Sometimes the most memorable restaurant experiences come from unexpected places. When a fellow viewer shared her obsession with the Italian dressing from Luigetta’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, I knew this recipe had to be special. This zesty, complex dressing combines traditional Italian flavors with unexpected ingredients like beef base and pepperoncini juice, creating a vinaigrette that has become legendary among locals and can now grace your table too.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The genius of Luigetta’s Italian dressing lies in its unexpected depth of flavor. While most Italian dressings rely solely on herbs and vinegar for complexity, this version incorporates beef base for savory richness and pepperoncini juice for a unique balance of sweet and heat. The combination of two vinegars (white and balsamic) creates layers of acidity, while soy sauce adds depth of umami that makes this dressing irresistible.
Ingredients
Oil Base:
- Oil – Creates the smooth, emulsified foundation that carries all the flavors and coats salad greens perfectly
Acid Components:
- White vinegar – Provides clean, sharp acidity that brightens all other flavors
- Balsamic vinegar – Contributes sweet complexity and rich, dark notes that balance the sharpness
- Pepperoncini juice – Adds unique tangy heat with subtle sweetness that sets this dressing apart
Flavor Enhancers:
- Beef base – Delivers deep, savory umami richness that creates remarkable depth
- Soy sauce – Contributes additional umami and saltiness that enhances the beef base
- Dry mustard – Provides gentle heat and helps emulsify the oil and vinegar
Aromatics:
- Garlic powder – Offers mellow garlic flavor that won’t overpower the delicate balance
- Onion powder – Adds savory sweetness and aromatic depth
Seasonings:
- Salt and pepper – Essential for balancing and enhancing all other flavors
Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix the Dressing
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine oil, white vinegar, and balsamic vinegar.
- Add beef base, soy sauce, and dry mustard to the vinegar mixture.
- Whisk vigorously until the beef base is completely dissolved and the mixture begins to emulsify.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, and pepperoncini juice to the bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk everything together until well combined and slightly thickened.
Rest and Serve
- For immediate use, whisk again just before serving to re-emulsify.
- For best flavor, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld completely.
- Always whisk or shake well before each use, as natural separation will occur.
Best Salad Dressing Recipes
- Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad Dressing Recipe
- Japanese House Salad Dressing
- Olive Garden Vinaigrette Recipe
- Brown Derby French Dressing
- Bacon Salad Dressing
- Apple Cider Vinegar Italian Dressing
- French Dressing Recipe
- Santa Fe Chicken Salad Dressing
- Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe
- Buttermilk Salad Dressing
- Creamy Pesto Dressing
Favorite Salad toppings
Be sure to take a look at even more restaurant salad dressings and easy copycat salad recipes.
Luigetta’s Italian Dressing – Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup oil
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon beef base
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp. onion powder
- 1 teaspoon pepperoncini juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl blend all ingredients together well. You can allow this to sit overnight before serving. Mix with salad putting pepperoncini peppers and cheese on top.
I have some really good recipes, etc. I have picked up along the way by experimenting and cooking in high end restaurants. Yes usually the simpler the better but amounts are critical on the measurements of ingredients. Joe Hunt’s Restaurant back in the 70’s in Scottsdale, Az had a Caesar salad dressing that was so good I could hardly wait to get to work to have it again. I was the pantry man as they called it back then. The salad was made table side by the waiter. They used the house Italian for the base and then added in the extra ingredients into a teak wood bowl that never got washed with water and added and smashed the extra ingredients. Anyway if you find a good Italian dressing like Bernsteins Restaurant Recipe for the base, then add fresh crushed garlic, anchovy’s, pinch of dry mustard couple dahes of Tabasco, dash of Worcestorshire and fresh lemon juice you can’t go wrong. Pisses me off about these secret family recipes, so they feel special when they die and take them to the grave? The Chef at Joe Hunt’s wouldn’t give out his dressing recipes. On another note, I very seldom can find a good anything at most restaurants in today’s world. Most people have never tasted really excellent to die for food!
