Italian dressing—often labeled as vinaigrette—is one of the easiest dressings to make, but it’s also easy to get wrong. In its simplest form, it’s a mixture of oil and vinegar, typically seasoned with salt and pepper. Add herbs, garlic, or a squeeze of citrus, and you have a bright, punchy dressing that comes together in minutes.

But while it’s easy to make from scratch, there are some moments when grabbing a bottle makes more sense—whether you're throwing together a last-minute salad or looking to quickly boost the flavor of a weeknight dinner by marinating chicken in it, tossing it with pasta salad, or adding it to a grain bowl.

So which store-bought version is actually worth buying? To find out, we taste-tested 15 Italian dressings you're likely to find at the grocery store, sampling each with fresh romaine and scoring them on flavor and texture.…