13 Store-Bought Italian Salad Dressings, Ranked Worst To Best

Italian salad dressing is a versatile condiment that can do so much more than top a classic Italian salad. You can also use this dressing to upgrade garlic bread, marinate chicken, or amp up the flavor in green beans — and, even if Italian dressing isn't actually from Italy, it carries all the bold, herbal flavors of the Mediterranean that your favorite dishes are looking for. Of course, if you really want to level up the flavor, you have to start with the best possible dressing available to you. But, how can you tell which is best without going through the tedious task of trying each one yourself?

Thankfully, you don't have to take on that task because I've already done it for you. I tasted 13 store-bought Italian salad dressings and judged them using my extensive food industry background, along with other relevant experiences. Taste and balance were the things I placed most value in, and I reported my findings here by ranking the bottles from worst to best. You can find my full methodology at the end of this article if you're interested in learning more. Now, ready to discover which bottle of Italian salad dressing should grace your next shopping list? Let's get into it.

Price Rite is a brand that continues to disappoint me at every turn. In fact, I've yet to have a good experience with it — and this Price Rite Italian Dressing wasn't the product to change that trend. This was a very oily dressing with a flavor profile to match. Against the oily flavor were moderate vinegary notes and the faintest hint of the Italian herbs these dressings are based on. Unfortunately, moderate artificial notes further marred the flavor profile and left me distinctly underwhelmed.

A two-tablespoon serving of this dressing has 60 calories, 530 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of total fat, and 2 grams of sugar. The recipe includes water, soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, onion, red bell pepper, xanthan gum, lemon juice concentrate, spices, calcium disodium EDTA, caramel color, and annatto extract. I wouldn't buy this again, nor could I be tempted to eat it again if someone else offered it to me. 

You can purchase a 16-ounce bottle of Price Rite Italian Dressing for $1.99 at Shoprite.

I'd heard that this Tuscan Garden Restaurant Style Italian Dressing was supposed to be a dupe of Olive Garden's famous Italian dressing. While there are many Aldi dupes that are better and cheaper than name brand products, I didn't think this was one of them. Like the Price Rite option, this one felt too oily instead of balanced with vinegar, although it did have a somewhat redeeming creamy quality. There was a vinegary punch and the faint taste of sharp cheese, but the herbs seemed muddled in everything else.

Every two tablespoons of this dressing provides 80 calories, 520 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of total fat, and 2 grams of sugar. The recipe includes water, soybean oil, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, Romano cheese, egg yolk, dried garlic, onion powder, spices, xanthan gum, calcium disodium EDTA, annatto extract, and natural flavors. I wouldn't buy this again, nor could I be tempted to eat it again. If you like Olive Garden's Italian dressing, just stick to that instead for the best experience.

You can buy a 16-ounce bottle of Tuscan Garden Restaurant Style Italian Dressing for $2.15 at Aldi.

Bowl and Basket has some amazing products, but the brand leaves me unsatisfied more often than not. From its waxy milk chocolate that you should absolutely skip, to its nauseatingly sweet canned baked beans, there's been plenty to dislike along our journey together. Unfortunately, the Bowl and Basket Italian Dressing joins the ranks of my biggest brand disappointments. Here we had another overly oily dressing, like all the others littering the bottom of this ranking — although, thankfully, the dressings get slightly more balanced as we go up in rankings. The thick oiliness was punctuated with a punch of vinegary tang, and there was a distinct (if mild) note of herbs.

Per a two-tablespoon serving, this dressing contains 80 calories, 340 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of total fat, and 4 grams of total sugars. Ingredients include water, vegetable oil, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, onion, red bell pepper, maltodextrin, xanthan gum, spices, yeast extract, calcium disodium EDTA, natural flavor, lemon juice concentrate, caramel color, and annatto extract. I wouldn't buy this again, nor could I be tempted to eat it again.

You can buy a 16-ounce bottle of Bowl and Basket Italian Dressing for $2.49 at Shoprite.

I went back and forth on where to place this Primal Kitchen Italian Dressing in this ranking. Ultimately, I chose 10th place because this was the first option to have notable amounts of the herbal flavor I usually look for in these dressings — but, it was still too oily, so I didn't feel it deserved to be placed any higher. Alongside these aspects were mild citrus tones and a moderate amount of vinegar. There was also a rather strong taste of avocados from the oil. While I'm a big fan of avocados, I didn't think it worked very well here.

Per each two-tablespoon serving, this dressing provides 110 calories, 10% of your day's sodium, 12 grams of total fat, and no notable sugar amounts. Ingredients include avocado oil, water, organic red wine vinegar, sea salt, organic lime juice concentrate, onion powder, organic black pepper, dried basil, garlic powder, organic dried oregano, organic konjac root fiber, organic crushed red chili peppers, and organic dried thyme. I wouldn't purchase this again. Not only was it a bit disappointing, but it carried a higher price tag that I can't justify paying again.

