What kind of oil is best on an Italian sub?

Olive oil is the most popular and best choice for a sub. A good quality olive oil will add a slight fruitiness and distinct peppery bite.

What kind of vinegar is best on an Italian sub?

Plain white vinegar is common and a good choice because of it's clean taste and sharp acidity. Red and white wine vinegar are also good choices as they add complexity to the sub. Balsamic vinegar is nice if you like the sweet taste it brings. In a pinch, just about any kind of vinegar will do as they all bring acidity that helps cut through the richness of the cold cuts.

Italian Sub Dressing Recipe - Easy and delicious

Italian sub sandwiches are rich and savory. But, without a sour component they can taste flat and boring. This Italian sub dressing recipe is great for any meaty hero. The tart and herby flavor will cut through the richness of the cold cuts and add a new dimension to your sandwich.

Before we get into the recipe, here are some alternatives for your sub in case you’re not completely committed to making a homemade dressing from scratch. This recipe is super easy, though.

Alternate dressings

You don’t need to make a homemade dressing for your sub. Although, the recipe below is super easy and delicious. If you’re not in the mood to make something from scratch, here are some other great options…

Oil and vinegar – A simple combination of oil and vinegar (50/50) will do the job. Any oil and vinegar will work, but I love the simple taste of olive oil and white vinegar.
Mustard – Any mustard will work, even plain yellow hot dog mustard. I love a good French dijon mustard on a sandwich, and even on a hot dog!
Salad dressing – Most salad dressings would work. The ideal dressing would be an Italian or Greek oil and vinegar dressing. Both are tart and herby like the recipe below. In a pinch, I would try just about anything, even Blue Cheese.

My favorite Italian Sub Dressing Recipe

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably ready to make something homemade! My favorite Italian Sub Dressing Recipe is super simple. The combination of vinegar and herbs really brightens the sandwich and helps the cold cuts to shine.

I used xanthan gum to keep the oil and vinegar from separating, but that’s completely optional. It doesn’t change the taste at all. Xanthan gum is super useful in the kitchen but not trivial to find. You can g et it here from Amazon.

The sandwich in the photo is fresh mozzarella, mortadella, prosciutto, and pepperoni on a baguette. Besides the dressing below, I also added thinly sliced tomatoes and sliced pepperoncini. It was a great combination, but next time I would probably add salame and swap out provolone for the mozzarella. A baguette is also on the edge of being too crusty for a great sub sandwich.

Italian Sub Dressing

This tart and herby dressing will elevate your cold cuts to another level!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Vinegar, white or other type of vinegar
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1 tsp Basil, dried
2 cloves Garlic, crushed or 1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Xanthan gum optional

Instructions

Mix vinegar with herbs and garlic and let sit for 15 min to rehydrate
Add xanthan gum (if using) to the olive oil.
Combine olive oil with vinegar mixture in a jar and shake well to combine.

Notes

The herbs are really just a suggestion. You can use any combination of rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano and other dried herbs. Keep the total amount of dried herbs to about 2 tsp. A super easy option is to use pre-mixed Italian Herbs seasoning.

I usually use white vinegar, but you can use any type of vinegar, including balsamic or wine vinegar. You can even use a combination of different vinegars. Just keep the total amount to 1/4 cup.

I didn’t add any salt to this since everything else on an Italian Sub is quite salty. If you use this for anything else, like as an actual salad dressing, you’ll want to salt to taste.

If you’re not using xanthan gum the oil and vinegar will separate after a while. Just shake before using.

What kind of oil is best on an Italian sub?
Olive oil is the most popular and best choice for a sub. A good quality olive oil will add a slight fruitiness and distinct peppery bite.
What kind of vinegar is best on an Italian sub?
Plain white vinegar is common and a good choice because of it's clean taste and sharp acidity. Red and white wine vinegar are also good choices as they add complexity to the sub. Balsamic vinegar is nice if you like the sweet taste it brings. In a pinch, just about any kind of vinegar will do as they all bring acidity that helps cut through the richness of the cold cuts.