The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

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The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (Balsamic Dressing) – This tangy balsamic vinaigrette dressing will make your salads sparkle, and takes only 5 minutes to prepare!

The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (1)

Salad Dressing with Balsamic Vinegar

Is there anything more satisfying than skillfully whipping up your own dressing right at home? It makes you wonder why you ever bothered buying bottled stuff at the store.

This homemade salad dressing recipe for the Best Balsamic Vinaigrette is one I’ve tweaked over the years to be perfectly tangy-sweet and silky in texture.

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The tantalizing flavor is based on good quality aged balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, a touch of dijon mustard, and herbs. It is fabulous over robust spinach and kale salads, romaine salads, and even over roasted vegetables!

And you can easily make larger batches of this balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and keep it in the refrigerator for several weeks.

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What Ingredients You Need to Make the Best Vinaigrette Dressing

With just a handful of ingredients, you can make a balsamic dressing that rivals any store-bought brand in both taste and cost.

Here’s all that you need:

  • Aged balsamic vinegarIt’s important to buy very good aged balsamic vinegar. The longer the vinegar has been aged, the sweeter, milder, and richer it becomes.
  • Extra virgin olive oil My personal favorite for making vinaigrettes, but you can substitute it with avocado or any other light-flavored oil you prefer.
  • HoneyYou’ll need less honey in this recipe if you use an older vinegar and/or if you prefer a more savory and less sweet dressing.
  • Dijon mustardFor that perfect tangy element that brings out the boldness of the balsamic.
  • Dried thymeThis balances the sweet and zesty notes of the dressing with a mild earthy flavor.
  • Minced garlicBecause every good vinaigrette needs garlic!
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How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

  1. Place all the ingredients in a jar and seal tightly.
  2. Shake vigorously. The mustard will help emulsify the vinaigrette and give it a thick luxurious quality.

That’s it. Seriously!

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Get the Full (Printable) Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Below. Enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Can Balsamic Dressing Be Stored?

Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, this dressing will keep well for 2-3 weeks. Just give it a good shake before serving.

What Are Some Ways to Enjoy This Balsamic Vinaigrette?

Balsamic vinaigrette dressing is delicious drizzled on cold salads loaded with fresh greens and veggies, and on warm salads with quinoa, chickpeas and/or cooked stone fruits like grilled peaches or poached pears.

It adds a wonderful depth and tanginess to hearty roasted veggies, such as carrots and Brussels sprouts, as a balsamic glaze after cooking.

Try a bit of this balsamic vinaigrette recipe with fruits like watermelon and strawberries for a terrifically savory and sweet treat. Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns the salad into an instant dessert.

You can even use it as a marinade over proteins like steak, pork, and chicken.

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Can I Substitute Ingredients in this Recipe?

You absolutely can. Use whatever mild flavor oil you prefer (like paleo-friendly avocado oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil), substitute maple syrup for the honey to make it vegan, and it’s perfectly okay to use other mustards like stone-ground or yellow mustard if you don’t have Dijon.

Where Does Balsamic Vinegar Come From?

Authentic balsamic vinegar is made in only the cities of Reggio Emilia and Modena, Italy. It is highly regulated for quality so the traditional methods and production process is monitored by a special certification agency in Italy.

Traditional balsamic vinegar begins with grape must, which is a thick juice or mash made of whole pressed grapes including every component from skin to seeds and stems. They must achieve the perfect balance in flavor after cooking to concentrate the liquid, then fermenting for several weeks. It is then aged in barrels made of chestnut, oak, cherry, mulberry, and juniper wood to create unique flavor notes.

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Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe – This tangy balsamic vinaigrette dressing will make your salads sparkle, and takes only 5 minutes to prepare!

Servings: 8

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Pour the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 2 tablespoons honey, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, and garlic clove in a jar. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.

  • Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Once smooth, taste. Then add more honey or salt if needed.

Video

Notes

Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, this dressing will keep well for 2-3 weeks. Just give it a good shake before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 84kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 16mg, Potassium: 8mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Course: Dressing

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Sommer Collier

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The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

What is in President's Choice balsamic vinaigrette? ›

Ingredients: Water, Soybean Oil, Balsamic Vinegar (wine Vinegar, Cookedgrape Must, Concentrated Grape Juice, Caramel Colour, Sulphites),balsamic Vinegar Reduction (wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must,caramel Colour, Natural Flavour, Sulphites), Sugar, Extra Virgin Oliveoil, Salt, Herbs And Spice, Garlic, Citric Acid, ...

