If you’re looking for the perfect vinaigrette to complement your salad, this easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe is for you! It’s effortless to make and can last for a week.
This homemade balsamic vinaigrette is the best dressing to pair with your salad! You can make this ahead and won’t take too much of your time. If you’re going to try one of my recipes like vegan Caprese pasta salad, this is hands-down the best balsamic vinaigrette to elevate any of your homemade salads!
Why you’ll love this homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing!
You might be thinking why make this dressing at home when you can just get store-bought/readily made balsamic vinaigrette? Well here are some reasons why:
- Easy Ingredients – you can easily get a hold of these ingredients, you might even already have them in your kitchen.
- Quick and easy – all you need to do is practically mix the ingredients. You can do it under 5 minutes and you’re done!
- Budget-friendly – whether you’re buying the ingredients or you have them in your home, they’re pretty inexpensive and won’t cost you a lot.
- Make them in batch – one of the best things about making your own is that you can make them in batch and have them for later. If you’re feeling generous, you can even give some to your family and friends!
- Choose the ingredients – when you buy store-bought vinaigrette or dressing, you can’t choose the ingredients yourself. Many products also contain undesirable ingredients such as additives or preservatives. But by making your own, you can add ingredients that you like.
Balsamic vinaigrette ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make your homemade balsamic vinaigrette:
- Balsamic vinegar – this is commonly used in a lot of salad dressing and has a loth of health benefits.
- Olive oil – extracted from olives, olive oils are rich in monosaturated fats or known as the “good fats”, they help lower bad cholesterol levels. If you love olives, you can my Greek orzo pasta salad.
- Garlic – used in a lot of recipes, garlic does not only make your dishes flavorful but it is also good for your health.
- Onion – another staple in most dishes, this vegetable is known to be packed in nutrients.
- Yellow mustard – a popular condiment, this is made from the seeds of a mustard plant and turmeric. It has a pungent flavor with a bit kick of heat.
- Agave syrup – this natural sweetener can be substituted by maple syrup or any sweetener that you like.
- Italian herb mix – composed of basil, rosemary, and thyme, this gives a lot of Italian flavor to any dishes.
This vinaigrette recipe measurement is good for approximately 12 servings as a salad dressing. If you want to make more, you can double the ingredients. Tips and ingredient swaps can be found below this step-by-step guide!
How to make balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- In a glass or bottle (tip: if you have a mason jar, you can use that!) with a screw cap, add all the ingredients.
- Shake vigorously until everything is well combined or mixed together.
An alternative way to make it:
Get a small bowl and place all the ingredients – give it a whisk until everything’s combined. If you have more time, you can also use a blender or hand/stick blender to get a smoother consistency.
Tips For Making The Best Easy Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- Balsamic Vinegar – this will be the tangy foundation of this dressing so make sure to pick the best for your dressing. If you’re splurging on this recipe, splurge on balsamic vinegar, you won’t regret it!
- Olive Oil – go for high-quality extra virgin olive oil – another staple to make the tastiest vinaigrette.
- Store in a tight lid glass container – once you’ve made your balsamic vinaigrette, store it in a tight lid glass jar or container. Because of its high acidity content, this will last a long time if stored correctly while maintaining its taste.
- Get Creative – I’ve made this recipe to fit almost everybody’s taste but that doesn’t mean that you can’t add your twist! You can substitute ingredients as you like: olive oil to avocado/sunflower oil or to any light flavored oil. You could also replace the onions with shallots or even leave them out completely. For the agave syrup, you can swap it with maple or coconut syrup, depending on what you like and what you have on hand. If you want, you can also add in other ingredients that you like – e.g. other herbs or even put vegan mayonnaise or dairy-free yogurt for a creamy dressing.
How long and how do you store it?
You can keep it in a refrigerator for a week in a tightly sealed container. If you’re not putting it inside a refrigerator, it can last for a day. Also, make sure to keep it away from heat or light as it may affect the integrity/taste of the vinaigrette.
How to serve this balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic vinaigrette is commonly used as salad dressing especially salads that have a hint of sweetness. You can also drizzle it over tomato garlic bruschetta, avocado toast, or serve as a dip for vegan mini mozzarella balls.
This easy homemade vinaigrette recipe is:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free (lactose-free)
- Quick and easy to make
- Simple
- Delicious
- Flavorful
- Tangy
- Customizable
- Versatile to use
- Perfect for many salads!
More vegan recipes for dips, sauces, dressings & co:
- The Best Peanut Sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
- Barbecue sauce
- Chipotle sauce
- Creamy guacamole
- Hummus
- Cashew dip
- Ajvar (paprika dip)
- Herb dip
- Vegan Tzatziki
- Cashew mayonnaise (vegan aioli)
- Yogurt dressing
If you try this easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe, please leave a comment and a rating. And if you take a picture of your salad and share it on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka, because I love to see your remakes! 😊
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Author:Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic pressed
- 1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard or dijon mustard to taste
- 1 tbsp agave syrup or other syrup
- 2 tsp Italian herb mix basil, rosemary, thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a glass, jar, or bottle with a screw cap. Then shake vigorously until everything is well combined. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a whisk. Or use a blender or stick blender for a smoother consistency.
- The vinaigrette can be kept in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Please read my blog post for tips, ingredient swaps, serving suggestions, and further information on this recipe!
- Recipe yields approx. 1 cup dressing and should be enough for about 12 servings.
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I discovered your site not long ago and this was my first experience making anything from your site. It is SO good – and so easy! There are lots of things I want to try but so glad I started with this dressing. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback!
So glad you love my blog and recipes!
Sending you much love,
Bianca ❤️