This Parmesan cheese dressing is so cheesy and flavorful, you won’t want to choose store-bought ever again! The recipe is super simple to make. It uses fresh ingredients and tastes amazing cold or hot, so you’ll basically want to put it on everything.
The Most Flavorful Dressing
Say hello to one of your new favorite salad dressing recipes! This creamy Parmesan dressing is something I’ve got to have on-hand 24/7, and you’ll understand just why when you give it a taste.
It has a deliciously rich, tangy, and cheesy flavor that pairs well with just about any salad (ahem cue: bow tie pasta salad!). Heck, you can use it as a salad dressing, a dip or a marinade — it’s that versatile.
Plus, the Parmesan really takes center-stage in this recipe and gives it an unmistakable character all its own.
You don’t need a food processor to make this Parmesan cheese dressing. All you need is a bowl and a whisk to combine all the amazing flavors. And to make things even better, you’ll know every single ingredient you’re putting into your dressing, unlike the store-bought versions that have unnecessary additives and preservatives.
why you’ll love it!
- It’s an easy salad dressing that’ll be ready in a matter of minutes.
- Tastes delicious with any kind of salad.
- You can even use it as a marinade or sauce for hot dishes!
- Nothing truly beats the taste and nutrition of a homemade salad dressing.
What You’ll Need
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil is the base of the dressing, so we recommend using something of higher-quality.
- Apple cider vinegar: this will give your dressing the perfect amount of tangy flavor.
- Salt: a hint of salt helps to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Cracked black pepper: this gives the dressing a subtle spicy kick.
- Garlic: we use minced garlic to really give the dressing an extra punch of flavor.
- Dijon mustard: this helps to thicken up the dressing and add a bit of sweet-tangy flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: The star ingredient! Parmesan cheese adds a nice salty flavor to the dressing, as well as a bit of creaminess.
Ingredient Swaps & Add-Ins
Apple cider vinegar: Feel free to use white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar instead for acidity.
Make it creamy: Prefer a creamy Parmesan salad dressing? Add in some mayonnaise, sour cream, or Greek yogurt to enhance the creamy flavor.
Add lemon: Is your dressing missing some zing? Add some fresh lemon juice or lemon zest to brighten things up.
How to Make Parmesan Cheese Dressing
COMBINE INGREDIENTS
Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine.
STORE IN FRIDGE
Store your homemade dressing in an airtight container until ready to use. We like to use a mason jar!
SERVE + ENJOY
Serve your Parmesan cheese dressing tossed with your favorite salad greens or pasta salad until everything is coated. Enjoy!
Try it with our Bow Tie Pasta Salad!
This Parmesan cheese dressing recipe was created with our delicious bow tie pasta salad in mind. This dish combines pasta with roasted veggies, including red bell peppers, broccoli, red onion, and carrots, all seasoned to perfection. Then, it’s mixed with this deliciously tangy and cheesy Parmesan dressing. Yum!
Other Serving Suggestions
What’s great about this dressing is that it tastes good on just about anything! Here are some of our favorite recipes from our sister site, Fit Foodie Finds, that we absolutely love to pair it with:
Cold Dishes
- Apple Burrata Salad
- Steak Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Ultimate Garden Salad
Hot Dishes
Storage
Store any leftover Parmesan cheese dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Parmesan Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- To prepare the dressing, add all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