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 are some common mistakes to avoid when making vinaigrette? ›

12 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Making Homemade Vinaigrette
  • Estimating measurements for all ingredients. inspiredbyart/Shutterstock. ...
  • Using the wrong oil. ...
  • Using the wrong vinegar. ...
  • Leaving out the emulsifier. ...
  • Skipping the mustard. ...
  • Forgetting to check expiration dates. ...
  • Not using fresh herbs. ...
  • Using vinaigrette only on salad.
Aug 18, 2022

What balsamic vinegar do restaurants use? ›

Restaurant chefs use white balsamic vinegar not only for its milder flavor, but also because it won't turn a salad dressing or sauce brown the way the regular stuff will.

Does balsamic vinaigrette lower blood pressure? ›

Heart health and blood pressure

Balsamic vinegar can reduce the concentration of triglycerides and total cholesterol in the body; these have been linked to heart attacks and stroke. Also, due to its low saturated fat content, balsamic vinegar is believed to enhance heart health and reduce high blood pressure.

Is balsamic vinaigrette the healthiest salad dressing? ›

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest.

Why do Italians use balsamic vinegar? ›

It has a rich and balanced taste that brings out the value of the ingredients and gives a unique touch to both simple foods and elaborate dishes. Here are some ideas for making the most of the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena according to Italian tradition.

Why is balsamic vinaigrette so good? ›

Balsamic vinegar contains beneficial antioxidants, no fat, and very few calories. (You can read more about its health benefits here.) It packs a lot of flavor into a small amount, so it goes a long way on salads.

What balsamic vinegar do Italians use? ›

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP and Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP are unique Italian excellence in the world - Acetaia Giusti's words. Balsamic vinegar completes the holy trinity of Emilia Romagna's most profound culinary traditions, along with Parmigiano Reggiano and Lambrusco.

What makes a high quality balsamic vinegar? ›

Good quality balsamic vinegar will have its ingredients listed as “Grape must, tradizionale'. This means that it has been aged for at least 12 years, and the vinegar will thick and sweet. Cheaper vinegar will be combined with a wine vinegar, caramel, flavourings and other ingredients.

What is the best balsamic vinegar ina Garten? ›

Fini Balsamic Vinegar

One of Garten's most popular recipes that feature balsamic vinegar is her Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries. And when it comes time to coat the strawberries with balsamic vinegar, sugar and pepper, be sure to use Garten's favorite Fini Balsamic Vinegar.

What are two ingredients that can be used to help emulsify a vinaigrette? ›

The most common emulsifiers in your kitchen are likely egg yolks, mayonnaise, prepared mustard (preferably Dijon), honey, and tomato paste (though I'm not a fan of raw tomato paste, the flavor works quite well in a vinaigrette). For a more neutral flavor, use mayonnaise.

Which is the correct ratio of oil to acid in a vinaigrette? ›

This is a standard vinaigrette recipe, so we use the traditional oil to vinegar ratio: three parts oil to one part vinegar/acid, but this ratio can vary depending on your choice of vinegar/acid and personal taste. The less acidic the vinegar/acid, the less oil you need.

Why does homemade vinaigrette go bad? ›

How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last? Traditional vinaigrettes, like the balsamic version listed below, will last longer—sometimes up to a few weeks. However, anything with fresh garlic should be consumed within a few days, as the combination of garlic and oil can form harmful bacteria over time.

What is balsamic vinaigrette dressing made of? ›

At its most basic, balsamic vinaigrette is made of oil and balsamic vinegar. The oil is usually olive oil, and there is usually an emulsifying ingredient such as mustard. Herbs and spices, salt and pepper, and a sweetener such as honey may also be added.

What is balsamic reduction made of? ›

Here's how to make balsamic reduction

Add 1 cup balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook at a low bubble, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it coats the back of a metal spoon.

Is balsamic vinaigrette 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.

References

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