You can buy an 8-ounce of Primal Kitchen Italian Dressing for $14.09 on Walmart.

Great Value is one of those hit or miss private labels. The brand's store-bought hot dog chili is truly gag-worthy, but I'm a big fan of its donut shop coffee blend. I never know which way a new product will go, and I was sad that this veered towards the lower end of mediocrity. Although this still didn't get the right ratio of oil to vinegar, it got a lot closer than any of the lower ranked options. The oiliness was a little more bearable, punctuated with moderate vinegar notes, mild earthy tones, and a hint of citrus. Unfortunately, it was also streaked with mild artificial notes that could almost be overlooked, but not quite.

For every two tablespoons of this dressing, you'll receive 80 calories, 340 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of total fat, and 4 grams of sugar. Ingredients include water, vegetable oil, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, dried garlic, dried onion, dried red bell pepper, maltodextrin, xanthan gum, spices, yeast extract, calcium disodium EDTA, natural flavor, lemon juice concentrate, caramel color, and annatto extract. I wouldn't buy this again, nor could I be tempted to eat it again if someone else offered it to me.

You can get a 16-ounce bottle of Great Value Traditional Italian Dressing for $2.32 at Walmart.

I was hesitant about trying this Skinnygirl Italian Dressing because I find that a lot of "diet friendly" products fall really short on taste. And, this one is fat free, sugar free, and low in calories, so I wondered if it would have any flavor at all. The verdict? It had more flavor than I thought it would, but I still wouldn't call it great. It was very heavy on the vinegar, and a look at the ingredients list told me that it didn't contain any listed oil, so that made sense. Unfortunately, the earthy tones I expected came across very mild, and were primarily overwhelmed by the stronger tangy tones. But I preferred the overwhelm of vinegar to oil, which is why this ranked higher than other options.

A two-tablespoon serving of this dressing has 10 calories, 280 milligrams of sodium, no fat, and 1 gram of sugar. The ingredients list includes water, maltodextrin, cider vinegar, sorbitol, salt, lemon juice concentrate, modified corn starch, dried garlic, dried red bell pepper, dried onion, spices, xanthan gum, potassium sorbet, sodium benzoate, calcium disodium EDTA, and sucralose. I wouldn't buy this again, but I might be tempted to eat it again if someone else offered it to me.

You can get an 8-ounce bottle of Skinnygirl Italian Dressing for $2.43 at Walmart.

The Specially Selected House Italian Vinaigrette Dressing was the first dressing to have a decent balance of vinegar to oil; the vinegar pulled forward slightly, and the oil wasn't so overwhelming that it made my stomach feel sick. Against a moderately tangy flavor profile was a mild earthiness and a hint of sweetness. Overall, I liked this option from Aldi, except that there were faint artificial tones. While these were faint enough to be overlooked, they were strong enough to keep this dressing in the middle of this ranking instead of closer to the top.

Every two tablespoons of this dressing contains 110 calories, 140 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of fat, and 6 grams of sugar. The recipe includes apple cider vinegar, canola oil, cane sugar, water, garlic, salt, dijon mustard, dried garlic, dried basil, black pepper, dried oregano, xanthan gum, and rosemary extract. I wouldn't buy this dressing again. However, I would probably eat it again if it was offered to me.

You can buy a 12-ounce bottle of Specially Selected House Italian Vinaigrette Dressing for $2.75 at Aldi.

Kraft is one of the few brands on this list I was already pretty familiar with, although I've always preferred a different brand for my Italian dressings. Since I've had pretty good experiences with the brand so far, I was a little shocked at how low this one ranked. To be fair, it isn't because it's a bad option, but there isn't anything that makes it stand out, either. There's a nice balance of vinegar and oil, with mild notes of earthiness and sharp cheese. But, the flavor layers end there, making it less complex than higher ranking brands.

Two tablespoons of this dressing contains 60 calories, 11% of your daily sodium, 5 grams of total fat, and 2 grams of sugar. Ingredients include water, vinegar, soybean oil, sugar, balsamic vinegar, canola oil, garlic, salt, parmesan cheese, onions, spices, Romano cheese, red bell peppers, xanthan gum, propylene glycol, oleoresin paprika, potassium sorbate, and calcium disodium EDTA. I wouldn't buy this option again because there are options that stood out much more to me. But, I would happily eat it again if it was offered.

You can purchase a 16-ounce bottle of Kraft Tuscan House Italian Dressing for $3.24 at Walmart.

I know many people who are huge fans of the Olive Garden line of dressings, and I personally think they're relatively good options overall — this Signature Italian Dressing included. Like the option before it, this isn't bad, but it's just not special. It's a nice balance of vinegar and oil, with a slightly elevated flavor profile compared to the Kraft. Here, the base vinegar is accented with moderate earthy notes and a mild sharp cheese, with a hint of pungent garlic.

