This homemade Italian sub dressing is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and is the key to achieving that local sub shop flavor in the comfort of your own home!
Perfect with salads, subs, fresh veggies, and more, this traditional style submarine dressing is better than anything you can find at the grocery store.
Why You'll Love It:
- Made with pantry staples. Chances are, you already have everything you need on hand.
- Better than store-bought. Thanks to the use of high-quality ingredients, this homemade version of sub sauce is better than anything you can buy at the local grocery store!
- Ready in minutes. This recipe is NOT complicated. Just whisk everything together and you're ready to add this creamy sub dressing to all of your favorite sandwiches, salads, and more.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Honey (or maple syrup)
- Mayonnaise (or an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil)
- Dijon mustard
- Dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
Yes, that's it!
How to Make Homemade Sub Sauce
If you want to recreate your favorite sub shop at home, the key is a flavorful submarine sauce! This homemade submarine sauce is tried, tested, and true.
- Add all of the ingredients to a glass jar, bowl, or mini blender.
- Blend or whisk to combine the ingredients into a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or other ingredients according to your taste.
Ways to Use Sub Sauce:
This easy Italian sub dressing can be used pretty much anywhere you would use your favorite salad dressings. Here are a few of our favorite uses:
- Submarine sandwiches (and homemade subs) with deli meats
- Salads (like my sub salad or Italian Grinder salad)
- Sub-in-a-tub
- As a dip for fresh veggies
- Drizzled on grain bowls
- Bean salad
Substitutions
- With Italian seasoning: While we recommend using dried oregano, you can swap it out for an Italian seasoning blend if you prefer.
- Red wine vinegar: This can be swapped for nearly any acidic ingredient, but I do recommend sticking with mild options like white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, etc. Balsamic vinegar is tasty, but has a totally different flavor profile, so it might be a bit strong for most folks - unless you want a balsamic sub dressing, of course!
- Honey: Swap for maple syrup, sugar, or the sweetener of your choice. For a low-carb/keto/sugar-free version, try using sugar-free honey, which is a honey-flavored syrup made with a sweetener.
- Olive oil: While extra virgin olive oil is the GOAT when it comes to vineagrette-based dressings, you can substitute it for other oils in a pinch. Neutral flavored oils like pure soybean oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil can be a good choice, as can newer types like avocado oil.
Expert Tips
- Make it in a jar. This recipe can be made in a flash by adding all of the ingredients to a mason jar, topping it with a lid, and giving it a good shake!
- Separation is normal. Once the dressing settles, it is normal to see layers. The sauce quickly comes back together when you give it a good shake.
- Olive oil will harden in the refrigerator. When storing your leftovers in the refrigerator, you will notice that the oil hardens. I recommend allowing the jar to warm at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften it, OR rolling the (closed) jar under hot water to speed up the process.
More Dressing and Sauce Recipes
If you loved this recipe for Italian submarine sauce, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Italian Sub Dressing (Submarine Sauce)
This homemade Italian sub dressing is easy to make and is the key to achieving the local sub shop experience at home!
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Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 71kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey* warmed if thick or crystallized
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a glass jar, small bowl, or mini blender.
- Combine all of the ingredients using a milk frother, whisk, or by blending until smooth. If a jar was used, add a lid and shake vigorously.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or other ingredients according to your preferences.
- Use immediately, or chill before serving.
Did you try this recipe?Tag me at @dashfordinner and share your photos!
Notes
Serve with your favorite Submarine sandwiches, salads, sub-in-a-tub, etc. It also works wonderfully as a tangy dipping sauce.
Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. Discard if there are any signs of spoilage. The sauce may separate into layers once it has settled, but a quick whisk or shake of the jar will easily combine it again. If the oil hardens, leave the dressing at room temperature for 10-15 minutes first, or run hot water along the outside of the sealed jar to help soften it quickly.
Without mayo: Mayonnaise helps to give the salad a nice creaminess, but if you prefer not to use mayonnaise, you can swap it for 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil instead.
*Honey: This adds the perfect sweetness to create a balance. It can be swapped for maple syrup, sugar, or the sweetener of your choice.
Nutrition
Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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Dorothy Bigelow says
This is better than anything I've had a sub shop and definitely from the grocery store bottled section! The perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and sweet – it makes all kinds of subs and sandwiches THAT much better. So easy to make too.