Make it with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese.
- Make it Sweet: To add some sweetness add a touch of honey or maple syrup.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container like a mason jar in the fridge for up to four days. I love this glass serving bottle. Make sure to stir it or shake it well before using it.
Freezing
I do not recommend freezing the dressing as it will have a strange consistency when you thaw it back out.
What is a parmesan vinaigrette made of?
This parmesan vinaigrette is the perfect combination of grated parmesan cheese added to a traditional Italian Salad dressing made with olive oil, vinegar, lemon, and garlic.
Is parmesan vinaigrette good for you?
Yes! Most homemade dressings are good for you! This one is less healthy than one without the cheese, but it's still fine to enjoy in moderation. The olive oil in the dressing is a healthy fat and has vitamins A, D, E, and K. It is a higher-calorie food though, so it is best enjoyed in moderation.
What does the parmesan vinaigrette taste like?
It tastes like an Italian Dressing loaded with grated parmesan cheese. This dressing is a robust combination of salty parmesan cheese, lemons, and garlic. It also has Italian Seasoning which gives it the flavors of basil, oregano, and rosemary, making this a great dressing to pair with Italian, Mediterranean, or American dishes.
Parmesan Vinegrette is So Tasty!
This Parmesan Vinegrette recipe is so tasty! I love how vibrant, robust, and full of flavor it is for a Creamy Parmesan Dressing. If you want a great salad dressing that's not boring and has lots of vibrancy, this is it! It's sure to make any salad feel special. Any salad with fresh lettuce and vegetables or a spinach salad will taste great with this. It also can be used on pasta salads or as a marinade for meat like chicken or pork. Here are a few salad recipe ideas that would be great on!
- Chopped Kale Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Black Eyed Pea Salad
- Kale Ceasar Salad
- Baked Salmon Kale Salad
- Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Zesty Pasta Salad
- Greenest Green Salad
- Mediterranean Chopped Salad
- Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
- Meditteranean Quiona Salad
- Bruschetta Pasta Salad
More Healthy Homemade Salad Dressings:
- 15+ Healthy Homemade Salad Dressings
- Healthy Greek Salad Dressing
- Healthy Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing
- Homemade Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 5 Ingredient Basil Vinaigrette Dressing
- Healthy Homemade Green Goddess Dressing
If you make this Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoons dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the parmesan cheese, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Italian Seasoning, Dijon Mustard in a food processor.
- Blend until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
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