Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

This sweet and tangy Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette takes just minutes to make and will take your salads to the next level!

I’ve been mixing up batches of this tasty dressing and my French Vinaigrette on a rotating basis for months now. Once you start making your own dressings and vinaigrettes at home, there’s no going back to using the store bought variety. This Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is so fresh, so perfectly balanced, and SO much better than any bottle I’ve ever purchased.

An added bonus to making your own salad dressings at home is that you control the ingredients. Most store bought dressings contain preservatives, additives, and in some cases, artificial flavors and food coloring.

I find that if I have a fresh, homemade salad dressing in my fridge, I’m far more likely to whip up simple, veggie-loaded salads for lunch. Easy, healthy, lunches just make my day so much better!

The good news is that salad dressings, especially vinaigrettes, are some of the quickest, easiest recipes in existence.

Ingredients

This easy vinaigrette calls for pantry staples I always have on hand.

• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• honey
• dijon
• salt and pepper

How to Make Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, or other airtight container.
• Close the lid tightly. Shaking the dressing vigorously will emulsify and thicken it to a really nice, velvety consistency.

Serving Suggestions

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette pairs exceptionally well with salads that contain nuts, cheese, and dried fruits. Here are my favorite salad ingredients to serve with this dressing. Choose one or two items from each category and you’ll have a gorgeous, flavorful salad.

Greens

• peppery arugula, baby spinach, butter lettuce (or butter lettuce blends), mixed spring greens

Cheese

• crumbled blue cheese, crumbled feta cheese, shredded or shaved Parmesan, cubed smoked gouda or havarti

Fruit

• dried cranberries, dates, or figs
• fresh blueberries, pears, or apples

Nuts

• walnuts, pecans, or almonds

Veggies

• cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, sweet mini bell peppers, canned artichoke hearts, anything and everything goes!

Full disclosure – whenever I serve a salad with this vinaigrette I always serve a loaf of French bread with the meal. Drizzle a little extra on your plate for the most irresistible bread dip ever.

Storing Vinaigrettes

The basic rule of thumb is that if the individual ingredients included in your vinaigrette recipe do not require refrigeration, the dressing will not either. If the recipe calls for an ingredient that requires refrigeration on its own, the dressing must be refrigerated. That being said, I prefer to refrigerate all of my homemade dressings to keep them as fresh as possible and I always err on the side of safety in my kitchen. Since this Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette contains a touch of Dijon, I recommend refrigeration.

When you refrigerate a dressing that contains honey it will thicken a bit as the consistency of honey changes when chilled. Just set it out on the counter to take the chill off while you prepare your salad and give it a good shake before pouring.