Skip the store-bought salad dressing! Instead, make this balsamic vinaigrette at home. It's rich, tangy, and SO easy to make. Just 7 ingredients!
If you keep a bottle of balsamic vinegar in your pantry, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be making your own balsamic vinaigrette at home. Really, skip the store-bought stuff: this balsamic vinaigrette recipe calls for 7 ingredients and comes together in under 5 minutes. It doesn’t get simpler than that!
And this recipe isn’t just simple – it’s flavorful, too. Thanks to the balsamic, mustard, and a touch of honey, it’s bold, sweet, and tangy. It’s a perfect way to jazz up salads, roasted veggies, and more. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this balsamic dressing recipe:
- 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.
- Garlic – For sharp, savory depth of flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
You can make this balsamic dressing two ways: in a small bowl or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
If you’re making it in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Then, drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously. When the dressing is emulsified, season to taste.
If you want to make the dressing in a jar, add all the ingredients (oil included!), and secure the lid. Shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified. So easy!
How to Use Balsamic Vinaigrette
This homemade balsamic vinaigrette is as versatile as it is delicious. I hope you enjoy finding different ways to use it! Here are a few of my favorites to get you started:
- Toss it with a salad, like this beet salad, this pear salad, or any simple green salad.
- Drizzle it over a Caprese salad or Caprese skewers. Who doesn’t love tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella with balsamic?
- Use it as a marinade. Try it with these grilled portobello mushroom burgers!
- Spoon it over roasted veggies, like Brussels sprouts, fennel, beets, or butternut squash.
- Or grilled veggies. I love it on eggplant, zucchini, onions, or these grilled veggie skewers.
How do you like to use balsamic vinaigrette? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Dressing Recipes
If you love this balsamic vinaigrette, try one of these delicious dressing recipes next:
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Homemade Italian Dressing
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
- Lemon Vinaigrette
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, garlic, mustard, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
I made this Balsamic Vinaigrette last night to go with your Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic. It was so delicious. This will be my go-to recipe going forward.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Thinking of adding ripe avocado…would it be okay…?
Like others, this is a staple I come back to time and time again, also doubling each time. Sooooo good!
I have made this dressing multiple times – doubling each time, cannot get enough of it. Thank you for my most favorite Balsamic dressing recipe!
Can leftovers be left at room temp or does it have to be refrigerated because of the mustard?
Has to be refrigerated because when you mix 2 ingredients oil and vinegar, they then become nuclear, or a time sensitive food. They will make you sick of left unrefrigerated AFTER they are mixed. Alone and unmixed, they each can be left out and are fine
Was this question answered?
Hi Rhonda, the dressing needs to be refrigerated.
Love this balsamic vinaigrette dressing! I had made it once before and it went so fast I doubled the recipe this time and it still came out perfect! I did decide to add a tsp of minced red onion as I like a little kick, but it is so good and flavorful exactly by the recipe too! And fresh homemade dressing is so much better than any bottled store-bought variety with all those nasty additives!
Hi Susan, I’m so glad you love the dressing!
I made this last minute today because we didn’t have enough homemade ranch for our salad. OMG it was SO SO good!!! The garlic pushed this to 5 stars. Such a great balance of flavors. D E L I C I O U S! I may even add two cloves next time because I love garlic so much. Printed the recipe and put it on my recipe book. Thank you!!! ????????
Hi Collette, yay! I’m so glad you loved the dressing!
Have been using this recipe regularly for a few months. I haven’t altered the measurements or ingredients & love the flavour. Whip it up in no time & enjoy over my roasted veges. Big thanks.
I’m so glad it’s been such a hit!
Hi, recipe looks awesome. Going to try it tonight on some fresh greens. What size Weck jar is in your photo?
Hi Tim, a litte less than 8 oz. https://amzn.to/3SPP49E
This dressing has the right balance of sweet and tangy taste. Perfect for my beet and goat cheese salad ?
This is so easy to make and utterly delicious. It has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Goes perfectly with the Beet and Goat Cheese salad!
Delicious!!! Simple and easy. Now my favourite.
The only recipe I use for this dressing! It is wonderful. My children love it too.
Hi Bri, I’m so glad you love the dressing!
Great tasting. Quick & Easy. You will have all the ingredients in your pantry.
Really flavorful. Loved it on my salad and now on my tofu veggie bowl
It was so good, I used it on a chopped salad mix with blackberries and feta! It brought out the sweetness of the blackberries and was so scrumptious! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Great dressing! Used it for red beet arugula salad. Amazing! Used vegan honey
Hi Elena, I’m so glad you loved the dressing!
Amazing Dressing!!!! Thanks ?
I’m so glad you loved it!