The BEST Balsamic Vinaigrette

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This Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe is perfect. You heard me correctly. Perfect. And I don’t use that word lightly.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is truly worthy of that descriptor. You don’t think I’d call something the “best” if I didn’t mean it, do you?

I’ve tried numerous recipes for balsamic vinaigrette over the past few years and while they have been decent, they were not quite what I was searching for.

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Some homemade vinaigrettes would end up a little too oily, while others were too sweet for my tastes. This dressing has the perfect balance of tang and sweetness, vinegar, and oil.

Best Ever Balsamic Vinaigrette beats anything you can buy at the store!

After a lot of experimentation, trial and error, I am thrilled to be sharing this balsamic vinaigrette recipe with you today. I found this winning recipe for Balsamic Vinaigrette over at Chinese Grandma. 

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

I served this balsamic vinaigrette last week on a salad while we had family visiting us. Everyone who tried the dressing immediately requested the recipe. It’s miles better than any store-bought salad dressing and as easy as whisking together a few ingredients.

There’s a reason I consider this particular Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing recipe the absolute hands-down best. The dressing has plenty of tartness and bite from a generous portion of balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and garlic with just a touch of sweetness and honey flavor to balance it all out.

With enough extra virgin olive oil to coat every bite of your salad with rich flavor without making the salad too greasy, oil or soggy; it’s everything you could want in a vinegar-oil based dressing!

While I whisk the vinegar, oil, dijon mustard, garlic, and olive oil by hand with a sturdy kitchen whisk, you could also use a blender if you prefer. Mixing the ingredients with a blender gives the recipe a slightly thicker consistency.

I prefer the consistency of the dressing when mixed by hand but feel free to experiment with both methods to figure out what you prefer.

Balsamic Vinaigrette is a staple in our fridge!

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

This Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing is so versatile, I serve it on salads, on roasted vegetables and drizzled on chicken in a wrap. It’s a wonderful addition to whatever dish I’ve used it on.

There are so many ways to enjoy this dressing that you’ll always want to keep a jar or two handy for whenever the craving strikes.

The sourness of the balsamic is such a great complement to salads with apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, pears, and berries. It absolutely sings on Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and  Strawberry Spinach Salad and would make a lovely addition to a Mixed Green, Pear and Goat Cheese Salad, too.

Of course, it also elevates everyday salads into the realm of extra tastiness. Toss your favorite garden salad in this dressing, try it on a Simple Spinach Salad,  or drizzle it over a fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad.

Try it on pasta salad or in your favorite wrap for a way to jazz up your lunch staples.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Storing Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Because vinegar-based salad dressings like this one have such a high acidity content, they keep for a good long while if stored correctly. After preparing the dressing, pour it into a mason jar and secure the lid tightly.

Store the dressing in the refrigerator where it should keep for several months. Of course, you’ll find yourself reaching it for it so often that it’s bound to be gone long before then.

The oil and vinegar may separate during storage so just give the jar a nice shake to get everything all mixed together again before using. 

If you have a leftover bottle from store-bought salad dressing, you can totally wash and reuse it as a vessel for your homemade dressing!

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Dressing

While this is truly a perfect go-to salad dressing recipe for any food that calls for a vinaigrette, I’ve made tons of variations on the recipe for different types of salads. 

White Balsamic Vinaigrette is a take on balsamic vinaigrette that uses white balsamic and light olive oil that I love on an Orange Parsley Salad. When I’m in the mood for a slightly sweeter take on this recipe, I make Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette and for garlic lovers try Garlic and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette, and spice lovers must give my recipe for Honey Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette try.

The BEST Balsamic Vinaigrette is a staple recipe you must add to your cooking repertoire. It’ll never steer you wrong and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Kitchen Tip: I use this whisk and this jar to make this recipe.

Best Ever Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, balsamic, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic.
  2. Add the oil and whisk thoroughly to combine. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified.
  3. Store in a jar with a lid and refrigerate. Shake well before serving.

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Best Ever Balsamic Vinaigrette beats anything you can buy at the store!

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

4.92 from 374 votes
Slightly sweet, tangy balsamic vinaigrette is versatile as can be. As a dressing for salad, drizzled on roasted vegetables and chicken wraps, everyone loves this recipe.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 20 tablespoons

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper finely ground
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, balsamic, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic. Add the oil and whisk thoroughly to combine. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified.
  • Store in a jar with a lid and refrigerate. Shake well before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

If you choose to make this in the blender (as I like to do for almost every other recipe) this will be a thicker dressing. Still delicious, simply thicker. I prefer the consistency of this particular dressing when whisked by hand.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal · Carbohydrates: 2g · Fat: 8g · Saturated Fat: 1g · Sodium: 67mg · Potassium: 3mg · Sugar: 2g · Vitamin C: 0.1mg · Calcium: 1mg · Iron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 3/22/12 – recipe notes updated 3/12/21}

How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Sarina says

    Wow! This really is the bomb! Usually when I make homemade dressings, the oil ratio is way off with having too much oil and it leaves my mouth with a bitter aftertaste. Not so with this recipe! I found myself licking the dressing off of the whisk when I was done. A big hit with my husband too, who usually doesn’t enjoy the fruits of my efforts at making my own healthier salad dressings =). I used Costco’s olive oil, balsamic, and minced garlic, by the way. Definitely will recommend!5 stars

  2. Pam R. says

    Incredibly delicious and simple to make. Used it for a fresh harvest salad tonight and it was perfect. Worth making for the difference over any store bought version!5 stars

  3. Tara says

    This dressing really lives up to its name! The added bit of honey really mellows the bite of the balsamic vinegar. I grated the garlic on a microplane rather than mincing, and I think it really carried the garlic flavor throughout the dressing. So good!5 stars

  4. Duane says

    This recipe is a total winner. Great flavor and reminds me of the balsamic vinaigrette at The Cheesecake Factory. Very easy to make. I won’t be buying bottles of salad dressing anymore.5 stars

  5. Karen says

    I only eat homemade dressings. This one is spectacular! I loved it! Perfect for a mixed green salad with avocado.5 stars

  6. Mike says

    Male 61 years old and typically do not comment and generally annoyed with comments that say loved but changed everything.
    Made it exactly without changes and my wife loves it.
    Asked me to make a second time when the first batch ran out.5 stars

  7. JL Gunn says

    This is hands-down the best balsamic vinaigrette I’ve ever had! YUM! Not too sweet, not too tart. Perfect! Thanks!5 stars

  8. Patty says

    Love this salad dressing. I now make this on a regular basis. This is a big hit with my husband also. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

  9. Norma says

    Almost didn’t comment as there are so many for this recipe, but I have to say it is the best Balsamic Dressing! The ratio of oil to vinegar to tart to a touch of sweetness makes the perfect dressing for a lovely salad. Have been making my own dressings for many years (can’t imagine buying dressing!) and have tried many recipes and also making up my own. This is my go to now! Plan to try using it on other things: pasta salad, roasted vegetables, etc. Thanks for a great recipe!5 stars

  10. Kim says

    Yumm!!!!! This is the absolute best dressing. Every time I serve it to a friend they ask me to share the recipe. I use avocado oil (only 1/2 a cup) instead of olive, not a fan of the flavor. It’s perfect every single time.5 stars

  11. Sandra McKnight says

    I made the balsamic vinaigrette recipe and this is the best recipe I’ve made – so thanks for posting.

  12. Susan Fornoff says

    I’ve never made salad dressing before. Both my husband and I loved this, I’m glad I found it.5 stars