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Home » Recipe Index » Rubs, Spices and Sauces

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Published: Feb 25, 2020 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

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A hand pouring homemade balsamic vinaigrette from a jar onto a bowl filled with a green leaf salad.

Bright. Vibrant. Healthy. And bursting with flavor. That’s what this vinaigrette is all about.

We love making dressing from scratch. One, because in most cases, like this one for sure, they are so easy to make! And the difference between the store-bought bottled variety and homemade is night and day. You’d probably also like our homemade Italian Dressing, Ranch, and Caesar Dressing, too!

VIDEO ALERT: Be sure to check out the video for this recipe in the recipe card.  If you like the video, subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

A Mason jar filled with homemade balsamic vinaigrette next to a wooden salad bowl filled with salad.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

You just can’t believe how easy it is to make this classic salad dressing at home.

We can’t emphasize enough going with quality ingredients here. And a good whisk.

THE INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED

Balsamic vinegar is obviously the star of this vinaigrette. We think it’s worth it to go with top-notch balsamic. They have plenty of good ones to choose from nowadays in most well-stock supermarkets.

Here’s all you need to make this delicious balsamic vinaigrette:

  • Dijon mustard
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Granulated sugar, or honey
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

Various containers of vinegar, oil, mustard, and a pepper grinder on a white board.

Once you’ve whisked together the mustard, balsamic and red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, it’s time to whisk in the oil

Pour the oil in a slow steady stream and whisk continuously.

A whisk in a bowl of balsamic vinegar and other ingredients with oil being poured in.

HOW TO MAKE A CREAMY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

At this point, we like to chill the vinaigrette to allow the flavors to continue to meld.  This also allows it to slightly thicken in texture.

However, the dressing is perfectly fine to use immediately, too, if desired.

EXPERT TIP: At this point, the vinaigrette should be well blended. To truly emulsify the dressing, transfer the dressing to a jar with tight-fitting lit and then shake vigorously. This causes the oil to completely blend with the other ingredients. You may notice once this is done, the dressing becomes lighter in color. This is normal and produces an almost creamy balsamic vinaigrette.

A hand holding a jar filled with homemade balsamic vinegar.

Homemade balsamic vinaigrette comes together in a matter of minutes and is just so delicious.

It brightens a green salad to levels you just have to taste to believe.

And the dressing keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks so it can easily be made in advance of serving!

A hand pouring homemade balsamic vinaigrette from a jar onto a bowl filled with a green leaf salad.

Ready to make one of the best salad dressings in the world? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a picture, post it on Instagram, and tag @howtofeedaloon and hashtag #howtofeedaloon!

A Mason jar filled with homemade balsamic vinaigrette next to a wooden salad bowl filled with salad.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Homemade balsamic vinaigrette could not be easier to make at home and the difference in taste between the store-bought variety and this version is night and day. And it comes together in a matter of minutes!
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Course: Dressing
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

  • Whisk, bowl, and jar with a tight-fitting lid

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar or honey
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • In a small to a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the mustard, balsamic and red wine vinegars, sugar, salt, and pepper.
  • In a slow, steady stream, add the oil into the bowl, whisking continuously.
  • Transfer to a jar with tight-fitting lid.
  • Chill for up to 24 hours. To completely emulsify, shake vigorously before serving.

Notes

We recommend using a quality balsamic, one that has preferably originated in Italy and is nicely aged.  You can typically find a nice a selection today in the vinegar section of most well-stocked supermarkets, or definitely at gourmet food markets.
To fully emulsify the vinaigrette, we add the dressing to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake it vigorously for a couple of minutes.  This gives the vinaigrette a creamy texture.
The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up 1 to 2 weeks.  You can freeze the dressing, but we think it's best when served fresh. 

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in February 2014, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with tips, new photography, and a fabulous new video!

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Comments

  1. Gretchen says

    February 27, 2020 at 4:26 pm

    Really used to love watching your videos. Are you ever gonna bring them back ? All your recipes are amazing. Easy to follow directions and you use ingredients that aren’t hard to find. But the videos added to the appeal. I’m sure I’m not the only one that would love you to bring them back. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      February 27, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      Hi Gretchen! Thank you so much! So, we do a video for every recipe we publish now. We’ve had a couple of other folks tell us they don’t see the videos now, either. We’re trying to figure out with our video hosting partner why you wouldn’t see the video. When you click on the post and scroll through, you don’t see a place for a video. There should also be one at the end of the recipe card. We definitely want to figure this out. If you wouldn’t mind, let us know any additional info you might think might help us pinpoint the issue. We always publish each video on our YouTube Channel at the same time we publish the recipe. Here’s that link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF4juqn-kPpzveBzlHeiSFQ. If you could email us any info on how you view the posts from the blog, that would be awesome. You can email us at: info @howtofeedaloon.com. THANK YOU SO MUCH and thank you for your support!! We appreciate that so very much! Kris & Wesley

      Reply
      • Omega says

        July 04, 2022 at 11:10 am

        I don’t know if this is still an issue or was resolved. But if not disabling any browser adblocker extensions and reloading the page will usually fix video not showing.

  2. Russell Carter says

    February 25, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    OMG This a simple recipe that delightful the taste buds. So easy. Better then store bought.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      February 27, 2020 at 11:28 am

      Hi Russell! It’s all in the simplicity, right? Let the star ingredients shine! So glad you liked it and thanks so much for letting us know! All the best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply

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