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This easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe uses only 4 ingredients and whips up in minutes! With its balance of sweet, tangy, and savory, it will become your go-to salad dressing.
When Alex and I first started cooking together, one of our earliest “aha” moments was realizing how simple it is to make salad dressing from scratch. After years of using bottled dressings, making a homemade balsamic vinaigrette was a revelation. I’ve spent over a decade perfecting this recipe, and it’s become a signature that friends and family constantly request.
What makes this recipe special is the perfect balance: tangy balsamic vinegar, a touch of sweetness from maple syrup, and the secret ingredient: Dijon mustard to make a perfect creamy emulsion. It’s versatile enough to complement everything from delicate strawberry salad to hearty grain bowls!
Read a 5-star review
“This really is the best balsamic vinaigrette! Made it last night to go with the beet and goat cheese salad and everyone raved. And my family isn’t that fond of salad, so that’s a pretty good endorsement.” -Josianne
Ingredients in balsamic vinaigrette
I’ve learned that with so few ingredients, quality truly matters. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dijon mustard: This does double duty by adding a tangy zip while also acting as an emulsifier. The mustard helps bind the oil and vinegar together, creating that creamy consistency that won’t immediately separate.
- Aged balsamic vinegar: The quality of your balsamic does make a difference! I recommend a mid-priced commercial grade balsamic vinegar, also known as balsamic vinegar of Modena (IGP). It has that perfect balance of tangy and sweet flavors without breaking the bank.
- Dijon mustard: This ingredient adds tangy flavor and helps the dressing to become thick and creamy, locking in the emulsion. This technique works in many other vinaigrette salad dressing recipes, like this Italian dressing recipe.
- Maple syrup: I prefer real maple syrup for its complex flavor, but honey works beautifully too. The sweetness balances the vinegar’s acidity, creating harmony in the dressing.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a good quality olive oil that you enjoy the taste of on its own. Since this is the largest component by volume, its flavor significantly impacts the final result.
How to make balsamic vinaigrette dressin
This balsamic vinaigrette recipe is incredibly simple. The flavor is zesty and bright, tangy from the vinegar, balanced with a touch of maple syrup. Then it’s mixed together with extra virgin olive oil to form a creamy emulsion. We’ve also added a touch of Dijon mustard to give a little more zing and to help the creamy dressing stay emulsified. Here’s how to make this balsamic vinaigrette dressing (or go to the full recipe):
Step 1: Whisk the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and salt in a medium sized bowl (make sure the bowl is large enough to enough movement of the whisk).
Step 2: Add the olive oil gradually. We typically add it tablespoon by tablespoon and whisk in between until the oil fully incorporates.
Step 3: Enjoy on the salad of your choice!
Types of balsamic vinegar
There are lots of types of balsamic vinegar at the store, and they vary widely in quality. A good rule of thumb for buying a good balsamic: look for a mid-priced bottle. Price is typically indicative of quality. There are three categories of balsamic vinegar:
- Traditional balsamic vinegar, aka aceto balsamico tradizionale. This type of balsamic is aged 12 to 18 years, and has a very thick, syrupy texture. It’s the highest quality and most expensive.
- Commercial grade balsamic vinegar, aka balsamic vinegar of Modena (IGP) or aceto balsamico di Modena. This type is aged less than 12 years and has a tangy sweet flavor. Try a commercial grade balsamic for this balsamic dressing recipe.
- Condiment grade balsamic vinegar is the lowest grade. It has a thinner texture that’s more similar to other types of vinegar, and the flavor varies widely on the brand. Very cheap brands may even use sugar to mimic the sweetness of grapes.
Ways to serve it
This balsamic vinaigrette recipe is perfect on any type of salad that you throw together, especially salads with a sweet element like apples, berries, or sweet potatoes! Here are a few ideas of how to use it:
- Green salads like spinach salad, butter lettuce salad, radicchio salad, frisee salad, arugula salad or endive salad.
- Fruit salads like apple salad, apple walnut salad, or pear salad.
- Berry salads like strawberry salad, blackberry salad or blueberry salad.
- Root vegetable salads like beet salad, arugula beet salad or sweet potato salad.
How would you serve this balsamic vinaigrette recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
Dietary notes
This balsamic vinaigrette recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Frequently asked questions
Balsamic vinegar is a dark, aged vinegar made from concentrated grape must. It has a sweet and tangy flavor that deepens with age.
Extra virgin olive oil is a classic choice, but you can experiment with other oils like avocado oil, walnut oil, or even grapeseed oil.
A good starting point is a 3:1 ratio of oil to vinegar. You can adjust this to your taste preference – more vinegar for a tangier dressing, more oil for a milder flavor.
Store your homemade vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (4 Ingredients)
This easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe uses only 4 ingredients (plus salt) and whips up in minutes! With its balance of sweet, tangy, and savory, it will become your go-to salad dressing. Ditch store bought dressing for good!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: About ½ cup 1x
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Method: Whisked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons* pure maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and salt until fully combined.
- Gradually whisk in the olive oil, adding 1 tablespoon at a time and whisking until it incorporates, until an emulsion forms.* Serve immediately. Store refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving (keeps at least 2 weeks).
Notes
*If you’re looking for a balsamic dressing on the sweet side for salads like a strawberry salad, use 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup. For a balsamic dressing with more savory notes, use 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup.
Other homemade salad dressing recipes I love
There are so many delicious salad dressing recipes to try! After this homemade balsamic vinaigrette recipe, here some favorites to try:
- Creamy: Try homemade ranch dressing, our favorite Caesar dressing recipe, or Green Goddess dressing.
- Vinaigrettes: Go for classic Italian dressing, our basic vinaigrette, red wine vinaigrette, Greek dressing, or lemon vinaigrette.
- Fruity dressings: Go for strawberry dressing or raspberry vinaigrette. Or, browse 30 Salad Dressing Recipes or 10 Healthy Salad Dressings.
Love your tips for salad dressings, I frequently substitute pomegranate syrup for maple or honey as it adds a lovely flavour especially when I add pomegranate seeds into my salads. We are fortunate enough to have our own trees in the garden here in Cyprus!
Keep adding to your Mediterrean recipes!!
Made for a girls weekend and salad and dressing got rave reviews. Easy to put together and tasty each time we used it. Will definately make again.
This really is the best balsamic vinaigrette! Made it last night to go with the beet and goat cheese salad and everyone raved. And my family isn’t that fond of salad, so that’s a pretty good endorsement.
This is an awesome and filling salad. I love the pecans in place of bacon, too. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
I am really enjoying your recipes!! Was wondering though why the sodium content on each nutrition fact profile is not included.
Again…thank you so much for the delish ideas! It is really helping me in my healthy living goals!
Hi! Unfortunately, our nutrition doesn’t do sodium calculation very accurately and we don’t want to provide poor information.