3-Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing is one of the best healthy salad dressing recipes you can make at home.  It’s easy to prepare, naturally gluten-free and vegan, and you will only need three ingredients and five minutes to make this homemade balsamic dressing!

Want a few other easy salad dressing ideas?  You might also like this Honey Mustard Dressing, Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, and these other Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe… A Little Obsessed!

Have you ever made a homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing?

For an entire year while in dental school I prepared both my husband and myself a big ole’ spinach salad with toasted pecans, cranberries, and of course… balsamic dressing!

You would think that after a while we would get tired of it, but no!

That sweet and tangy dressing is so easy to make, tastes incredible, and is so much healthier for you to make at home versus buying it from the store.

Balsamic Dressing – Healthy & Homemade!

There are a few spectacular qualities about making homemade balsamic dressing:

• It can be used as a salad dressing or pour it over your favorite steak or chicken recipe.
• 3 ingredients and 5 minutes is all it takes.
• It stores for an INCREDIBLY long time!

If I have convinced you that a homemade balsamic vinaigrette is the way, then let’s dive into ingredients you will need, what type of balsamic vinegar is best, how to make balsamic vinaigrette,  if honey balsamic dressing is healthy, how long balsamic vinaigrette will last, and a few more answers to some FAQs.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

Balsamic vinaigrette is one of the best homemade salad dressings to make because of how simple it is.

You only really need 3 (optional 4!) ingredients to make the best balsamic dressing recipe:

• Balsamic Vinegar – Read more about what type of balsamic vinegar below.
• Oil – Olive oil and avocado oil will both work exceptionally well.
• Sweetener – Honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar can all be used in equal amounts.
• Salt – Completely optional, but helps round out the flavor profile.

Cook’s Tip: Use a better quality olive oil for the best balsamic vinaigrette.

What Type of Balsamic Vinegar?

Since there are so few ingredients in this balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe, each individual ingredient plays a HUGE role… especially the balsamic vinegar.

While yes, you can opt for a cheaper balsamic vinegar (totally guilty here!) you might need to add a little extra sweetener to balance out the slight bitterness.

However, I would advise that you spring for a mid to higher-quality balsamic vinegar to get the best tasting balsamic vinaigrette.

A few balsamic vinegar brands I suggest:

• Ottavio
• Alessi
• Bertolli
• Roland
• Mazzetti
• You can learn more about balsamic vinegar in this Balsamic Reduction post here.

How to Make Balsamic Vinaigrette?

Making balsamic vinaigrette at home is a simple process.

The steps to making balsamic dressing include:

1. Add balsamic vinegar, oil, and sweetener to a high-speed blender, food processor or mason jar.
2. Blend, process, or shake until ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Serve balsamic dressing over a salad with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

How to Make Balsamic Dressing Cont.

Here’s a closer look into the different ways to blend up the balsamic vinaigrette dressing:

1. High Speed Blender – The NutriBullet is the best way to make homemade salad dressings in my opinion.  It blends and emulsifies everything up beautifully and is super easy to clean.
2. Mini Food Processor – My second favorite way to make a vinaigrette is to add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
3. Whisk by Hand – Lastly, if you do not have a blender or food processor you can always whisk the ingredients together by hand.  Just note, the dressing will not be nearly as smooth.

Is Balsamic Dressing Healthy?

Yes.  Balsamic vinaigrette dressing is one of the healthier salad dressing recipes to get at a restaurant, store, or to make at home.  (Making homemade balsamic vinaigrette is definitely the healthiest!)

Since it normally only consists of balsamic vinegar, oil, and a sweetener it is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan.

Cook’s Tip: If you are at a restaurant or buy a store bought balsamic vinaigrette make sure to read the label!!  Sometimes hidden gluten or animal products are added in to help preserve or thicken up the salad dressing.

How Long Does Balsamic Vinaigrette Last?

Homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing can last for 2 weeks or up to 3-4 months if stored in an airtight container (such as these cute glass mason jars!) in the refrigerator.

This range varies drastically based on the ingredients used.  If garlic, or any other perishable ingredients are added in, it will only last for 2-4 weeks.

If a simple balsamic vinaigrette is made from only oil, vinegar, and honey or maple syrup, then it will last for 3-4 months in the refrigerator.

Salads to Make with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries

Arugula Fig Salad

Chopped Mixed Greens Salad

5 from 1 vote

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Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Quick & Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing is one of the best healthy salad dressing recipes you can make at home and is made with balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, and honey.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword balsamic vinaigrette

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 5 servings

Calories 218 kcal

Author London

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup or honey
• Pinch of salt optional

Instructions

1. Add ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend for 20-30 seconds, or until smooth.  

2. Alternatively, you can whisk together ingredients in a bowl or shake until incorporated in a mason jar.

3. Store balsamic vinaigrette dressing in refrigerator for up to 3-4 months between servings. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• You can use a mini-prep food processor, NutriBullet blender, or a Vitamix with similar results.
• Each serving is roughly 2 tablespoons of salad dressing.

Nutrition Facts

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Amount Per Serving

Calories 218 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 3mg0%

Potassium 27mg1%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Sugar 5g6%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 0.2mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.