This Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing is thick, tangy and so much better than store-bought! You can make a batch in just minutes and store it in your refrigerator to use throughout the week.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing poured on a spinach salad.

Homemade salad dressing is one of those things that is far better than store bought, and it hardly takes any effort to make. This balsamic vinaigrette recipe is especially easy, and you can make it less than 5 minutes.

This recipe is pretty forgiving, and I hardly ever measure the ingredients. You can just eyeball the amounts, taste, and adjust as needed. It’s so simple.

You probably already have the ingredients for this balsamic vinaigrette in your kitchen, so even at the last minute you can mix up some of this homemade salad dressing. This balsamic vinaigrette recipe is the best, so much so that I’ve been making it for years. (This recipe first appeared on Kristine’s Kitchen in 2011!)

If you love to make homemade salad dressing, also try my simple vinaigrette, Italian dressing and honey mustard dressing. Or try my easy greek salad dressing or ranch dressing recipe. They’re deliciously tangy and creamy!

The Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

This best balsamic vinaigrette recipe is perfectly balanced in flavor and consistency. It’s tangy with just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the tartness. The texture is thick and silky, and it’s never too oily.

Most important, this homemade salad dressing will coat your veggies with lots of flavor. You’ll be excited to eat salad when it’s drizzled with this tangy vinaigrette!

Easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe in a jar with a spoon.

How to Make Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Making this balsamic vinaigrette recipe is as simple as combining the ingredients in a jar or bowl and then shaking or whisking them together. First, let’s talk about the ingredients that you will need:

Balsamic Vinegar: Use a good quality balsamic vinegar. A good quality aged balsamic vinegar will have a better, richer flavor. It will be be milder and sweeter than a cheap vinegar and will give your dressing better depth of flavor.

Olive Oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil when making homemade salad dressings. Extra virgin olive oil is less processed and has a better flavor than regular olive oil.

Dijon Mustard: The Dijon mustard will help to emulsify your salad dressing, making it thick and silky.

Honey: You’ll only need 1 teaspoon of honey in this recipe, which is just enough to balance out the tartness and acidity of the balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinaigrette is supposed to be tangy and not overly sweet.

Salt and Pepper: You will add salt and pepper to taste, to help bring out the other flavors in the salad dressing.

I make my homemade salad dressings in these glass mason jars. You can add all of the ingredients to the jar, close the lid, and shake until the dressing is well combined. Then you can store extra dressing in the same jar in your refrigerator.

Once you’ve mixed up the salad dressing ingredients, taste the salad dressing. The best way to do this is to put a little bit on a piece of spinach or lettuce and taste. You can also taste a little bit on a spoon. Adjust the ingredients as needed, adding a little more honey if your dressing is too tart or more balsamic if it’s not tangy enough.

Balsamic vinaigrette in a jar with a whisk. Easy balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing recipe.

How to Store Balsamic Vinaigrette

Store your homemade salad dressing in a sealed container in your refrigerator. I use a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Your homemade balsamic vinaigrette will last for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but my guess is that you will use it all up before then! The oil and vinegar may separate in the fridge. Just shake the dressing well before using and it will recombine.

Using Your Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic vinaigrette is delicious on spinach salad or roasted mushrooms and quinoa . You can drizzle it over roasted vegetables for extra flavor. When I meal prep vegetables, I’ll often make some homemade salad dressing to serve alongside the veggies for dipping.

Balsamic vinaigrette also goes wonderfully with grilled chicken. Drizzle it over grilled chicken breasts or use it to dress a grilled chicken salad.

Easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe in a jar with a spoon.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing is thick, tangy and so much better than store-bought! You can make a batch in just minutes and store it in your refrigerator to use throughout the week.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a jar with a lid or a bowl. Seal the lid tightly and shake, or whisk, until well combined.

Notes

Balsamic Vinaigrette will last for up to 2 weeks when stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Shake or stir well before using.
Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 16mg, Potassium: 8mg, Sugar: 2g, Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: How To, ingredient, Salad
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