Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing
by Sommer Collier — on Mar 25, 2026 My parmesan peppercorn dressing is a creamy homemade dressing made with mayo, parmesan cheese, cracked peppercorns, and vinegar. I whisk it together in minutes for an easy dressing that’s perfect for salads, dipping, or drizzling.
Let’s be real… Of course, the lettuce and veggies are important, but what really takes a bed of greens from blah to WOW is the dressing. While bottled dressings might seem more convenient, in all of my years of cooking, I’ve found that making dressings from scratch is surprisingly easy and so worth it. (My balsamic dressing recipe is a prime example!) Now I love to prepare my salad dressings at home to make every fresh seasonal salad a true show stopper! Today, I’m sharing with you my Parmesan peppercorn salad dressing recipe, a wonderfully simple creamy salad dressing with a lot of punchy flavor. It starts with a mayonnaise and red wine vinegar base, with a little milk to thin it out. Then I add grated Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to give it a bold zesty flavor.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Peppy Flavor – Cracked peppercorns are, well, peppery! They are spicy, but with a sharp, quick kick rather than the intense rolling heat you get from hot peppers. And not to worry, I promise, the spice is subdued a good deal when combined with savory seasonings and vinegar in a rich mayo and dairy base.
Different Yet Familiar – This is a great dressing to use when I want to mix things up a little from the traditional ranch or blue cheese dressings. It offers the same creamy consistency, yet I believe it’s a truly unique flavor that pairs with just about any leafy greens you serve it with.
Versatile Dressing or Dip – Drizzle (or pour!) spoonfuls of peppercorn dressing on salads with your choice of veggies and goodies. Or like with my catalina dressing recipe, serve it as a rich but bright dipping sauce for vegetables, wings… Basically, any food that could use a bit of bite without overwhelming other flavors. The dressing is fantastic to make in a large batch ahead of time and keep in the fridge for whenever you need some pizzazz on your plate!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Mayonnaise – I use full fat mayo, but low fat mayonnaise will give you the same creamy consistency and similar flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – I also recommend using a higher quality grated Parmesan cheese… Not the one in the green can, that’s shelf-stable. Buy a Parmesan cheese that you either grate right off the block or one that’s grated for you, but in the refrigerated section at the grocery store.
- Milk – Either whole milk or 2% milk is fine.
- Vinegar – Similar to my greek dressing recipe, I find red wine offers the most mellow, almost sweet and tangy flavor compared to white vinegar.
- Black peppercorns – Make sure to use a pepper grinder to crack your own black pepper for the freshest, boldest pepper flavor.
- Spices – I season the dressing with homemade Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Grate and Grind – I get out a large glass measuring cup, or a medium bowl. Then I add the packaged Parmesan cheese, or finely grate fresh parm from the block.
Next, I grind the peppercorns so they are in small bits, but not too fine like dust. I want some of that coarse texture to really make the dressing pop.
Add it All – Now I add the remaining ingredients to the measuring cup: mayo, milk, vinegar, and spices.
Mix Until Smooth – Then I use a spoon, or a whisk, to combine everything into a creamy-smooth mixture.
It should coat the back of the spoon and flow off easily. If it seems a bit too thin, stir in a smidge more mayo and Parmesan cheese. Or if you think it’s too thick, add a teeny-tiny splash of milk.
Refrigerate – Once it’s combined, I transfer the dressing to an airtight container or cover the measuring pitcher with plastic wrap. Then I place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to get a nice chill and let the flavors meld even more.
Serving Suggestions
My creamy salad topping is great for adding pep to any simple green salad. Here I’m drizzling it over a bowl of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and croutons. But it works just as well on salads made with chopped romaine lettuce, spinach, or crisp iceberg lettuce as a fun twist on a classic wedge salad.
It’s also a delightful dip to serve with crunchy fresh veggies! As I mentioned, the consistency and bright flavor are on par with ranch or blue cheese dressing. So pair it with carrot or celery sticks, sliced bell peppers, cauliflower or broccoli florets… You get the idea.
Speaking of, I also love to use the dressing as an alternative dip served with baked chicken wings. While it’s still refreshingly cool and creamy, this sauce is terrific for when you want a double-spicy snack of hot wings with a bit of heat!
Storage Notes
Homemade dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. I give it a good stir before using to get that lovely smooth consistency back.
But nope, don’t try to freeze it! Dairy-based dressings don’t hold up well to being frozen and thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no… It certainly has a bite, but no, I wouldn’t say the dressing is actually spicy. However, if you are super sensitive to spice, yeah, you probably would want to reduce the cracked peppercorns.
Yeah, I’m not budging on this one. Freshly cracked black peppercorns are essential for the right taste and texture. Ground pepper is too fine and not nearly as flavorful. Remember, all spices lose their intensity over time.
Absolutely, you can and should make it in advance! I prep this dressing at the start of the week and use it for several days.
Sure! As-is, my recipe yields about 16 servings, with each serving being 2 tablespoons. Simply halve the ingredients to make 8 servings of the peppercorn and Parmesan dressing.
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More Salad Dressing Recipes
Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3-4 teaspoons cracked black pepper extra coarse
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Set out a medium bowl or a measuring pitcher. Grate the Parmesan cheese, if needed. Then grind peppercorns until you have 3-4 teaspoons.
- Combine the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, milk, red wine vinegar, 3 teaspoons cracked black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Mix until very smooth.
- Taste, then add additional cracked black pepper and salt if desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
