Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette—Favorite Dressing 5 Ways

This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission. Learn more in our disclosure.

It’s so simple to elevate any dish with this honey balsamic vinaigrette. With five delicious variations, this flavorful dressing is definitely going to be a regular addition to your table.

This dressing is a breeze to make and adds the perfect amount of tangy flavor to salads, roasted veggies, meats, and more.

homemade honey basil balsamic vinaigrette in small glass jar.

This recipe is a real keeper because it’s delicious, but it’s also a great homemade salad dressing for those with food allergies as well. It’s dairy-free plus it has easy substitutions that should make this recipe work for anyone.

I love having homemade seasonings and dressings on the table to dress up even the most bland simple meal.

I love homemade dressings so much, but what I love most about this vinaigrette is how versatile it is. It only takes minutes to make, yet it feels gourmet. The flavor of fresh basil paired with the rich depth of balsamic vinegar is something special. Every time I make this, I’m reminded of how you can make something truly lovely from simple ingredients.

Plus, this basil balsamic vinaigrette is for so much more than salads. It’s fantastic as a marinade for chicken, drizzled over roasted veggies, on pasta salad, or paired with crusty bread. We love it and I think you’ll love this recipe too—it’s the perfect way to spruce up your meals with no extra fuss.

Want to Save This Post?

Enter your email and I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get healthy living updates too.

Save Recipe

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette—The “Favorite Dressing”

A while ago I thought I’d try to shake things up a bit with a new dressing to grace our table. I searched through my cookbooks and even put a shout-out to readers on my Facebook page asking for their best salad dressing recipes. 

One of the cookbooks I turned to is an old favorite, Cybele Pascal’s The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook.

Cybele’s book is one of the first cookbooks I bought when we knew we were dealing with food allergies in our household. Our son had food allergy-induced eczema that started us on this whole path.

I read Cybele’s description of My Favorite Dressing and I just had to make it.

This salad dressing never wears out its welcome.  I’ve been making it for 15 years and every single time I have dinner guests they say, “Yum!  What’s in this dressing?!” My husband refuses to eat his salad with anything else.

homemade honey basil balsamic vinaigrette in small glass jar.

I changed things up just a little bit but it’s still just an amazing dressing.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil: make sure to use only high-quality olive oil since there are a lot of fakes out there. Some sources say that Kirkland’s olive oil has been verified to be a solid brand.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: some say that a balsamic that’s been aged at least 10 years. However, since balsamic is made from grapes which are often sprayed with a lot of pesticides, I would prioritize organic balsamic vinegar over needing to abide by the 10-year “rule”.
  • Herbs
  • Honey: use this or any alternative sweetener you like including maple syrup or a low-carb sweetener. See more notes below.-
  • Dijon Mustard: adds the best tang to this recipe. See the recipe card for an alternative.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: also adds some zing. Make sure to buy organic apple cider vinegar to avoid toxins.

Recipe Notes and Substitutions

  • Balsamic Vinegar Alternative: Substitute 1/4 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar plus 2 teaspoons xylitol or a dash of stevia for the balsamic vinegar for low carb/Trim Healthy Mama (S).
  • Fresh Herbs Alternatives: Fresh herbs are best, but you can substitute 1/4 to 1/3 of the amount of dried herbs if preferred.
  • Sweetener Alternatives: Use xylitol, vegetable glycerine, or a 1/32 teaspoon/dash of stevia instead of honey for a low-carb/keto option.

Variations

  • Dill Dressing – Substitute 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or 1 tablespoon dried) for the basil.
  • Oregano Dressing – Substitute 4 teaspoons fresh (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano) for the basil.
  • Parsley Dressing – Substitute 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried) for the basil.
  • Shallot Dressing – Substitute 1 small shallot, minced, for the garlic and omit the basil.

How to Store

You should store this dressing in the fridge in a container with a tight-fitting lid. If using raw garlic, technically it should be used within two to three days. If using dried garlic, it should keep well for at least a week. 

The reason for this caution is that raw garlic can produce botulism toxins. However, a pH of 4.6 or lower will inhibit the growth of this bacteria. That, combined with the refrigeration reduces the risk quite a bit. 

How to Use Dried Herbs Instead of Fresh

While fresh herbs taste the best, they aren’t always readily available and they’re costly to buy. Dried herbs are more concentrated so you’ll want to use less.

Using one-fourth to one-third the amount of dried herbs is the equivalent of the same fresh herb.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to use this basil balsamic vinaigrette. It’s perfect for dressing up a classic green salad. Toss it with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers for a fresh and vibrant dish that’s great as a side, or add some protein (chicken, meat, beans, or cheese) for a light lunch.