This is Randy about the Joe Hunt’s Caesar Salad, I forgot to add sprinkle on Parmesan cheese while tossing and top with Hand grated pepper.
2 tbs accent
2 tbs dry mustard
2 1/2 tbs beef base (better than boullion)
2 tbs garlic salt
1 tbs onion powder
1 c red wine vinegar
2 c Crisco oil or other vegetable oil
Warm the vinegar, mix all ingredients except the oil, then blend oil & vinegar together..
Addicting!
Excellent it really does taste like Luigetti’s thank you so much!
This was a great homemade salad dressing. I never heard of Luigetta’s.
I tried this as written and thought it was fairly close.
I’m from Altoona, Pa. Luigettas was originally Charlie and Catherine’s. My great grandmother knew them and swapped family recipes with them. Growing up, my aunt and uncle owned a hair salon not from there. I was sent up for lunch often. Vinegar, accent, dry mustard, peperoncino juice, garlic powder, celery salt, kitchen bouquet are used. This recipe is in our family cookbook. I def will not tell exact measurments.
Todd, my husband also grew up in Altoona and knew the restaurant when it was Charlie and Catherine’s. He introduced me to Luigetta’s Hoagies and I love them. We now live in South Carolina and have very little occasion to go back to PA. My husband’s cousin gave me a recipe that she thought was their salad dressing recipe but when I make it I know that something is missing. As a fellow Altoonian would you be willing to share the recipe you have. Would greatly appreciate it as we miss their hoagies so much and as I said have very little opportunity to go home.
Fellow Altoonian here. They opened a store in Holidaysburgh that ships. I just had 6 its delivered to South Carolina
No not totally like it but close.
Thank you for letting me know.
I worked at the one in Hollidaysburg about 20 years or so ago and I was the one who made the dressing and the meatballs
I worked at the one in Hollidaysburg about 20 years or so ago and I was the one who made the dressing and the meatballs
My gram also worked at the Altoona location decades ago & gave me the recipe for the dressing & this is NOT EVEN CLOSE!! I no longer have the recipe but I do remember it wasn’t nearly this complicated. I had swapped au lis base for the beef base…I just always done what gram said to do.
Au jus…
Close but not exact
Im from Altoona and have my grandmother’s copy of the recipe. This is not the recipe for Luigetta’s sub dressing
Use malt vinegar instead of cider and balsamic vinegar. I grew up in that area and everyone new the recipe.
NO they didnt
this is nowhere near the real way to make it (sigh) and allso to note the new woodies2 does not make it right either
Somone who worked there told me its beef base, cider vinegar, water , and mozola corn oil
Dressing is good, but not an exact–I think the balsamic takes away from the taste. I have another recipe that I cannot tell the difference between it and the original, however, there is Accent in it. I have also tried it without the Accent and it is still good, just a tad less flavorful.
Just for the record, who ever made up this recipe is way off……They’re guessing…..I know the real mix and you know it’s a family secret…..
The original owners of luigettas have been long gone but I knew the owner that took it over and it wasn’t bad then but something went arie after they sold it. It was no way as complicated as this recipe. I remember that it had oil, vinager and beef base but not much more if any. And the original site was around kettle street and 5th Ave in Altoona pa. It may still be there still but I know that there is a spin of at Hollidaysburg pa on Allegheny st. ( not sure of the street but think so)
How well do you know the recipe? I’ve been trying various recipes, but yet can’t get it precisely.
*precise
What is beef base
It’s like beef bouillon but comes in a paste. It is sold in the same section of the grocery store as bouillon.
Just for the record, its “Luigetta’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania….
Holidaysburg! Not Altoona
There is one in Altoona and one in Hollidaysburg.
Just for the record, it’s “Pennsylvania.”
Just for the record its Lugetta’s… the recipe is almost accurate :). It definitely tastes the best after you let the dressing wilt the salad for a while. It is also great on hoagies and over french fries.
I’ve lived in Altoona all my life and the recipe came from Charlie and Catherine’s. It was in the 50’s. Then it became Luigettas. The recipe does have accent and beef base in it but I don’t know of anyone that has the exact recipe.