Italian dressing is a versatile ingredient.

Yeah, it’s a good compliment to salad, but you can use it for so much more.

When I run out of Italian dressing, I make my own. My own recipe calls for one part oil to two parts vinegar — 1 cup oil to 2 parts vinegar — plus salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste. You have to whisk it really well so everything blends together.

Other uses for Italian dressing include:

  • Coating zucchini slices or other veggies for grilling or roasting. I usually don’t marinate the veggies, though it can help.
  • Marinate meat such as pork or chicken. If I’m using poultry with the skin on, I usually use a knife to score the skin. Then I coat the meat with enough dressing to let it soak in.
  • Make a tomato and cucumber salad. Cut a tomato and a cucumber. Cover with dressing.
  • Make a pasta salad. One box of spiral pasta, one bag of frozen veggies (I usually get something with broccoli), and a bottle of Italian dressing. Cook the pasta and let the veggies dethaw. Then let the pasta cool. Mix the pasta and veggies and then coat with dressing. Add a little more dressing than you want because the pasta will absorb the liquid.