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.
Crack open a ripe avocado, pour this dressing in the pit cavity, enjoy!
Do you know approximately how long this dressing would keep if stored in the fridge, e.g 2-3 days? Thanks!
Hi Katie, it will keep for about 4 days in the fridge.
Does this dressing need to be refrigerated?
Hi Mc, yes, I refrigerate it.
This was delicious and so easy to make. I will not buy bottled balsamic vinegarette again. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Caroline, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing your delicious and simple recipes with us!! Your recipes never disappoint including this balsamic vinaigrette! It’s super easy to make and so delicious. I added all ingredients into a mason jar and shook it, viola! Thanks again!
Thank you for this recipe! I made the Balsamic Vinaigrette for the Beet Salad and it was outstanding!! Super-easy and so delicious. It was restaurant-quality!
Can you make it a day ahead before serving?
Yummy! Does it need to be refrigerated?
Hi Andrea, yep, I recommend storing this dressing in the fridge.
Wonderful vinaigrette recipe! It’s tangy and sweet without being too much of either. My whole family loved it on a salad with arugula and pears. I’ve made this with olive oil and avocado oil, and both are absolutely delicious!
Hi there
I’m intolerant to olive oil and generally use rice bran oil to cook with. Would you use this or would you have another recommendation to use instead of olive oil?
Hi Teresa, avocado oil would work well.
Doing this tonight to use with your beet salad recipe. Question…keep leftover in pantry or fridge? Thanks!
Hi Vanessa, sorry for my slow reply – I keep it in the fridge, then let it sit out at room temp before serving because the olive oil will solidify a bit in the fridge.
Over grilled green asparagus topped with parmegiano cheese, served with warm foccaciobread. Delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!
This is a great tasting vinaigrette and very easy to make. I was looking for an easy vinaigrette for a family dinner about a week ago and luckily found this one. Everyone loved it. Definitely a keeper!!
I love this salad dressing so much! Made it for Christmas dinner, New Year’s Eve 2022/2023,– and again February 5, 2023 because it was requested!! – along with the Pear & Fennel Salad. Highly, highly recommend both for their fresh and unique flavors!
So delicious! Perfect balance.
So glad you loved it!
This was delicious! Thank you. 🙂
Hi Jay, so glad you loved it!
Great tasting and simple to make. I only had yellow mustard, so I added some Dry Sherry to balance the flavor.
Very good I would like To know how long we could keep this vinegar the restore in the fridge or in the cupboard
Hi Maureen, you can keep it for about a week and store it in the fridge.
What an absolutely scrumptious dressing! I used some on a beet salad and had enough left over to reduce slightly and drizzle on bruschetta! Thank you!
It is such a pleasure to make and taste such a well balanced dressing! A new addition to my dressing repertoire!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the dressing!
LOVE THOS RECIPE! For how long is this dressing good for?
Hi Eliza, about 3-4 days in the fridge.