You’ll get immediate access to your download with simple shifts you can start today—because every small habit tweak helps.
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You’ll get immediate access to your download with simple shifts you can start today—because every small habit tweak helps.
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You’ll get immediate access to your download with simple shifts you can start today—because every small habit tweak helps.
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Have you ever wanted to know the secret to making restaurant-worthy salads at home?
Here’s a hint: it’s the dressing.
More though, it’s the flavor of the individual ingredients in your homemade dressing.
The best news? You can whip up homemade dressing in less than a minute once you learn the method. Today I’m going to teach you the perfect homemade balsamic vinaigrette recipe.
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Back to the ingredients. High-quality doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive, it just means shopping smarter and choosing the right ingredients. When preparing a homemade salad dressing – or anything for that matter – make sure that each individual ingredient is delicious on its own.
The ratio of vinegar to oil in the perfect vinaigrette is up for debate. I really like half & half. Some people prefer a 1:2 ratio of vinegar to oil (e.g. 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 cup oil) or even 1:3. Just play around with it until you find how you enjoy it most.
This recipe also works great with any kind of vinegar you like, especially red wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is full of health benefits and is also great in this recipe.
Make your homemade salad dressings in small batches. It only takes a minute to make fresh dressing and fresh is always best. It will keep up to one week in an airtight glass container in your refrigerator if you have leftovers. It might separate, just shake it up before using. The recipe below makes 1 cup, but you can use the proportions to make any amount.
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Makes 1 cup
Recipe: Place all ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid (a mason jar works great). Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified. You can also emulsify your vinaigrette in a blender or food processor (work on low, increasing the speed as you stream in the oil last). I only use a blender when working in extra large quantities. Up to about a cup, shaking it like crazy in a mason jar works great (and there’s way less clean up.)
Alternatively, you can whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. To use this method, whisk all ingredients except the olive oil in a small bowl, then stream in the olive oil while you continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified.
For a single serving, use one tablespoon each vinegar and oil, a small dab of mustard (about 1/8 teaspoon and just small pinch of salt and pepper.
Happy Salad Making,
Instead of prescribing what I think you should do, I help you find what works for you.
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June 12th, 2014 at 9:49 am
How long would this keep and should it be refrigerated?
June 13th, 2014 at 10:57 am
It will keep up to one week in an airtight glass container in your refrigerator 🙂
June 16th, 2014 at 4:51 pm
I made this & it’s delicious! I’m storing it in a mason jar in the refrigerator. It solidifies somewhat and even vigorous shaking doesn’t seem to blend it. Any suggestions? What’s the risk of leaving it at room temperature?
November 26th, 2016 at 11:59 am
That is a really good sign … it just means that your olive oil is of the highest quality and hasn’t been cut by the manufacturer. Just let it come to room temperature, then shake it up.
September 27th, 2016 at 8:40 pm
Just made this tonight and it was delicious on my spinach and strawberry salad. Thanks!
April 5th, 2017 at 2:32 pm
[…] Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of Healthy Homemade Honey Mustard, or substitute Healthy Homemade Vegan Ranch or The Perfect Balsamic Vinaigrette […]
May 18th, 2018 at 3:58 pm
Do you have nutritional info? I’m a heart attack survivor on a low sodium diet
May 24th, 2018 at 12:07 am
I really enjoyed your recipe!! I really like that it did not have any added sugar. I did not have time to go to the grocery store and wanted to find a balsamic vinaigrette dressing that I had all the ingredients for already. I used yellow mustard instead of the kind you had listed. It was still really delicious! I served it on roasted beet and goat cheese salad with walnuts and red onion. Everyone loved it! Thank you for your wonderful recipe!
November 5th, 2018 at 3:21 am
Thanks so much for the recipe.
November 5th, 2018 at 3:31 am
I do exactly this, except that I also add fresh squeezed lemon – about 1/3 of the amount of each of the oil and vinegar. Also like to add some dried oregano.
December 14th, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Have you done this with half apple cider and half balsamic?
December 15th, 2018 at 5:08 pm
Andrea, I sometimes mix balsamic and ACV. I think it would be a delicious combo in this recipe! ~E
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:36 am
Thank You.