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Balsamic Dressing

5 from 4 votes
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posted: 06/09/20

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

This Balsamic Dressing is a simple and easy recipe, that anyone can make at home! Slightly sweet and deliciously tangy, you will fall in love with this recipe.

a mason jar containing balsamic dressing

I am making so many salads these days to go on the sides of the summer dishes we are whipping up. But, truthfully, I love salads for lunch all year and my favorite dressing is always a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.

Balsamic Dressing is my absolute favorite! I feel like it goes so perfectly on so many different salads. You will love this easy balsamic dressing recipe, it is only 5 ingredients! It is perfect, and can even be used as a marinade!

a mason jar with the ingredients for balsamic dressing, you can see the oil separated from the vinegar and the other ingredients floating in the middle

Balsamic Dressing Ingredients

Homemade Salad Dressings often sound tricky, but truthfully, they are usually just a few ingredients. This one is no different! It is only five ingredients and you probably already have most of them.

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Make sure that you use a quality olive oil when you are making salad dressings as it is the bulk of the dressing.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: The dark, rich, concentrated vinegar is so flavorful and blends perfectly with the olive oil to create a decadent dressing.
  • Honey Mustard: This gives a nice subtle sweetness to the dressing recipe. If you don’t have it on hand you can use with brown mustard or yellow mustard and add 1/4 teaspoon more sugar or a little honey.
  • Garlic Cloves: Make sure to get this as finely minced as possible. You could use a lemon zester.
  • Sugar: Just like a little salt enhances a recipe, the tiny bit of sugar in this recipe really balances the rich flavor of the balsamic vinegar.
  • Salt & Pepper: Finally, the salt and pepper in this recipe pull all of the other flavors together.

How to Make Balsamic Dressing

You can combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar and give it a good shake.

I think it works really well to whisk the ingredients together though to make sure the mustard incorporates all the way and the salt and the pepper really dissolve.

a mason jar with balsamic dressing recipe and a spoon dripping some into it

Making the Perfect Salad for Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

This salad dressing goes well with so many different ingredients, but these are my typical favorites:

  • Mixed greens: You could use kale, arugula, baby spinach, butterhead lettuce, leaf lettuce, romaine, any kind you like.
  • Feta Cheese: Feta is perfect for salads because while mild, it also has a tangy, slightly salty flavor that gives the salad a little bulk without weighing down the other ingredients. But you can use any cheese you like. Other great options are goat cheese, mozzarella, or shaved parmesan.
  • Red onion: Other great onions that pull out sweetness in salads are scallions and shallots. If you want to make the onion more mild, soak it in the balsamic vinegar dressing before adding it.
  • Kalamata Olives: These gorgeous, dark purple olives have a meaty texture that taste so delicious in this Greek style salad. You can use regular black olives or green olives too.
  • Cucumbers: I really love using the seedless variety, but you can use any kind you like.

Other great ideas include: tomatoes, red peppers, avocado, artichoke hearts, and some protein like chickpeas, chicken, or steak.

Take your salad over the top by doubling the recipe for this salad dressing and marinating your meat in the extra for 2 hours before grilling it.

Italian Chopped Salad

This Italian Chopped Salad is the perfect easy dinner recipe. Full of amazing flavors and filling, everyone will fall in love with this great salad recipe. Serve it for a light dinner, or use it as a great side dish.
Overhead photo of Italian Chopped Salad in a white bowl with whole tomatoes, a wooden serving spoon, and dressing in the background
a hand pouring balsamic salad dressing onto a salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, red peppers, feta cheese, and kalamata olives

How to Store Balsamic Dressing

This dressing can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week. You will need to let it sit out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before using it. Additionally, it will need another good shake before you add it to your salads.

a mixed green salad with red peppers, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and tomatoes tossed with balsamic vinaigrette dressing

More Dressing Recipes

Once you start making your own dressings, I promise you’ll never reach for a bottle of the store bought stuff again! They’re so easy and delicious! Try some of these other recipes:

I hope you enjoy this fresh, zesty and slightly sweet balsamic dressing. Try it on grilled chicken, veggie kabobs or a simple salad!

Let me know what you think of this recipe, by leaving me a comment below. I love hearing from you! Enjoy!

a mason jar containing balsamic dressing
5 from 4 votes

Balsamic Dressing

Serves: 12 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
This Balsamic Dressing is a simple and easy recipe that anyone can make at home! Slightly sweet and deliciously tangy, you will fall in love with this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon light mayonnaise optional- read more here.

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake or whisk together.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Serving: 2tablespoons Calories: 170kcal (9%) Carbohydrates: 3g (1%) Fat: 18g (28%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g Monounsaturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 1mg Sodium: 423mg (18%) Potassium: 2mg Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 1mg
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
a mason jar containing balsamic dressing

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Balsamic Dressing

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. Jill McCullough says

    I love your recipes, over & over! Unique & just so good!! You are my go to for recipes. Thanks so much.

    • Lisa Longley says

      This comment absolutely made my day, Jill! If you ever have time after making a recipe to come back and rate and review it, other readers (and me!!) appreciate it more than you could know.

  2. Debbie Avino says

    This sounds like a wonderful recipe for balsamic dressing.
    What kind of balsamic should i use? The supermarket kind that is inexpensive, or is it best with the high quality
    Vinegar that is quite spendy?

    • Lisa Longley says

      I actually made mine with Meijer (my local grocery store chain I love) balsamic vinegar. It was delicious! It just depends on how much you trust your store brands. Some stores knock it out of the park with their brands and some really miss the mark.

  3. Nan says

    5 stars
    Thank You for sharing all your tips on your salad dressings! I have had a “Journey” of doctors trying to evaluate and determining the causes of my health struggles. One of the ‘culprits’ was STORE BOUGHT SALAD DRESSINGS with Soybean Oil, Canola Oil, and other ingredients that are detrimental to my health.

    I have tried the Ranch and the Balsamic Vinaigrette and my husband and I are ‘raving’ over these TASTY recipes! Thanks again!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad both you and your husband like them so much and that they ave been so helpful for you!

  4. Jody says

    I thought you mentioned a small amount of mayo was in the dressing, maybe I am mistaken

    • Lisa Longley says

      I did that when I used it for my Italian Chopped Salad. It isn’t in the original recipe, but you can definitely add 1 teaspoon to this recipe.

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