Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is sweet and tangy and while it is delicious on almost any salad, it pairs especially well with salads that contain fruit.

I made it the first time to serve with this Blueberry Apple Walnut Salad, but it also works really well with the Strawberry Spinach Salad, and The Ultimate Winter Salad.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

I’m particular about the dressings I put on my salad. Since homemade dressings are so easy to make, I rarely reach for the bottled store-bought stuff anymore.

The BEST Balsamic Vinaigrette has been one of my go-to homemade dressings for a while now. I’ve enjoyed creating spins on that recipe for different salads. Spicy Tomato Vinaigrette added so much flavor to a simple cucumber salad and Strawberry Grape Vinaigrette worked wonders on a spicy spinach salad.

For salads that contain fruit, I like my dressings to have a nice balance between sweet and tangy. When I was looking for the right dressing for a salad with blueberry, apples, and walnuts, the idea of a honey-based dressing came to mind.

I’ve never been a fan of super sweet salad dressings so a lot of honey vinaigrette dressings just don’t do it for me. This Honey Balsamic Dressing, thought? It’s as perfect as it gets.

Honey Vinaigrette

With olive oil, balsamic vinegar and just a couple spoonfuls of honey, Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is a light and refreshing dressing. It’s so good on any salad containing fruit, but I think it would also taste delicious on a simple garden salad, too.

I like to use light olive oil for this recipe. The milder flavor of this oil pairs well with the bolder taste of the vinegar and honey. That said, I’m sure it would taste good with whatever kind of olive oil you have in your cupboard!

Like I mentioned before, I prefer my salad dressings be on the tangier side without too much sweetness. If you like a sweeter dressing, feel free to add a bit more honey.

Start with the amount listed in the recipe, taste and add a half-teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired sweetness. That’s the benefit of homemade salad dressing; you can easily tinker with the recipe to suit your preferences.

Fruit Salad

Don’t forget to grab the new salad recipe I created to serve with the Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette! 

The Blueberry Apple Walnut Salad pictured here is loaded with apples, blueberries, goat cheese, and walnuts. A generous sprinkling of parsley adds a bright fresh taste. This salad is so good, I made it several days in a row after I shot the photos. It is now in my regular rotation.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette will keep nicely at room temperature for a couple of weeks. You can also store in the refrigerator if that’s more your style. Just let the dressing come to room temp and shake well before drizzling it over your salad.

Honey Balsamic Dressing

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette brings rich honey and bright flavor to whatever you put it on. Try it on Strawberry Chicken Salad or this Irresistible Mandarin Broccoli Salad for a refreshing lunch or light dinner.

Once you get in the habit of mixing together your own salad dressings, you’ll be hooked. Homemade dressings have so much more flavor than the typical bottled dressing and save you some money, too!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe

We have dozens of salad dressing recipes I love to pair with different types of salads.

If you like creamy dressings on your salad, check out this Homemade Ranch Dressing, Poppyseed Dressing, and Bacon Chipotle Ranch Dressing.

Vinaigrette dressings are a favorite around here. You’ll love this White Balsamic Vinaigrette and this Honey Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette for something with a little kick. Champagne Vinaigrette tastes amazing on anything, especially a Strawberry Spinach Salad.

Everyone loves Orange Citrus Vinaigrette and this Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette on a warm winter salad as well.

Orange Poppyseed Dressing is another dressing we really enjoy on fruit based salads, along with my classic Creamy Poppyseed Dressing.

For Mediterranean salad lovers, this Mediterranean Chicken Salad with Sumac Dressing and this Shake In A Jar Mediterranean Salad Dressing are both delicious options as well.

For a sweet and tangy (sure to be a favorite) salad dressing, this Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette from Mama Loves Salad works well on any number of salads.

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

{originally published 3/19/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/24/22}