Learn how to make the best homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette in less than five minutes. You'll love this dressing recipe because it's quick to make, simple, and goes with everything from easy salads, chicken marinade, to Brussels sprouts.
This is one of my family's favorite dressings. Even my kids love the bold taste it adds to vegetables and pasta. Make this during the summer months for a fun, fresh flavor, or add it to a fall dish.
Balsamic Vinegar vs Vinaigrette? Balsamic vinegar is a rich, tangy vinegar with deep flavors, while balsamic vinaigrette is a dressing made by combining balsamic vinegar with oil, honey, or maple syrup, and seasonings such as mustard, garlic, and herbs.
We love to make DIY dressings and sauces! Try our other homemade dressings like Honey Mustard Dressing, Tahini Dressing, and Cajun Butter Sauce.
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What's in Balsamic Vinaigrette?
This is a basic recipe that requires pantry staples, making it an affordable and easy DIY.
- Balsamic Vinegar- Use your favorite brand of balsamic vinegar. Make sure not to use balsamic glaze.
- Olive Oil- We love the flavor that olive oil adds as opposed to other cooking oils.
- Maple Syrup- Use maple syrup to give the vinaigrette a sweet taste. It also makes the dressing vegan. You can use honey or even brown sugar instead of maple syrup. We found while testing this recipe that some people like it sweeter than others, so we created a recipe that has a good starting point, and you can add more for a sweeter dressing.
- Dijon Mustard- A stronger flavor profile than standard mustard, you'll love adding Dijon Mustard.
- Garlic- For the strongest flavor, use minced garlic. For a quick and convenient staple, you can use garlic powder instead.
- Salt- Just a touch of salt will help enhance the flavor of the other ingredients and give it a zestier taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Balsamic Vinaigrette
Made in just 5 minutes, make this quick and easy recipe by following our step by step process photos.
- Add all of the ingredients to a small jar with a lid or a container with a lid.
- Shake until the ingredients are evenly mixed.
Hint: A lot of people love adding a fruit flavor like raspberry, blackberry, cherry, blueberry, or even fig to balsamic. You can create a sweet, tangy twist that pairs beautifully with salads, roasted vegetables, or meats.
Substitutions and Variations
Try some of our favorite substitutions and variations for different fun flavors!
- White- To make this with white balasmic, use white balsamic vinegar instead of traditional.
- Creamy-Make a creamy dressing by substituting the olive oil with mayo.
- Basil- Add ¾ teaspoon basil. Use dried basil for better storage.
- Light- Make a lighter version by cutting the olive oil in half. Be sure to use less dressing when serving because it will have a stronger flavor!
- Lemon- Add ¼ cup lemon juice to enjoy a citrusy flavor.
- Sugar-free- Omit the honey or maple syrup and add a couple of drops of stevia, to taste.
- Sweet- If you want a sweeter taste, double the honey. You can add extra honey to taste to get the flavor you're looking for.
- Garlic- While this recipe already uses garlic, you can increase the garlic flavor by doubling the garlic.
- Italian- Just like the basil, you can also add a ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- Spicy- Want to kick up the heat? Add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or to taste.
Can you marinate chicken in balsamic dressing?
Yes! You can absolutely marinate chicken in balsamic dressing. Add thawed, uncooked, chicken breast to a container with a lid or gallon Ziploc bag. Add 1 cup of balsamic dressing and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. For the strongest flavor, let it marinate for 24 hours. Cook the chicken on the grill, stovetop, or in the oven for a flavor-packed dinner.
How to use Balsamic Vinaigrette
Some of our favorite ways to use Balsamic Vinaigrette include our Autumn Harvest salad. We also love it with our Caprese pasta salad. The vinaigrette goes great with spring mix salad, grilled chicken, salmon, and vegetables like asparagus and Brussels sprouts!
How long does Balsamic Vinaigrette last?
Making homemade dressing is a great way to know exactly what ingredients you are eating. It even stores great! We like to store the extra dressing in a mason jar with a lid. You can also use a salad dressing container or a Tupperware with an airtight lid.
Store the dressing for two weeks in the refrigerator. Make sure to stir or shake before using, as the ingredients may settle. This recipe does not freeze well.
Better than storebought!
This Balsamic Vinaigrette takes less than five minutes to make! No need to buy dressing when you can prepare this recipe in no time at all. It even uses pantry staples, making it an affordable way to save on your grocery bill.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Balsamic Vinaigrette:
Recipe
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil extra vigin
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey, see note 1
- 1 teaspoon dijon optional, see note 2
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pepper fresh ground. Optional. A few twists, to taste
Instructions
- Place olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic, salt and pepper (if uisng) into a glass jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds, until emulsified. See photos above for a visual, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- This vinaigrette isn't very sweet. For a sweeter dressing, add an extra 2 teaspoons sweetener, or to taste.
- Dijon is typically used in most balsamic dressings. However, if you don't like mustard, feel free to leave it out or add less.
- This stores in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before use (the olive oil will be fairly solid) and shake to combine before use.
Andrea says
This is such an easy homemade dressing and we use it on everything!