Copycat Sub Shop Italian Dressing
This is barely a recipe and entirely a ratio. Getting the ratio wrong is why home versions taste either greasy or harsh.
The ratio
Three parts olive oil blend to one part red wine vinegar, with dried oregano and a pinch of salt. Not extra virgin — a lighter blended oil is closer to the shop version and less bitter against cured meat.
Whisk rather than shake if you want it to hold together on the sub rather than separating on the plate.
The two mistakes
Using extra virgin olive oil. It is peppery and assertive, and it fights the cured meat instead of carrying it.
Applying the oregano to the dressing rather than the sub. In shop the oregano goes on the sub directly, which keeps it aromatic — stirred into oil it goes flat.
Using it
Dress the sub immediately before eating, not before wrapping. Vinegar and oil soften bread within minutes, which is exactly why collection orders arrive with softer rolls than counter orders.
Frequently asked
What kind of vinegar?
Red wine vinegar. White vinegar is too sharp and balsamic is far too sweet.
How long does it keep?
A couple of weeks refrigerated, though it will separate — whisk again before use.
Is this the official recipe?
No. No chain publishes its formula. This is an independent recreation built on standard vinaigrette technique.
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