The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

If you’re looking for the perfect, sweet-tangy dressing to top over your favorite salads, look no further than this homemade balsamic dressing.

You can whip this dressing up fast with 6 simple ingredients.

Don’t you love that mason jar trick? It’s a smart way to make your favorite sauces and dressings without dirtying up a bunch of dishes! I don’t think I’ll go back to a bowl and whisk, although that’s perfectly fine if you choose that route.

Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Tangy and slightly sweet, Balsamic vinaigrette is easily one of the most popular choices. It’s super versatile for drizzling over salads, roasted vegetables, or as a marinade for chicken.

It’s the perfect balance of acid, sweet, and fats that delicately coat any salad or ingredient you toss it with, it’s why I like to keep a batch in my fridge at all times. The storebought is no match for this homemade version, and it takes 2 minutes to whip up.

Balsamic Dressing Ingredients

All you need are basic pantry staples to make this vinaigrette happen, another reason it’s the one dressing you’ll find in my fridge at all times. Honey might seem out of place in a tart, savory dressing, but it helps to balance out the tang from the Dijon and Balsamic vinegar.

• Balsamic vinegar: essential for Balsamic vinaigrette.
• Olive oil: gives the vinaigrette a smooth consistency and helps the vinaigrette coat the salad ingredients.
• Dijon mustard: adds flavor and helps ’emulsify’ the oil and vinegar.
• Honey: to counteract the acid from the vinegar.
• Salt: enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
• Black pepper: fresh black pepper gives it a little extra kick.

How to Make Balsamic Dressing

Making your own Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing couldn’t be easier! Below, I show you how to prepare it in a lidded jar, but you could mix it up in a medium-sized bowl with a whisk.

1. Grab a jar
   Add vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper to the jar.
   
2. Give it a shake
   Seal the lid on the jar and give it a good shake until the contents are fully blended.

Watch this quick video to see it come together in minutes!

Best Salad Dressing Containers

If you like to pack lunches for salads, then this vinaigrette is a must! I remember when I would take lunches to the office and get so frustrated when I couldn’t find a the right sauce container to pack salad dressing; some would leak, others were too big…

Over the years I’ve found 2 that are super handy for dressings, sauces, and dips.

EasyLunchboxes Sauce Containers
I’ve been using these for years! They’re spill-proof and pack a generous amount of dressing or dip. 

Sistema Sauce Containers
Another great buy are these mini cups. They come 4 to a pack and hold 1 ounces, roughly 2 tablespoons. 

How to Store Salad Dressing

After making, you can refrigerate it in a lidded glass jar or bottle for up to a week.

As far as plastic goes, I don’t recommend storing homemade dressings long-term in plastic. Over time the plastic absorbs the oil, and it makes the container harder to clean, it’s best to keep it to glass bottles and jars.

As oil and liquids tend to do, this vinaigrette does separate as it sets but a good shake or two and it will go right back to that smooth consistency.

Favorite Recipes using Balsamic Dressing

Now that you know how to make your own balsamic vinaigrette here are some recipes to try with it: 

• Chicken Caprese Salad – as a dressing
• Chicken Farro bowls– as a marinade for the chicken
• Fig & Arugula Salad– swap for raisin vinaigrette
• Salmon Nicoise Salad– swap it for the Dijon Vinaigrette
• Watermelon Feta Salad– swap it for the Citrus Vinaigrette

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