Every two tablespoons of this Italian dressing has 80 calories, 23% of your daily sodium, 8 grams of total fat, and 2 grams of total sugars. The recipe includes water, soybean oil, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, eggs, Romano cheese, dehydrated garlic, spice, xanthan gum, dextrose, annatto color, calcium disodium EDTA, and natural flavor. I wouldn't buy this again, but I'd definitely use it again without hesitation if I was offered some.

You can purchase a 16-ounce bottle of Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing for $3.98 at Walmart.

This is the part of the ranking where we go from mediocre options to good ones. So, if you don't already have your pen and grocery list on hand, now is the time to grab them. Ken's Steak House has always provided me with excellent experiences, and this Italian dressing was no exception to the rule. A perfect blend of oil and vinegar was punctuated with a surprisingly dominant garlic kick, moderate citrusy notes, and a mild saltiness. While it wasn't the herbal blend I was expecting, I really enjoyed this. The only reason it didn't rank higher is I preferred the bolder blends of the top three options more.

A two-tablespoon serving provides 150 calories, 460 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of total fat, and no notable sugars. Listed ingredients include canola oil, distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic, monosodium glutamate, onion, polysorbate 60, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, xanthan gum, calcium disodium EDTA, and beta carotene. I might buy this again if I wanted to switch things up, thanks to the unique flavor profile.

You can buy a 16-ounce bottle of Ken's Steak House Italian Dressing for $3.47 at Walmart.

This option wasn't on my original shopping list of store-bought Italian dressings, but once I saw it, I knew I had to grab it. It had a unique look that immediately drew my eye — not just the shape of the bottle, but also the color of the dressing. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint. It had the perfect blend of oil and vinegar, with a big citrusy kick. The dressing was streaked with a light earthiness and a hint of garlic. The only reason it didn't rank higher is that I preferred the slightly more robust flavor profiles of the top two options.

Per two-tablespoon serving, you'll receive 120 calories, 420 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of total fat, and 1 gram of sugar. Ingredients include soybean oil, water, corn cider vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, mustard seed, monosodium glutamate, spice, onion, distilled vinegar, red bell pepper, molasses, xanthan gum, calcium disodium EDTA, tamarind, and natural flavor. I would buy this again, although I'd mostly purchase my top option. If I wanted to look fancy for guests, this would be a budget-friendly way to do that.

You can buy a 12-ounce container of Girard's Olde Venice Italian Vinaigrette Dressing for $3.92 at Walmart.

It was nearly a tie between first and second place, but I thought the top option best embodied what I thought of when I heard the words "Italian dressing." However, this Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing definitely had the most robust flavor profile. Again, we have that perfect blend of oil and vinegar to start things off on the right foot. Atop this is layered moderate notes of sharp cheese, savoriness, and earthiness, along with a faint pepperiness.

Every two tablespoons of this Italian dressing contains 120 calories, 310 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of total fat, and no notable amounts of sugar. The family recipe includes canola oil, water, distilled vinegar, Romano cheese, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, barley malt powder, xanthan gum, hydrolyzed soy protein, onion, black pepper, paprika, fennel seed, savory, basil, oregano, and paprika extract. I would definitely buy this again if my top option wasn't available. If you're looking for a truly robust flavor profile, this is an excellent choice.

You can purchase a 16-ounce bottle of Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing for $3.93 at Walmart.

Despite a near tie for first place, I felt confident placing Wish-Bone Italian Dressing at the top because it embodied everything a good Italian dressing should. A perfect combination of oil and vinegar are punctuated by moderate earthy tones, a mild garlicky punch, and a faint saltiness with just a hint of citrus. It didn't feel too oily, and there were no artificial tones. Truly, I have nothing bad to say about this dressing.

Two tablespoons of this Italian dressing contains 80 calories, 350 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of total fat, and 4 grams of sugar. Ingredients include distilled vinegar, water, soybean oil, sugar, salt, garlic, onion, red bell peppers, natural flavor, xanthan gum, spice, rosemary extract, yeast extract, annatto extract, and lemon juice concentrate. Moving forward, this will be my go-to for dressing up salads. If you're looking for the best Italian dressing on the shelves of your favorite grocery store, this is the one to reach for.

You can get a 15-ounce container of Wish-Bone Italian Dressing for $2.74 at Walmart.

I chose store-bought Italian salad dressings for inclusion in this ranking based on their availability to me near Vineland, New Jersey. I visited the nearest Shoprite, Target, Aldi, and Walmart to gather dressings for this ranking. I judged each Italian salad dressing based primarily on taste and balance.

A food industry background spanning more than 15 years was the primary contributor in my confidence to fairly rank these store-bought Italian salad dressings. Prior work creating nearly a hundred ranking articles for Daily Meal also helped me rank these products accurately and fairly. These include similar condiment-based articles like my ranking of 14 store-bought mustard brands or my ranking of eight apple cider vinegar brands. Although personal preference played a slight role in this ranking, I aimed to be as unbiased as possible about product quality.