This white balsamic dressing recipe gives life to any salad! I always have a batch ready to go in the refrigerator.
I remember the salad that changed my life! Years ago, I was working at a restaurant in Seattle. On the menu a kale, beet, and almond salad, with a white balsamic dressing.
Do you want to know the secret to make any vinaigrette? 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil is the ratio. You will also need some sort of emulsifier, like dijon mustard. The rest is history, be creative. Test it out on my Harvest Chicken Salad.
White balsamic dressing is light, sweet, and tangy. If you are like me and love pickled onions and citrus on your greens, you have to try this dressing!
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What you need to make this recipe
- White balsamic vinegar - Has more of a clean aftertaste than dark balsamic vinegar. Great to use in lighter colored foods, and dressings to preserve their color.
- Light olive oil - Neutral and light tasting. Extra virgin comes with a strong flavor and bitter after taste.
- Honey - Helps balance out the acidity of the white balsamic vinegar. Honey gives this dressing a nice sweetness and mouthfeel.
- Dijon mustard - Works as an emulsifier to hold the vinegar and oil together.
- Garlic - For flavor!
- Basil & Thyme - Adds a touch of lemony essence
- Salt- Pink Himalayan, kosher, or sea salt
- Pepper - Fresh cracked
How to make white balsamic dressing recipe
- In a small blender, pour in white balsamic vinegar.
- Add honey
- Dijon mustard
- Herbs
- Garlic
- Blend
- Add the light olive oil
- Blend to emulsify the dressing and season with salt and pepper
Pro Tips
- Use a small blender. When making the dressing, it's a good idea not to use a large Vitamix unless you are making a massive amount. Some blenders come with smaller attachments to make dressing in. Other options are Hand Blenders, NutriBullet, and NutriNinja.
- Heat honey. If you are ever measuring out honey, you know it sticks to everything. A little chef tip, microwave it for 10 seconds, and it will pour so easily.
- Dijon mustard is your friend. Dijon is not only delicious. It's an emulsifier.
- Roughly chop herbs. Run your knife through the herbs once. It will make blending the dressing quicker.
- Use light olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is delicious. I know! The flavor is so strong it will overpower the salad. Extra virgin olive is great for dipping bread or drizzling on pasta. Light-tasting olive oil works the best for salad dressings.
- Store in a mason jar. I love putting my homemade dressing in mason jars. If they separate, I can give them an aggressive shake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between white balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinegar?
Both types of vinegar come from white grapes. Traditional dark balsamic grapes simmer for a long time to caramelize them. From there they are transferred to barrels where they are aged for a long time. White balsamic grapes are pressure cooked to prevent them from caramelization and aged for a shorter amount of time.
What does white balsamic vinegar taste like?
White balsamic vinegar has a sweet, mild, clean flavor and color. Typically used in marinades, salad dressing, and light-colored sauces.
Why do you put honey in white balsamic dressing?
White balsamic vinegar is mild tasting and a bit acidic. A touch of honey will take the edge off of that acidic bite. Of course, if you are doing a Whole30, you can forego the honey.
How long does white balsamic dressing last in the refrigerator?
This dressing is good for up to 7 days. I bet you will be making this dressing more than once a week. The white balsamic dressing is so versatile and goes well with any salad.
Help, my dressing separated how do I fix it?
Easy fix! Re-blend the dressing in a high-speed blender for a couple of seconds. It's actually normal for vinaigrettes to separate because vinegar and oil don't mix well.
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📖 Recipe
White Balsamic Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup basil chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 ¼ cup light olive oil
Instructions
- In a blender, place all ingredients except for the oil. Blend until smooth.
- With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify.
- Transfer into a 16 oz mason jar.
