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Copycat Maggiano's House Salad Dressing

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  • #61625

Maggiano's Little Italy is a nationwide Italian restaurant chain. Serve this dressing on your favorite salad greens, or on a "chopped" salad like Maggiano's with romaine lettuce, crisp-fried prosciutto, tomatoes, blue cheese, and chopped avocados.


serves/makes:
  
ready in:
  under 30 minutes
Rating: 5/5

6 reviews
4 comments

ingredients

1 ounce Colemans dry mustard
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 ounce garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup white vinegar
salt, to taste
1 quart corn or canola oil
1 cup virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh oregano

directions

Combine mustard, sugar, water, red and white vinegar, and salt in food processor. Mix until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oils, continue to blend for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and add remaining ingredients with wire whisk. Store in sealed containers in refrigerator.

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recipe tips


Make the garlic is finely chopped or minced for a smoother dressing (or you'll have to puree the dressing longer).

Gradually adding the oil while blending helps to emulsify the dressing.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, sugar, or vinegar as needed.

For a creamier texture, add a small amount of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.

Shake or stir the dressing well before each use as the ingredients may separate.

For a spicier kick, increase the amount of crushed red pepper.

Adding a teaspoon of honey can balance the acidity of the vinegars.

If the dressing is too thick, thin it with a little water or additional vinegar.

Try adding different herbs like basil or thyme for variety.

Using extra virgin olive oil adds a richer flavor to the dressing.

Store the dressing in a glass bottle or jar for best flavor.

common recipe questions


Can I use a different type of mustard?

Dijon mustard can be used as a substitute. Use 2 ounces of Dijon mustard and reduce the water by 2 ounces. Adjust the thickness of the dressing by adding more water if needed.

What can I use instead of sugar?

Honey or agave syrup can be used as natural sweeteners.

Is there a substitute for red wine vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar can be used as alternatives.

Can I use a different type of oil?

Yes, but using a neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil is recommended.

How long can this dressing be stored in the refrigerator?

It can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Remove it from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving.

Is it necessary to use a food processor?

A blender or whisk can also be used to combine the ingredients.

Can I reduce the amount of oil in the recipe?

Reducing the oil will change the consistency and flavor of the dressing. You can substitute water for some of the oil, but only in small amounts of the dressing will lack viscosity.

What type of salad is best with this dressing.

It works well with a variety of greens such as romaine, iceberg, endive, or mixed greens. It can also be used as a dressing on vegetables.


nutrition data

79 calories, 9 grams fat, 1 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams protein per tablespoon. This recipe is low in sodium. This recipe is low in carbs.
Show full nutritional data (including Weight Watcher's Points ®, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, and diabetic exchanges)


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reviews & comments

  1. pkerns1 REVIEW:

    This is the only copycat recipe you need because it's exactly like the restaurant! I have tried almost all the others online and they're just not as good/close to the real dressing. I recommend you bookmark this page because tonight I Googled Maggiano's house dressing copycat again like before and it brought up a ton of sites but this recipe was nowhere in the results and I was freaking out until I remembered that I had bookmarked it, thank goodness! Another thing that's great about this recipe is that you can scale the quantity up and down. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!!

  2. lindab041265 REVIEW:

    I tried this today. It came out great!! Tasted authentic. I have 2 jars in my refrigerator and trust me I will make more when they are gone.

  3. Ann REVIEW:

    Just ate this a maggianos on we'd. Nite. Made this tonight and used turkey bacon instead of proscitto. It was pretty close to the real deal.

  4. annamiller REVIEW:

    I make this up and store it in my fridge to use on all my salads. I reduce the oil just a bit and use a light olive instead of the GMO corn or canola. I also use stevia instead of sugar so I tweak the amounts a little.

  5. Camarogirl67 REVIEW:

    I later saw that the "change servings" option did allow to go down to 1 quart, thanks CDKitchen! I just recently had the actual Maggiano's salad, and I must say that this was close but not quite there. There is something missing, a secret ingredient perhaps? Or the ratios are a tad off. But a great substitute by any means.

  6. Camarogirl67

    The "change servings" option is not working, just FYI. Can this be fixed?

    • Because it's entered as 2 quarts, you can only modify it in amounts of quarts. For example, if you put "1" in the box it will change the amounts to make 1 quart. You can put decimal amounts in, for example if you want .5 quarts, just put .5 in (which would yield 1 cup).

  7. James REVIEW:

    I used to work for Maggianos - this recipe is spot on - except you didn't say that it MUST set for 3 hours before use - that is why we made it so early in the morning.

  8. In-The-Know

    I have the original restauramt-quantity recipe for Maggiano's House Dressing. This recipe is 'very close'. BTW there is not currently, and has never has been Flour in the ingredients. Coleman's Dry Mustard IS Mustard FLOUR, and is a critical ingredient in this Dressing.

  9. afterburner1

    My reading of the lable was incorrect There is no flour in it. It is MUSTARD FLOUR; Coleman's is a mustard flour.

  10. afterburner

    Close, but not close enough. Maggaiano's contains flour (per Lable) The flour is a thickening agent. How do you introduce it into the dressing? As a rue or desolved in water and simmered? Or other?

Please note:
This is a copy cat recipe submitted to CDKitchen by a third-party. This recipe is not an original recipe unless specifically stated and is considered only to be an acceptable "clone" to the original for the home cook to attempt to duplicate. Please also note that many nationwide restaurant chains vary their menus and ingredients by region so the version provided may not be similar to what you may have tried before. All trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners.

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