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Balsamic Vinaigrette

November 29, 2022

Balsamic vinaigrette offers the best of both worlds with its savory and sweet profile, and adds depth to whatever it touches: salads, wraps, vegetables, and more!

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Balsamic Vinaigrette 5
Photography by Gayle McLeod

A Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe For Every Day of the Week

Julia Child was right: making homemade salad dressing is easier than you may think, and this recipe proves it. With a handful of simple ingredients, you will be able to whip up the best balsamic vinaigrette. It’s a dressing that is tangy and brings life to more than just salads. It’s so good, you’ll forget why you ever bothered with the store-bought version.

mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt, and pepper in bowls to make homemade balsamic vinaigrette

What Is Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Made Of?

Balsamic vinaigrette ingredients really are simple, and might already be in your pantry:

  • Balsamic vinegar: The namesake of this vinaigrette, a good balsamic vinegar will be your key to success. It adds bold flavor to the core of this balsamic vinaigrette.

  • Stone-ground mustard: Also called whole-grain mustard, adds some texture as the seeds are ground less-finely than in Dijon or a classic, yellow mustard.

  • Shallot: We love shallots, which typically add a potent punch of onion, but their intensity is mellowed by the vinegar and melds perfectly for this dressing.

  • Olive oil: To provide a nice, thick texture to the vinaigrette and deepen the rich flavors.

  • Honey: To help the oil and vinegar emulsify (or come together cohesively). Honey also adds a counterpoint to the vinegar, mustard and shallots.

  • Salt and pepper: Always and forever seasoning is key. Vinaigrettes need a little S&P to make all those tasty flavors pop!

mustard, honey, shallot, salt, and pepper in a mason jar next to bowls of balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make vinaigrette

How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette

Get ready to make the best balsamic vinaigrette in no time:

  1. Add measured ingredients to a glass jar.

  2. Mince shallots, add to other ingredients in the jar, and close with a lid.

  3. Shake it up!

olive oil being poured into a mason jar with mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper

Our Case For Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette dressing takes just minutes to make, and is healthier than buying dressing from the store. Making this healthy balsamic vinaigrette recipe is worth the minimal effort it takes to pull together because it is delicious and doesn’t have the added ingredients that keep store-bought options longer lasting on the shelf. This easy balsamic vinaigrette is just a few ingredients shaken together in a jar!

balsamic vinaigrette in a bowl with a spoon made with mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt & pepper

What Do You Put Balsamic Vinaigrette On?

The short answer: EVERYTHING! Of course, this recipe is great for a classic balsamic vinaigrette salad. The complexity of balsamic vinaigrette is versatile enough to complement salads with fruit, like our Burrata Salad with Summer Berries & Pistachios or Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad. We love this recipe because it’s also more than just a dressing for salad. It pairs perfectly with roasted vegetables, like Brussels sprouts or carrots, and as a seasoning prior to cooking or as a finishing glaze before serving. If you’re thinking to yourself, “I wonder if balsamic vinaigrette dressing would be good on this?” The answer is most likely a resounding “Yes!”

balsamic vinaigrette in a bowl with a spoon made with mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt & pepper

Tools You’ll Need

Now That You Are a Pro at Making Homemade Dressing, Let’s Make More!

Now that you’ve gotten the hang of making this recipe for balsamic vinaigrette, let’s try a few of our other favorite (and easy) dressings to make!

Dress It Up, Dress It Down, Use That Vinaigrette All Around!

Since there are endless ways to use this balsamic vinaigrette recipe, we want to see what you do with it! Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • Serves:  6
  • Prep Time:  5 min
  • Cook Time:  0 min
  • Calories:  190

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Method

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Note: You can also add the ingredients to a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until emulsified.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 190
  • Protein 0 g
  • Carbohydrates 19 g
  • Total Fat 18 g
  • Dietary Fiber 0 g
  • Cholesterol 0 mg
  • sodium 216 mg
  • Total Sugars 7 g

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Questions & Reviews

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  • Alicia

    Made this last night for my family and it was a huge hit. I served it on a bed of spring salad mix, topped with heirloom tomatoes, goat cheese, and grilled chicken. Our family will definitely be making this a regular menu item.

    Thanks Alicia, so glad you loved it!

  • Carol

    Absolutely the best balsamic vinaigrette I’ve ever made!! Was a little hesitant to add all the honey but it totally works!!

    Thanks Carol, so glad you enjoyed it!

  • Jenn

    So simple and a lot better than the bottled stuff. I had everything on hand already which was great!

    Thanks Jenn, so happy you loved it!