This is an amazing Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette that can be ready in as little as 5 minutes. That is pretty amazing for making your own homemade salad dressing. Make sure you give it a try!
Are you still buying store-bought salad dressings? I do in a pinch, but I find making my own at home to be so much more tasty, rewarding, and wholesome.
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is one of my all-time favorites. Tart and sweet at the same time, it complements so many incredibly different varieties of greens.
While Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette tastes great on so many traditional salads, my favorite way to use it is to pair it with is my Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts.
What does it take to make this homemade salad dressing? Salad dressing is simply an emulsion of oil and water (or liquid) in this case. As we all know, oil and water will never mix. Salad dressings suspend the water in the oil. All that is needed to do is to whisk the two together vigorously.
All you need is extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Truth is, you don’t even have to whisk it. A super easy hack is to put all your ingredients in a mason jar and shake it up! That is all it takes, and you will have a delicious vinaigrette dressing.
History of Salad Dressings
Have you ever wondered where salad dressings came from? They actually have a really long history from being used all the way back in ancient times.
Almost 2000 years ago the Babylonians were using oil and vinegar as dressings for their salads. And the Egyptians were doing the same, only they were throwing in spices.
In the 1920’s most of the main salad dressing that we would know today were hitting the shelves. Prior to that, Americans really started to use dressings in the 1900s.
People making these dressings were having to start from scratch as they had nowhere to store them and had trouble getting certain ingredients year-round.
Balsamic vinaigrette is one of those mainstays in the world of dressings. Balsamic vinegar itself is made from grape must which is freshly crushed grape juice with all the stems, seeds, and skins.
Traditionally these are then aged in Italy in wooden barrels over a course of time. For this recipe, most balsamic vinaigrette will do.
Ingredients
With just a few basic ingredients, you will be on your way to homemade salad dressing in no time. Simple ingredients doesn’t mean boring- with so much flavor on their own, these ingredients come together to make the best honey balsamic vinaigrette.
- Extra virgin olive oil – A good olive oil will taste like, well, olives, while a poorly made one will taste like vegetable oil. Make sure to use the good stuff here.
- Balsamic vinegar – As this is the base for any basic vinaigrette, you want to be sure you’re using a good quality balsamic.
- Honey – Honey gives this balsamic vinaigrette dressing just a touch of sweetness. Alternatively, you can use maple syrup- just be aware the flavor will change slightly.
- Sprinkle of sea salt – This is the perfect addition to this tangy dressing. You can also throw in a dash of ground black pepper for even more flavor.
How to Make the Best Balsamic Vinaigrette
The next time you’re craving a green salad, follow these simple steps to make a homemade salad dressing that is so much better than your favorite store-bought brand.
- Whisk. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Alternatively, add to dressing container and give a good shake.
- Store. Store in an airtight container like a glass jar until ready to use.
- Use. Pour on top of your favorite salad and enjoy.
Storage, Make Ahead and Freezing
Storage: Some homemade dressings like creamy dressings are best store in the refrigerator. But because there is no dairy in this delicious dressing, it can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Make Ahead: I love keeping homemade vinaigrettes on hand for whenever a salad craving strikes. You can make this quick vinaigrette and it will stay good for a couple of weeks.
Freezing: Because of the fact that the ingredients in this honey balsamic vinaigrette recipe separate over time, I do not recommend freezing it.
More Homemade Salad Dressings
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey plus extra for drizzling
- Sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together and store in an airtight container until ready to use.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Delicious! I loved this on my salad!
I’ve been loving making my own salad dressings lately, especially since I’m avoiding the grocery store! This one is definitely going to be in my rotation.