• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Contact
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS

Valerie's Kitchen

Simple, seasonal home cooking

  • Recipe Box
  • Videos
  • The Cookbook
  • Beyond the Kitchen
Home » Condiments, Dressings, and Sauces » Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

By Valerie · December 21, 2020 Leave a Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Dressing pours on to a colorful salad with text overlay.

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

Vinaigrette pouring on to a salad.

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.

A glass container filled with salad dressing with vegetables around it.

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

All the ingredients needed to make Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette with text overlay.

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

Vinaigrette ingredients are shaken up in a mason jar.
  • 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.
A jar of vinaigrette surrounded by salad ingredients.

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.

An open mason jar filled with honey balsamic salad dressing .

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.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette in a mason jar with vegetables around it.
Vinaigrette pouring on to a salad.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

This sweet and tangy Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette takes just minutes to make and will take your salads to the next level!
0 from 0 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment, Salad Dressing
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 177kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • pinch of salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients in a mason jar. Tightly close the lid and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds or more until the dressing has thickened.
  • Can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container. I recommend using the dressing within 2 weeks for the best quality.

Notes

Storage Tips
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’d recommend refrigeration.
If you refrigerate a dressing that contains honey, it will thicken a bit as the consistency of honey changes when chilled. Just leave it out on the counter to take the chill off while you prepare your salad and give it a good shake before pouring and it will be perfect.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 12mg | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
LOVE MY RECIPES? GET THE COOKBOOK!
The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker and Other One-Pot Solutions

Categories: Condiments, Dressings, and Sauces, Recipe, Salad, Salad

< Previous
Next >

You May Also Like...

Dressing pours from a small glass bottle on to a bowl of salad. Classic Cobb Salad Dressing (French Vinaigrette)
Basil Buttermilk Dressing in a mason jar with a spoon. Basil Buttermilk Dressing
Caesar salad dressing drips from a spoon into a mason jar. Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
A mason jar filled with creamy Ranch dressing with a spoon. Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Stay Connected with Valerie’s Kitchen

Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS

Stay updated!

Subscribe by Email

Get the latest straight from my kitchen to your email inbox. You can choose to receive an email every time a new recipe is published or a weekly summary.

Click to Subscribe

Primary Sidebar

Browse the Recipes

by Category
CP Slow Cooker OP One Pot 30 30 Minute Meals SD Side Dish S Dessert H Holidays A Appetizers MD Main Dish
Valerie Brunmeier, founder and author of Valerie's Kitchen

MeetValerie Brunmeier

Hello and welcome to my online kitchen! My focus here is to provide simple, seasonal meal solutions for busy households. I hope you find some inspiration while you’re here and visit again soon!

...
More About Me

Looking for something?

Archives

Categories

Soups and Stews

A ladle scoops up beef stew from a pot.
Broccoli Cheese Soup in a round bread bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
A close up, over the top image of Hamburger Stew in a Dutch oven.
A ladle scoops some beef stew from an Instant Pot.
A mug filled with ham and bean soup.

Holiday Favorites

A bowl of fruit salad with whipped cream.
Slices of ham and a small bowl of pineapple sauce on a white platter.
A tray of cheese, meats, nuts, and bacon jam in a small glass container.
Mashed potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter and chives
A sliced bundt cake on a cake plate.
A white bowl filed with crab dip with a spoon.

Reader Favorites

A white serving dish filled with shredded beef, carrots, and potatoes.
A white bowl filed with crab dip with a spoon.
A spatula scoops up a zucchini boat from a casserole dish.
Blackened Mahi Mahi
A close up of a cheesesteak sandwich with peppers and onions.
Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravey
As Featured On
Back to Top
  • Home
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Collaborate
  • Contact
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS
Valerie's Kitchen
Copyright © 2011–2021 · Valerie's Kitchen

Valerie's Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.