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Rich and versatile, this homemade balsamic vinaigrette is so delicious on so many different types of salad!
Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
This vinaigrette is so good! It has a slight sweetness from the balsamic vinegar and honey and a really delicious tang from the balsamic vinegar (again) and the dijon mustard. It’s one of those dressings that is silly simple to make, requires just a few ingredients, tastes *so* much better than its store-bought counterpart, and is incredibly versatile!
Ingredients for this Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
The ingredients for this dressing are super simple, and I’d even be willing to bet that you have a few of these ingredients on hand already! Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Balsamic Vinegar – to start, you’ll need 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
- Honey – though this ingredient is optional, we love the hint of sweetness that just 2 teaspoons of honey brings to the finished dressing.
- Dijon Mustard – 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard adds a really yummy tang to the dressing while also making it just a little bit creamy!
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – this ingredient shows up in a lot of our dressings! For this one, you’ll need a ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil!
- Sea Salt + Pepper – the only seasonings you’ll need are a ¼ teaspoon of sea salt and a ¼ teaspoon of cracked black pepper.
How to Make an Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette
The process is as simple as it gets (like 1-step silly simple!). Here’s how you’ll bring this dressing together:
- Add all of the ingredients to a jar or bowl and either shake (if your jar has a tight fitting lid) or whisk to combine.
How to Store Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
As with all of our dressings, this one is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or jar. Stored this way, it’ll last for up to 2 weeks!
Is balsamic vinaigrette healthy?
We think so! Health is relative, though, and truly dependent on what YOU can tolerate. If you do well with the ingredients in this dressing, then it is a great choice to add to your salad!
What is the difference between balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinaigrette?
Balsamic vinegar is one of the ingredients in this dressing, and while it is really delicious drizzled over a caprese salad (or skillet!), it can be a strong flavor to use all on its own as a dressing. A balsamic vinaigrette, on the other hand, combines the really delicious rich flavor of balsamic vinegar with a few other ingredients for a more mild version that is TASTY over greens!
What to serve with balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing?
Our favorite way to enjoy this dressing is over greens with some grilled chicken (or shrimp!), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, mozzarella pearls on top for a really delicious, flavorful, filling salad!
This dressing is versatile enough, though, that it’ll go really well over almost any combination of toppings, so the sky’s the limit!
Our favorite dressing containers
The most obvious choice here are mason jars, but if you don’t have those on hand, don’t feel like you need to purchase a set just for dressing! Any lidded container that you can easily pour out of would work great, and if you’re close to using up something from the fridge (think: a jar of pepperoncinis or even a bottle of store-bought salad dressing), feel free to clean that out really well and use it for your homemade dressing!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey optional
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or mason jar with a lid and either whisk or shake the jar to combine.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Jenn says
This was delicious! Will definitely be our go to recipe now for salad dressing. Thanks!
Melissa Guevara says
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Jenn! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us! ~Melissa