Elevate Every Salad with This Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe! Make it in Advance and Always Have Homemade Salad Dressing on Hand!
Have you ever wondered how to elevate your salads from ordinary to extraordinary? Well, let me introduce you to the magic of this creamy balsamic vinaigrette. This versatile dressing is a game-changer that adds a burst of flavor to any salad.
It’s a simple yet delicious salad dressing made from balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a few other essential ingredients. It’s known for its sweet and tangy flavor, which perfectly complements a variety of salads. Whether you’re mixing it with fresh greens, pairing it with a classic tomato-mozzarella salad, or drizzling it over pasta salad – balsamic vinaigrette is a must-have in your kitchen.
I’ll show you how to easily make this balsamic vinaigrette recipe at home and store it in advance. This way, you’ll always have homemade salad dressing ready in the fridge. We definitely eat more salad when the dressing is already made! 😉
Why You Will Love This Dressing
- VERSATILE – This Italian dressing goes with any salad!
- HEALTHY – Made with natural ingredients, it’s a healthier option compared to many store-bought dressings.
- EASY – With just a few basic ingredients, you can whip up a delicious dressing in no time.
Moreover, this recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and tastes better than the ready-made versions from the supermarket! You only need a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes of your time. Another advantage of making balsamic dressing yourself is the use of high-quality ingredients.
Store-bought versions often contain sunflower oil instead of olive oil (because it’s cheaper) and are filled with unnecessary additives like thickeners and acidity regulators. Totally unnecessary! So, make it yourself, save money, and enjoy a healthier and tastier dressing!
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Balsamic Vinegar: The star of the show! Choose a high-quality balsamic vinegar for the best flavor. There’s also the thick, syrupy Aged Aceto Balsamico, which is much sweeter and perfect to drizzle a few drops over salads. However, it’s too pricey, thick, and sweet to use for this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds mild sharpness and a lot of flavor to the dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: I love the Dijon variety, but you can use any mustard.
- Maple Syrup: Balances the acidity and gives the dressing a pleasant sweetness. You can also use mild honey.
- Vegetable Stock Powder: My tip for a great umami taste. Season with vegetable stock powder instead of salt! I often like to dilute salad dressing for leafy greens with a bit of vegetable broth. It’s a pantry staple in Europe, I recommend this powder from Knorr. Salt is good too! 😉
- Italian Seasoning: Dried herbs add more flavor.
- Black Pepper: To taste!
How to Make It
Making your own balsamic vinaigrette is super easy. Follow these simple steps:
- Measure Ingredients: If you have a kitchen scale, place the plastic beaker from your immersion blender on it and measure all ingredients directly into the beaker. Otherwise, use measuring cups.
- Blend: Here’s the trick! To make the balsamic vinaigrette extra creamy, blend it with an immersion blender. → Do you see the creamy transformation in the picture below? This also prevents the dressing from separating into oil and vinegar layers. You can also use a whisk, but it won’t be as creamy.
- Season: Feel free to season and refine it to your taste. Please experiment – you don’t have to stick strictly to the recipe. It should taste good to you! 🙌
What It Goes Well With
Really with any conceivable salad. Especially delicious with:
- Green Leafy Salads
- Arugula Salad
- Tomato-Mozzarella Salad
- Pasta Salad
- Burrata Salad
- Cucumber Salad
- Carrot Salad
- Panzanella Salad
Storage
Pour the balsamic vinaigrette into a clean glass bottle. You can store it in the refrigerator for about a week. Since it’s blended with an immersion blender, it stays creamy, and the ingredients do NOT separate! Therefore, no shaking or mixing is necessary – just pour it directly from the fridge over your salad.
More Homemade Salad Dressings
- White French Dressing
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Miso Dressing
- Pumpkin Seed Oil Dressing
- Vegetarian Caesar Dressing
- Strawberry Vinaigrette
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📖 Recipe
Balsamic Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar use only ⅓ – ⅜ if you don't like it too sour
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- 1 tsp salt OR vegetable stock powder, see notes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ – 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a measuring cup.
- Blend using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
- Store the homemade balsamic vinegar in a mason jar in the fridge.
Notes
- Blender: I highly recommend using a blender for a creamy vinaigrette that won’t separate.
- Vinegar: We love our vinaigrette with lots of vinegar, feel free to adjust the amount of balsamic vinegar to your liking.
- I love to season my dressing with vegetable stock powder instead of salt, giving salad dressings a kind of umami taste. It’s a pantry staple in Europe, I recommend this powder from Knorr. Salt is good too! 😉
- Garlic lovers can add a pinch of garlic powder.
- Keeps fresh for up to two weeks in the fridge.
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