Balsamic Vinaigrette

Homemade vinaigrette comes together with just four pantry staples. Use an immersion blender or food processor to get an unbelievably creamy dressing perfect for salads, charcuterie boards, Italian sandwiches and drizzling on the top of anything that needs a little more acidity.

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Once you make this homemade vinaigrette you’ll never go back to the separated liquids you can buy in a bottle at the store.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It comes together in just a couple of minutes! The hardest part of this recipe is cleaning the immersion blender or food processor.

  • With just a little extra work, you have something WAY better than store bought

  • You can make it with pantry staples

  • This recipe can be customized in a variety of ways to match whatever type of recipe you’re using with (or whatever you have in your pantry)

  • It sticks to the salad or bread or whatever you’re using it with, rather than sliding off, and pooling at the bottom of the bowl or plate

  • This recipe is so simple, you’ll be making it from memory in no time

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Balsamic Vinegar: Can sub white wine or apple cider vinegar (or even pickle juice), but you can’t skip it

  • Olive Oil: Avocado or canola oil for a less traditional recipe would work in a pinch, but olive oil brings a lovely flavor to this dressing

  • Dijon Mustard: Helps emulsify the ingredients to get that silky texture. Can also substitute with whole grain mustard or leave out, but the texture is always better if you include it.

  • Honey: My personal favorite sweetener is hot honey, but you could also sweeten with maple syrup,

  • Fresh Garlic: 1/2 tsp of garlic powder can also be substituted, but my favorite is fresh

  • Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: Can sub for red pepper flakes or omit if you’re using spicy honey

  • Sea Salt: Can sub for table salt but reduce by half

Example recipe variations:

Fall salad vinaigrette: Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, whole grain mustard, hot honey, garlic, salt and pepper

Korean steak salad: Rice vinegar, avocado oil, dijon, gochujang, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper

Step-By-Step Recipe

Add 1 tsp dijon, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar to a wide mouth jar. Then add 1/2 cup olive oil and place immersion stick in the ingredients all of the way to the bottom. Run for 30-60 seconds and slowly lift to be sure all of the oil at the top is getting mixed in. Keep blending until all of the oil is combined, and run for a few seconds more.

Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to one month. Straight from the fridge it is a thick spreadable consistency due to the olive oil. If it warms, it will start to separate, but if you blend it again, it will thicken back up.

How to Use this Recipe

There are basically endless ways to use this, but here are some of my favorites.

  • As a sauce for dipping bread at the table

  • An acidic dip for charcuterie boards

  • To dress salads with creamy or funky cheeses with bitter greens such as arugula, kale, or shaved brussels sprouts

  • As a spread on an Italian sandwich with havarti, sopressata, arugala, and mayonnaise on ciabatta

  • Drizzled over a cheesy appetizer

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 cup
Author: Becca Cousins
Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min
Thick and creamy vinaigrette that will convince you to never buy the watery bottles from the store again.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add dijon, honey, sea salt, garlic cloves, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar to a wide mouth jar. Then add olive oil and place immersion stick in the mixture all of the way to the bottom.
  2. Blend for 30-60 seconds and slowly lift to be sure all of the oil at the top is getting mixed in. Keep blending until all of the oil is combined, and run for a few seconds more.
  3. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to one month. Straight from the fridge it is a thick spreadable consistency due to the olive oil. If it warms, it will start to separate, but if you blend it again, it will thicken back up.

Notes

See recipe description for suggestions for use and substitutions.

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