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Home Blog Cheap Healthy Meals Under $5 a Serving

Best Ever Balsamic Vinaigrette

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 05/05/22 Updated: 05/11/22
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DF Dairy Free GF Gluten Free V Vegan VG Vegetarian

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Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.
Pin graphic for balsamic vinaigrette.

This is simply the best ever balsamic vinaigrette recipe! It’s super easy to make and is tangy and lightly sweetened, thanks to a little maple syrup. I serve this often, always to rave reviews. Leave out the maple syrup if you prefer a more savory balsamic dressing.

Side view of a glass jar of balsamic vinaigrette on a wooden cutting board with salad in the background.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

  • Making your own balsamic vinaigrette is so easy, and this simple 4-ingredient recipe gives you the absolute BEST balsamic vinaigrette ever. It’s tangy and perfectly sweet, thanks to a touch of maple syrup.
  • You don’t need any fancy equipment – just a bowl and a whisk. If you’ve got leftover dressing, keep it in a mason jar. Easy!
  • Did I mention there’s only 4 ingredients in this recipe? I don’t know if you’ve ever looked at the label on store-bought balsamic vinaigrette but they typically contain considerably more than 4 ingredients.
  • This is super easy to scale up for more servings. Great if you’re a big salad eater or you’re just making lunch for a big group.

Serve This on…

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Antipasto Salad with Easy Italian Vinaigrette

Salmon Salad

Chef’s Tips

  • Leftover balsamic vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks as long as you store it in an airtight container. You may notice the oil solidifies when the dressing’s cold. Just let it set out and come to room temperature before serving or pop it in the microwave for 3-5 seconds. Whisk it well and it’ll reincorporate with no problem.
  • If you’re looking for a dressing that’s more on the savory side, use less maple syrup or just skip it altogether.
  • For a thicker vinaigrette, blend everything together in the blender instead of whisking it. I prefer mine on the thinner side, but you do you!
Balsamic vinaigrette pouring from a glass jar onto a large salad with green lettuce and red tomatoes.

Other Delicious Dressings and Sauces

  • Hot Bacon Dressing
  • Ginger Salad Dressing
  • Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing
  • Classic Mornay Sauce
  • Buffalo Ranch Dressing

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Side view of a glass jar of balsamic vinaigrette on a wooden cutting board with salad in the background.

Best Ever Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep:15 minutes
Cook:0 minutes
Total:15 minutes
One taste of this amazing balsamic vinaigrette and you'll never buy store-bought ever again!
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4 servings

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup optional, see Notes
  • ½ cup high-quality olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Equipment

  • Medium bowl
  • Whisk
  • glass jar with lid, to store dressing

Instructions 

  • Add balsamic vinegar, salt, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup to medium bowl. Whisk vigorously until ingredients are well blended.
  • Slowly drizzle olive oil into balsamic vinegar mixture, whisking vigorously until mixture is smooth and dark with no separated oily spots.
  • Taste and add more maple syrup if needed, whisking well to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately or transfer to jar with airtight lid and refrigerate until ready to use. Note that dressing will separate over time. Simply whisk well to reincorporate or seal jar tightly and shake well.

Notes

  • Maple Syrup: Start with just 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and dip a piece of lettuce in the prepared vinaigrette to taste it. Add ½-1 tablespoon more maple syrup as desired, tasting between each addition. For a more savory vinaigrette, leave out the maple syrup entirely.
  • Make it Keto: Use your favorite maple-flavored keto sweetener, like Lakanto’s Maple Flavored Monkfruit syrup.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 20g, Sodium: 292mg, Potassium: 24mg, Sugar: 6g, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 7g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

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Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

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