Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (2024)

Published: by Justin Coit

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You won’t believe that this easy Balsamic Vinaigrette only needs seven simple ingredients to make. This classic homemade dressing is tangy, delicious, and a staple in my kitchen. It takes next to no time to whip this together with pantry staples.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (1)

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Ditch the store-bought bottled dressing and make a batch of this homemade balsamic vinaigrette instead the next time you need a salad dressing. It’s bright, tangy, and zingy and not just for salads! Drizzle this balsamic dressing over grilled meats, grilled vegetables, pasta salads, and more.

You can easily scale this recipe up or down to fit your needs, and you’ll never have a collection of half-used, almost expired bottles of dressing taking up room in your fridge again!

Key Ingredients You Need

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (2)
  • Olive oil — Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil as this is the base of the balsamic vinegar dressing. Extra virgin olive oil that is first cold-pressed has flavor and texture differences with more nutrition than low-quality olive oil pressed multiple times.
  • Balsamic vinegar — Again, I suggest using high-quality balsamic vinegar. A little goes a long way, so you want to avoid the cheaper giant bottles. Those large bottles tend to be more bitter or acidic.
  • Dijon mustard — Not only does Dijon mustard add to the tangy flavor of the dressing, it also helps with the emulsion process of the dressing.

How to Make Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (3)

Step 1: To a bowl, add the olive oil.

Step 2: To the same bowl, add freshly minced garlic.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (4)

Step 3: Add balsamic vinegar to the bowl.

Step 4: Add Dijon mustard to the bowl.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (5)

Step 5: Finish off with honey, salt, and pepper.

Step 6: Whisk the ingredients together until well combined.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (6)

Tips For This Recipe

  • If you do not have olive oil, I recommend using another light-tasting oil such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil in its place.
  • Use a larger bowl than you feel is necessary. You want to be able to whisk everything together quickly and vigorously, so the olive oil and balsamic vinegar will emulsify together. You’ll end up with some spillage if you use a small bowl.
  • If you want extra added flavor to this, you can add some dried or fresh herbs.
  • For a smoother consistency, you can add the ingredients to a blender to blitz the garlic up.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (7)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this last?

You can store homemade balsamic vinaigrette in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. The olive oil may start to solidify when in the refrigerator, but not to worry, it’ll turn back into liquid once the dressing is back to room temperature. Shake the dressing or whisk it again before using.

Can this be frozen?

While the dressing can technically be frozen, I would advise against it. The balsamic dressing will not thaw well, and the ingredients will separate. Once separated, it’ll be difficult to get the ingredients back together after being frozen. Luckily, this recipe only takes a couple of minutes to whip together that you can make it in a pinch.

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If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (13)

Print Recipe

4.75 from 4 votes

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

You won’t believe that this easy Balsamic Vinaigrette only needs seven simple ingredients to make. This classic homemade dressing is tangy, delicious, and a staple in my kitchen. It takes next to no time to whip this together with pantry staples.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 268kcal

Author: Justin Coit

Ingredients

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Whisk together all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Store in a jar or airtight container in refrigerator.

Video

Notes

  • If you do not have olive oil, I recommend using another light-tasting oil such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil in its place.
  • Use a larger bowl than you feel is necessary. You want to be able to whisk everything together quickly and vigorously, so the olive oil and balsamic vinegar will emulsify together. You’ll end up with some spillage if you use a small bowl.
  • If you want extra added flavor to this, you can add some dried or fresh herbs.
  • For a smoother consistency, you can add the ingredients to a blender to blitz the garlic up.

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @cookingwithcoit and tag #cookingwithcoit!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (14)Joseph says

    Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (15)
    Nice flavour, but my dressing came out very thick and pasty. Any ideas as to why?

    Reply

    • Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (16)Justin Coit says

      Hi- That's interesting, usually it is quite loose and easy to drizzle. Did you make any substitutions to the ingredients? Thanks

      Reply

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Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is balsamic vinaigrette dressing made of? ›

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Ingredients

Balsamic vinegar – It fills the dressing with bold, sweet, and tangy flavor. Extra-virgin olive oil – It gives the dressing body and richness. Dijon mustard – For extra tang. Honey or maple syrup – It mellows the acidity of the mustard and balsamic.

How do you make balsamic vinegar from scratch? ›

The classic balsamic fermentation: the grapes are fermented, after a few days the juice is pressed and thickened to a certain sugar content. Then a short alcoholic fermentation takes place, followed by fermentation to vinegar. Particularly important is the subsequent storage in different wooden barrels over many years.

Is balsamic a healthy dressing? ›

The polyphenols found in balsamic vinegar have antioxidant properties that multiple studies show may help improve cardiovascular health. While not a substitute for medication, incorporating balsamic vinegar into a heart-healthy diet could be a small but flavorful step toward maintaining healthy blood pressure.

