Italian Dressing

A good Italian dressing brings brightness, savory herbs and just enough richness to make a simple salad feel complete. This version combines olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and a little maple syrup, then adds Italian seasoning, Instant Clear Jel and sea salt in a second blending stage. It is a lemon-based dressing rather than a vinegar-based one.

From page 34 of the Black Hills Health Retreat Wellness Cookbook, the recipe is designed for straightforward preparation in a blender. There is no mayonnaise, dairy or egg in the ingredient list. The herbs and garlic do much of the flavor work, making it a useful accompaniment to vegetables, grains and beans.

Jump to Recipe ⬇

🌿 The Healing Ingredients

• Olive Oil (¼ cup): Provides richness and helps carry the herb flavor across the salad. Choose an oil you enjoy in an uncooked dressing, since its flavor remains noticeable. This recipe contains added oil and should not be described as oil-free. → Shop Olive Oil, Extra Virgin, DeLallo
• Lemon Juice (2 Tbsp.): Supplies the bright acidity. Freshly squeezed juice is a pleasant choice; remove seeds before measuring. Because lemon is the acidic ingredient specified by the cookbook, replacing it with vinegar would be a separate variation rather than the original recipe.
• Water (½ cup): Lightens the dressing and gives the other ingredients enough liquid to blend together. Measure it separately rather than relying on an approximate splash, especially when making the recipe for the first time.
• Maple Syrup (½ tsp.): A small amount of sweetness to balance the lemon and garlic. It is part of the original formula, not an optional addition. The quantity is modest, so the finished dressing is intended to be savory rather than sweet.
• Garlic (2 small cloves): Adds a fresh, assertive savory note. Peel the cloves before blending. Small cloves are specified; very large cloves can make a noticeably stronger dressing. Garlic powder is not listed as an alternative in this recipe.
• Italian Seasoning (1 Tbsp.): The herb blend that gives the dressing its character. Blends vary, so use one whose flavor you like and check the label if avoiding particular ingredients. → Shop Italian Seasoning
• Instant Clear Jel (1 Tbsp.): The specific thickening ingredient named in the cookbook. Use the instant product as written and follow its package guidance. Do not assume regular cornstarch or a cook-type product can be substituted in the same amount in this uncooked recipe.
• Sea Salt (1½ tsp.): Finishes the seasoning. This is the original quantity. If you need a lower-sodium adaptation, change the amount deliberately to suit your needs rather than assuming this formula is low in sodium.

📖 The Two-Stage Blend Method

The order of ingredients matters here because the cookbook separates them into two groups. First, blend the olive oil, lemon juice, water, maple syrup and garlic well. This distributes the garlic through the liquid base before the seasoning and thickener are introduced.

Next, add the Italian seasoning, Instant Clear Jel and sea salt, then blend well again. Follow your blender manufacturer's loading instructions and fill limits, and stop the machine before opening the lid or scraping its sides. The card does not instruct you to add ingredients while the blades are moving.

No blending duration or finished yield is provided. Assess the dressing's consistency rather than assigning a fixed processing time. Use the named thickener and the stated proportions for the initial batch so you can judge the original recipe before experimenting.

📋 The Recipe

Yield is not specified in the cookbook.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon maple syrup
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Instant Clear Jel
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt

Directions

1. Blend the first five ingredients well: olive oil, lemon juice, water, maple syrup and garlic.
2. Add the last three ingredients: Italian seasoning, Instant Clear Jel and sea salt. Blend well.

Source note: Ingredient quantities and the two-stage method are preserved from page 34 of the Wellness Cookbook. The cookbook states that the dressing will keep up to five days in the refrigerator; this is the source's guidance, not a separately tested shelf-life claim.

💡 Tips & Serving Ideas

Toss a small amount through chopped romaine, cucumber and tomato, then taste before adding more. The dressing also works with a bean salad, cooked grains or vegetables that have cooled after roasting. Add it gradually so the vegetables remain distinct rather than sitting in a pool of dressing.

For an easy meal, combine a dressed salad with chickpeas and a baked potato. The herbs and garlic bring plenty of flavor, allowing the other components to stay simple. When serving with already salted foods, taste the combination before adding any further seasoning.

Stir or shake before serving if the dressing separates. If you choose to change the thickness with extra water, add it a little at a time and label that as an adaptation. The first batch is a good opportunity to record which olive oil and seasoning blend you prefer.

Freshness and Storage

Transfer to a clean, covered container and refrigerate promptly. Keep chilled until serving and use clean utensils. Lemon juice does not make this homemade dressing shelf-stable, and the recipe is not a canning formula.

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Explore more homemade options with Green Olive Dressing, Cucumber Mint Dressing and Garlic Mayo.

Part of The Healing Kitchen series at Black Hills Health Retreat.

Ingredient notes are for everyday cooking education, not medical treatment advice.