Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

We love this homemade balsamic vinaigrette! It’s tangy, sweet, and so easy to make that we whip up a batch almost every week. It’s delicious on everything from leafy greens to pasta salad.

I’m a big fan of homemade salad dressings, and this balsamic vinaigrette is the one I make the most! I always have what I need to make it in my kitchen, and it goes really well with just about anything.

Definitely don’t miss my tips for adding a bit of jam or turning this into a creamy dressing with mayo or sour cream. I love this dressing on our balsamic strawberry salad! For more homemade dressings, see our honey mustard dressing, creamy ranch, or this easy Italian dressing.

Key Ingredients

Balsamic Vinegar: Use what you have. Most of us have the less expensive bottles with thin, pretty tart vinegar inside. That’s what I’ve assumed in our recipe below. If you have thicker, aged balsamic vinegar, it will still be lovely in our recipe. We recommend that you taste it before using it to make the dressing. If it tastes sweet without anything added, you will not need any sweetener. If it’s tart and acidic, you’ll want to add a little sweetness with maple syrup, honey, or jam.
Dijon Mustard: I use mustard in a lot of my salad dressing recipes and love it for this balsamic dressing. It helps the ingredients emulsify and makes it taste more like what you are served in nicer restaurants. Whole-grain mustard is a good substitute.
Olive Oil: Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil. I like fruiter, lighter olive oils, but use what you have or love.
Sweetener: Maple syrup and honey are lovely (I only add a little bit) and balance the tartness of balsamic vinegar. If you want a little more flavor, try jam. I especially love strawberry or fig jam.
Mayo or Sour Cream (Optional): If you prefer creamy dressings, add a spoonful of mayonnaise, sour cream, or crème fraîche.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Homemade balsamic vinaigrette is a staple recipe in our house. We like vinegary dressings and use twice as much olive oil as vinegar. To make a less vinegary dressing, add more olive oil to taste. I like to add a little sweetener to the dressing. Maple syrup or honey is lovely, or add a little fruitiness with your favorite jam (strawberry jam is especially good). If you are using a thicker balsamic vinegar or one that is aged, it may already taste more sweet, so you may not need to add sweetener.

Makes 3/4 cup

You Will Need

1/4 cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup, honey, or strawberry jam

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste

1 tablespoon mayonnaise, sour cream, or crème fraîche, optional to make creamy

Directions

1Whisk vinegar, mustard, sweetener, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well blended.

2While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil until completely incorporated and the dressing has thickened.

3Taste and then adjust with salt, pepper, olive oil, or sweetener as needed. To turn it into a creamy dressing, whisk in mayo (sour cream or crème fraîche).

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

Storing: Keep in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 week.
How to make in jar or blender: Instead of whisking ingredients together, place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine. Or, use a blender. Add all ingredients to blender then blend until thick.
Note about the vinegar: If you have really good quality balsamic vinegar, you might only need to add olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a delicious vinaigrette. It will naturally be thick and have a bit of sweetness. But most of us don’t use super pricey balsamic for everyday salads! So, for a more budget-friendly option, we use regular balsamic vinegar (around $15) and add a few things to boost the flavor. A touch of Dijon mustard adds complexity and a little brown sugar brings in some of that sweetness you find in those expensive bottles. This way, you get a delicious, well-rounded vinaigrette without breaking the bank.
Nutritional information are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1 tablespoon
/
Calories
87
/
Total Fat
9.3g
/
Saturated Fat
1.3g
/
Cholesterol
0mg
/
Sodium
71.4mg
/
Carbohydrate
1.3g
/
Dietary Fiber
0g
/
Total Sugars
1.1g
/
Protein
0g