What is the healthiest salad dressing? ›

8 Simple and Healthy Salad Dressings
  1. Sesame ginger. This simple salad dressing doubles as an easy marinade for meat, poultry, or roasted veggies. ...
  2. Balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  3. Avocado lime. ...
  4. Lemon vinaigrette. ...
  5. Honey mustard. ...
  6. Greek yogurt ranch. ...
  7. Apple cider vinaigrette. ...
  8. Ginger turmeric.
Jul 27, 2023

What's the difference between balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinaigrette? ›

Balsamic vinegar is pure vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark brown in color and has a very robust, slightly sweet flavor. Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and/or other spices. It is typically used as a salad dressing but has other uses in the kitchen as well.

What is the best vinegar for salad dressing? ›

Red wine vinegar

Sometimes just called red vinegar, this vinegar is a byproduct of fermented red wine. It has a sharp tang and a relatively strong flavor profile, making it a good choice for more robust salads as well as meat marinades.

What are the rules for balsamic vinegar? ›

Traditional balsamic vinegar is made only with one ingredient — "grape must" (in Italian, "mosto"), the sweet juice of freshly pressed grapes — that is boiled to a concentrate, fermented and acidified, and aged for 12 to 25 years or longer in wood barrels.

What should be the first ingredient in balsamic vinegar? ›

Balsamic vinegar (Italian: aceto balsamico) is a dark, concentrated, intensely flavoured vinegar originating in Modena, Italy, made wholly or partially from grape must: freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds and stems.

What is the mother of the balsamic vinegar? ›

Mother of vinegar is a biofilm composed of a form of cellulose, yeast, and bacteria that sometimes develops on fermenting alcoholic liquids during the process that turns alcohol into acetic acid with the help of oxygen from the air and acetic acid bacteria (AAB).

Is it OK to eat balsamic vinegar every day? ›

Balsamic vinegar is low on calories, which makes it a great way to add flavor to healthy dishes without adding fat or sodium. Not unless you chug a bottle or two daily, as that will give you a tummy ache.

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

Is balsamic vinegar inflammatory? ›

Last but not least, consuming balsamic vinegar can have an anti-inflammatory effect as well. Long-term, high levels of inflammation can be extremely detrimental to your health, and research shows inflammation plays a role in whether you develop chronic conditions, diseases, and even cancer.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams). Same goes for tortilla strips or wontons.

What dressing to put on salad for weight loss? ›

Homemade salad dressings under 50 calories per serving
  1. Caesar Salad Dressing. This lighter version of the classic Caesar dressing is sure to please with garlic, lemon, and anchovy paste. ...
  2. Dijon Salad Dressing. Super-fast to fix! ...
  3. Merlot Salad Dressing. ...
  4. Fresh Herb Buttermilk Dressing. ...
  5. Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.
Sep 18, 2023

What should you avoid when dressing a salad? ›

5 Ingredients To Avoid
  1. Palm Oil. Palm oil can pop up in both creamy and oily dressings, and it's a top ingredient that Taub-Dix said to avoid. ...
  2. Sugar (but it's rarely called sugar) ...
  3. Salt. ...
  4. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ...
  5. Coconut oil.
Jan 24, 2024

What is balsamic vinaigrette dressing? ›

Balsamic vinaigrette is made by adding a small amount of balsamic vinegar to a simple vinaigrette of olive oil and wine vinegar. Brazil: A mix between olive oil, alcohol vinegar, tomatoes, onions and sometimes bell peppers is called vinagrete.

Is balsamic vinaigrette healthier than Italian dressing? ›

A few of the unhealthiest salad dressings include creamy Caesar, creamy Italian, ranch, and Russian dressing. For example, two tablespoons of store-bought creamy Caesar dressing contains 190 calories and 20 grams of fat,4 as compared to 90 calories and 9 grams of fat in the same serving of balsamic vinaigrette.

What's the difference between balsamic vinaigrette and regular vinaigrette? ›

A balsamic vinaigrette typically involves adding oil, sugar, and/or mustard to balsamic vinegar, along with seasonings like garlic, salt, and pepper. While it can be made in a way that makes it healthier than several other salad dressing options, it can't compare to simply using the vinegar and oil.

Is there a lot of sugar in balsamic vinegar? ›

Balsamic vinegar is low on the glycemic index. A 1-tablespoon serving contains 9 grams of sugars, if you are diabetic, pay attention to the amount you consume. Electrolyte Properties: the calcium and potassium from the grapes of the balsamic vinegar aids in the hydration benefits.

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