This easy Honey Balsamic Dressing recipe is about to become your go-to for salads and a mainstay in your fridge. You can use it as a marinade, flavor enhancer for aged meats, to dress up a caprese, and even on roasted veggies. It’s ready in 2 minutes, with almost no prep and just a jar – no blender necessary!
For other delicious homemade sauces, try my honey sriracha sauce or spicy mayo.
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😋 Why this recipe is great
Great on Any Salad – the balanced sweet, tangy, and bitter creaminess of this salad dressing make it almost universally appealing for drizzling over greens, though its balsamic base particularly complements fresh berries and aged cheeses, and anything that tastes creamy or sweet.
Sweet Balsamic Dressing: this classic twist on vinaigrette is perfect for pairing with sweeter salad toppings, including stone fruits, fresh seasonal berries, and even tropical treats like mango.
Super Easy to Make: an entire jar of homemade balsamic dressing with honey can be made in under 2 minutes. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
🍯 Ingredients
Oil: classically you’d use olive oil as the base, but you could really use avocado or olive oil as a relatively neutral base.
Balsamic Vinegar: this aged vinegar is a signature product of Modena, Italy, and one of my favorite sweet, thick vinegars. For an easy flavor enhancement, try using a flavored balsamic vinegar, like the ones offered by Olio, my favorite source of high-quality balsamic oils for dressings.
Honey: though it’s in the name, beyond a signature honeyed note, this also adds sweetness to your honey balsamic dressing, so if you must swap it out, opt for another liquid sweetener such as agave or maple syrup.
Salt: the classic flavor enhance, though honestly, it’s optional.
Garlic Powder: yet another flavor enhancer, the garlic is also technically optional. For a sharper effect, try using a garlic press on one clove, then just shake the pressed garlic with the rest of the ingredients, so that it just flavors the oil. Be careful not to let the clove fall out, though!
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 How to make honey balsamic vinaigrette at home
Add everything to a lidded jar or large bowl (image 1), and shake the jar or whisk all the ingredients together until well-combined (image 2).
💡 Pro-Tip: the thicker the balsamic you use, the thicker your honey balsamic dressing, but remember to use balsamic vinegar NOT balsamic glaze (which is thickened & sweetened).
📝 Substitutions and variations
You can leave out the salt and the garlic powder, if necessary, but these are the best substitutes for the other ingredients, if you find yourself lacking.
Oil: with no olive oil on hand, the best swap is avocado oil or vegetable oil.
Balsamic Vinegar: though your best bet if you can’t get your hands on balsamic vinegar is to use balsamic glaze and omit the honey, you could also swap it for apple cider vinegar, though the flavor will be markedy sharper.
Honey: a vegan balsamic dressing would use agave, or even maple syrup for a more festive fall dressing.
- Honey Mustard Balsamic Dressing – for a bit of a kick and a creamy balsamic dressing, add 1-2 teaspoons of prepared mustard to your dressing before shaking the jar.
- Lemon Balsamic Dressing: swap out half the balsamic vinegar for fresh-squeezed lemon juice or yuzu concentrate to add a sharp punch of citrus to your dressing. Alternately, you can use a couple drops of food-grade flavor oil or a half teaspoon of fresh citrus zest to infuse flavor, though I prefer to use a flavored olive oil or flavored balsamic for a quick fix.
- Herb Balsamic Dressing – try adding 1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh-chopped herbs to the jar before shaking it to add flecks of flavor to every bite.
- Maple Balsamic Dressing – swap out the honey for maple syrup for a more liquid, autumnal dressing.
🥘 Storage
Keep homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Though if you plan to continually pour single servings from the same jar, I recommend storing in glass containers so you can lightly reheat it in the microwave to liquefy the oil, then shake and pour over your greens.
👨🏻🍳 Expert notes & tips
Dressing Jar: you can make this dressing in the very same jar you plan to store it in, especially since you need a lid to properly shake everything together. If you don’t have a lid for your jar, try a small plate or a tea plate to top it off before shaking well.
Batching: this honey balsamic recipe makes about 1/2 cup of dressing, plenty for about 4 lunch-sized salads, ut you can easily make a double match by doubling the ingredients in the recipe card and using a larger jar.
Salad Pairing: honey balsamic salad dressing pairs classically with arugula (rocket) and shaved parmesan, but I love making a base salad of mixed lettuces or baby kale topped with crispy bacon, chopped apple, dried cranerries, and sliced almonds. Another pairing is spinach with sliced strawberries and goat cheese, or even iceberg lettuce with cherry tomato halves.
🙋🏻♂️ Frequently asked questions
Balsamic vinaigrette is a type of balsamic dressing, but the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The main difference is that a vinaigrette typically refers to a mixture of balsamic vinegar and oil, often with added seasonings, while a balsamic dressing may have a more complex flavor profile and additional ingredients such as sweeteners, thickeners, or emulsifiers.
Balsamic salad dressing is made with balsamic vinegar as the base, combined with oil (like olive oil), and often includes garlic, mustard, honey or sugar, and various herbs and spices to enhance the flavor and emulsify the blend. Proportions may vary based on personal taste and recipe specifics.
While balsamic dressing can be a healthier option compared to creamy dressings due to its lower calorie and fat content, its healthiness depends on the ingredients used and the quantity consumed. Some balsamic dressings may contain added sugars, so it’s important to check the recipe or label.
Homemade balsamic dressing can last for about 1 to 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The acidity of the vinegar acts as a natural preservative, but freshness also depends on any other ingredients used.
Yes, you can mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a 3 to 1 ratio to create a simple and classic vinaigrette. This combination is a staple in many salad dressings, known for its complementary balance of flavors.
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Quick Honey Balsamic Dressing (Vinaigrette)
Equipment
- jar with lid
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons oil avocado or olive
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Add everything to a lidded jar or large bowl, and shake the jar or whisk all the ingredients together until well-combined. The thicker the balsamic you use, the thicker your honey balsamic dressing, but remember to use balsamic vinegar NOT balsamic glaze (which is thickened & sweetened).