The Absolute Best Store-Bought Italian Salad Dressing We've Tasted

Most chefs would agree that from-scratch salad dressings are an ideal — but not always a reality. Busy lives often send us snatching pre-bottled versions from the endless selection on supermarket shelves. That's why Tasting Table rounded up some of the top store-bought Italian salad dressings and ranked them based on things like texture, complexity, and well-balanced flavor profiles. Out of 12 tastings, one clearly earned the top spot: Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian. 

Newman's Own is a well-known company through which all after-tax profits go directly to its own nonprofit charitable foundation. It's also a no-fuss entity when it comes to ingredients, including the Family Recipe Italian Dressing. It contains real cheese and no artificial ingredients, plus no preservatives or artificial colors. In fact, the primary ingredients are a simple mix of canola oil, water, distilled vinegar, Romano cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and sugar, plus less than 2% of lesser ingredients and spices. This all translates into the best store-bought Italian dressing: The pure ingredients, unmasked by fillers, bring rich complexity and a bright tangy finish to your meals.

As a Newman's Own fan for years, I often line my pantry with multiple bottles of the Family Recipe Italian Dressing. It's by far the most popular one in my household, but it's not the only N.O. dressing with an oil-and-vinegar base. Others in the line have definite Italian-style leanings, including the Parmesan and Roasted Garlic and several vinaigrettes, like Lemon Herb, Honey Balsamic, Greek, Garlic, and more. 

Remember that there are many ways to use salad dressing other than in actual salads. That's especially true with Italian dressings that use an oil-and-vinegar base. They're an excellent choice for marinating vegetables, such as sliced cucumbers. It's a simple, flavorful way to incorporate fresh, healthy eating into ordinary days. Italian dressings can also serve as a seasoned oil for pan-frying meats — even better if you pre-marinate the proteins in the dressing, allowing the vinegar to tenderize the meat while the oil balances its acidic properties.

Then, just fill a frying pan with about an inch or two of the dressing, and layer in strips of uncooked chicken or beef. Add some onions or bell peppers if desired, cover the pan, and sizzle on medium-high heat. The oil in the dressing works similar to any stir-fry type of oil, but with the huge advantage of rich Italian seasoning already built in. With Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian dressing, you also get the richness of Romano cheese when pan frying, which helps create complexity as the chicken or steak strips build that crispy, brown Maillard reaction that you love. For an even crunchier exterior, don't be afraid to remove the lid and pop the temp up a little higher in the final few minutes.