Balsamic Vinaigrette - The seasoned mother (2024)

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This hereno balsamic vinaigretteis a simple homemade salad dressing that is ready to enjoy in just 5 minutes! The combination of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic and Dijon mustard creates an authentic recipe that will quickly become a staple in your kitchen. The sweet and tangy vinaigrette is delicious when paired with baby greens for a salad that goes well with almost any entree - from aomeletat brunch, see youa perfect steak,crispy fried chicken, or cozylasagna stew.

Balsamico-vinaigrettedressing

Lettuce appears on our dinner table several times a week and I often don't have the energy to do much more than toss some lettuce or baby greens into a simple balsamic vinaigrette. This isn't one of those "fancy" homemade dressings that requires you to chop onions, get out a blender or food processor, or dig out all the spices from your pantry. Instead, it can be whipped together in less than 5 minutes!

Once you realize how quick, easy, and delicious this healthy balsamic vinaigrette recipe is, you'll never go back to the store-bought version! It's fresh, rich, flavorful and has just the right amount of spice and sweetness. Moreover, there is a much greater chance that you will actually do itto makethe dressing, and therefore we are more likely to consume the vegetables that we know are good for us.

Are balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinaigrette the same?

No, it's not the same thing because balsamic vinegar is just one of the ingredients used to make balsamic vinaigrette.Balsamic vinegar is a slightly sweet, dark vinegar with a rich flavor. A vinaigrette, on the other hand, is a dressing made by mixing oil and an acidic ingredient such as vinegar or lemon juice. A balsamic vinaigrette uses balsamic vinegar as the preferred acid.

The dressing may contain other herbs or seasonings and can be mixed into salad or used as a marinade for meat or vegetables. This special balsamic vinaigrette contains olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey (for a touch of sweetness), Dijon mustard (which serves as a spicy, fresh, natural emulsifier), garlic, salt and pepper. That's all! It tastes light and fresh, it adds a bright, spicy balance to heartier, richer entrees, and it's full of flavor.

What does balsamic vinaigrette dressing taste like?

Balsamic vinaigrette is a simple dressing that tastes bright and tart (from the vinegar), a little sweet (from the honey), and a little spicy and tangy (from the garlic and Dijon mustard). It is a nice way to emphasize the natural taste of vegetables or salads.

Is balsamic vinaigrette healthy?

Yes, the two main ingredients in balsamic vinaigrette – balsamic vinegar and olive oil – have many health benefits.Balsamic vinegarIt has been shown to be effective in lowering cholesterol and stabilizing blood pressure. Some research suggests that it may also be an appetite suppressant and that it contains strains of probiotic bacteria. Correspondingolive oilis rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, contains high amounts of antioxidants and has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients you need for a quick pot of homemade balsamic vinaigrette. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Balsamic vinegar:we prefer a high quality Italian balsamic vinegar with its robust, complex, matured flavour.
• Extra virgin olive oil:Not all olive oil is created equal! A good quality extra virgin olive oil should have a bitter, spicy taste.
• Garlic:approx. 3 cloves chopped, grated or pressed. For a shortcut, you can substitute about ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder (gradually adding more after you taste it).
• Honing:for a slightly sweet, thicker vinaigrette that sticks nicely to green salads.
• Dijon mustard:juicy and tangy, the mustard serves as a flavorful emulsifier that brings the dressing together.
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper:improve the other flavors.

How to make balsamic vinaigrette

This is really just a 1 step, 5 minute recipe! I like onethe ratio is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegarin this recipe. It givesPerfectthick consistency and thebesttaste. Simple yet chic!

1. Me and glass jars, small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk or shake all ingredients together until completely emulsified (combined).
2. Use immediately, or cover and store in an airtight bottle, jar, or other container until ready to enjoy.

See Also

Easy vinaigrette recipeAny type of vinegar works best hereTips: 6 unexpected ways to use vinaigrette beyond saladsSubstitute for balsamic vinegar

How to use homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Pour the vinaigrette over a large bowl of your favoritespring vegetables, peppery arugula, crispy romaine lettuce, spinach salad, kale or other green salads of your choice. If you like extra ingredients in your dish, here are a few ideas:

• Roasted nuts or seeds
• Grated Parmesan cheese, crumbled feta cheese, blue cheese or goat cheese
• Chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, fresh shallot, celery or carrot
• Dried cranberries, raisins or other fruits
• Fresh berries, sliced ​​apple, sliced ​​pear
• Citrus fruits such as oranges, blood oranges, mandarin slices or grapefruit
• Croutons or fried onions

You can also use the vinaigrette as a marinade for chicken, steak or fish that you want to grill, sauté or fry, or as a pasta salad dressing.

Bulletin

Store the vinaigrette in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. This makes it easy to toss the ingredients together when you're ready to enjoy them again, as the oil and vinegar will separate naturally as the dressing hardens. Store the jar of vinaigrette in itrefrigerator for up to 1 week.

Variations of recipes

• Don't have fresh garlic cloves?Replace with ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Taste the dressing and gradually add some garlic powder if necessary.
• If you don't like sweetness in your dressing, omit the honey. You can also replace the honey with maple syrup or brown sugar, or add more sweetener to taste.
• Add dried or fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, basil or oregano. For a shortcut, season the dressingour favorite all-purpose spice blend.
• Double all ingredientsto make a larger amount of dressing, or cut the ingredients in half for a smaller portion.

Tips for the tastiest balsamic vinaigrette recipe

• Finely chop, press or grate the garlic. You don't want large chunks of garlic floating around in your dressing.
• Use the highest quality balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oilas you can find. They willto makethe difference between a thin, tasteless, runny salad dressing and a thick, robust, rich balsamic vinaigrette!
• Slowly add the olive oilwhile he knocked continuously. This helps emulsify the dressing and bring all the ingredients together. Alternatively, you can shake the ingredients together in a glass jar.
• Taste the vinaigretteby dipping a piece of lettuce or other green salad in the dressing. This will give you a better idea of ​​what the vinaigrette will actually taste like on your salad.
• Adjust the amount of salt and peppertailored to your personal taste preferences. I also like to season the green salad with salt and pepper.
• If you are using delicate lettuce or baby greensWait to prepare the salad until you need to serve it. If you are using stronger vegetables, such as kale, you can toss the salad ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours.

More homemade salad dressing recipes to try

• Dijon vinaigrette
• Green goddess dressing
• Greek salad dressing
• Citroenvinaigrette
• Pepper jelly vinaigrette
• Red wine vinaigrette
• Ahorn balsamicodressing
• Creamy homemade salad dressing
• Classic Caesar dressing
• Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
• Poppy seed dressing

This recipe was originally published in September 2018. It was updated in June 2022.