This dressing also makes an amazing marinade for proteins like chicken, shrimp, or tofu. The tangy, herby flavors soak in beautifully, making your grilled or baked dishes more flavorful and tender.

Don’t stop at salads! Drizzle it over roasted veggies, use it as a finishing touch for grain bowls, or serve it alongside crusty bread as a dip. The possibilities are endless!

More Homemade Dressing Recipes

Here are some more homemade dressings that you might like as well.

basil balsamic vinaigrette in small glass jar.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

This honey basil balsamic vinaigrette dressing combines fresh basil, tangy balsamic vinegar, and simple ingredients to make your salads (and more) sing.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dressings, Seasonings, etc.
Cuisine: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Vegan, whole30
Keyword: basil balsamic vinaigrette, honey balsamic vinaigrette
Servings: 8
Calories: 268kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 small garlic cloves (minced very fine, or 3/8 teaspoon dried minced garlic)
  • 20 fresh basil leaves (chopped or torn)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (see Recipe Notes for alternatives)
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard (see below for substitutions)
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (see Recipe Notes for low carb alternative)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 pinches black pepper

Prepared Mustard Substitute

Instructions

  • Blend garlic, basil, honey, and mustard into a paste.
  • Add apple cider vinegar and balsamic and mix completely.
  • Add the olive oil slowly, blending while adding.
  • Serve.

Alternative Quick Method

  • Simply mix all ingredients in a glass container.
  • Serve.

Notes

  • Substitute 1/4 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar plus 2 teaspoons xylitol or a dash of stevia for the balsamic vinegar for a low carb/keto/THM:S dressing
  • The original recipe called for unseasoned rice vinegar but I use apple cider vinegar instead for its extra health benefits.
  • You could use about 2 tablespoons dried basil instead of fresh basil.
  • I use xylitol, vegetable glycerine, or a 1/32 teaspoon/dash stevia instead of honey for a low-carb/keto option.

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg | Net Carbs: 5g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

Note: This recipe was originally published here in September of 2012. The post was completely rewritten with a slightly adapted recipe.

I look forward to hearing what you think of this dressing!
Do you have a favorite salad dressing to share?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




 

49 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    EASY & YUM!
    Your site is usually the first I go to for recipes. Thank you!
    True confession: I didn’t figure out until the next morning that “Blend garlic through mustard into a paste” meant the last four ingredients. I had no idea how the get the garlic to go through the mustard. 🙂

    1. Hi Joann! Oh gosh that’s such a nice compliment. I need to start getting more recipes up! I just edited the recipe – sorry for the confusion. That’s really funny! I wrote that eons ago and need to actually redo the whole post. I need a clone! Hope you are well!

  2. What would you add to any of these variations to make them a ‘creamy’ version? Coconut milk, perhaps? plain milk kefir? Homemade mayo? Guess I can experiment!

  3. Hi Adrienne ~ This sounds wooonderful and I will for sure make—but just curious if this has to be refrigerated or not. I make a balsamic vinegrette that I’m tired of it solidifying on me once I put it in the fridge so I started leaving it out (it’s simply, EVOL, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, garlic and salt). Just not sure that’s a good idea especially if it sits day after day. Would appreciate your thoughts. … Like if it COULD safely be stored at room temp … how long will it last, approx. before it’s not good anymore. Many thanks.

    1. I am sorry but I can’t make shelf stability statements. The salt will preserve but you should store in the fridge b/c of the garlic (if you use it). I don’t but that isn’t recommended due to botulism risk.

      1. Gotcha. I actually ended up tossing what I had sitting on the counter (after googling and reading about the potential botulism risk, I didn’t want to chance it– there wasn’t that much left anyway. Better safe than sorry). Thanks for getting back to me … Oh, and made your Five-Ingredient Salad Dressing tonight. LOVED it. Thanks so much … 🙂

  4. This dressing is AWESOME! Thank you so much. I’ve been using a simple EVOO & ACV combo for over a year now and finally burnt out on it. This is such a nice difference! I’m sure it’s even better in the blender, but I’m also burnt out on washing dishes, so I just shook all the ingredients together in the same jar I’m storing it in. Result – delish!!

    1. Thanks Eileen! So nice to hear from you!!! My dishwasher is broken so…burnt out seriously here.

  5. I tried this to go with our salad tonight and it is so yummy!! Thanks for a great basic recipe!

  6. Does this need to be refrigerated and how long is it good for? I just made some and looking forward to trying it!!!!

    1. I haven’t put mine in the fridge always but I will in warmer months. I can’t make claims about shelf life b/c of variations in how folks make / use it but it lasts for me quite awhile – thanks!