Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Elevate any salad with this delicious and simple balsamic vinaigrette. This dressing is silky in texture with the perfect mix of tangy with a touch of sweetness. Made with a handful of real ingredients, including balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and Dijon mustard, you can’t go wrong with this versatile and tasty dressing.

The Perfect Everyday Dressing

I recently shared my lemon vinaigrette dressing a couple week ago, which is probably my most used dressing on a day-to-day basis. However, this dressing is a strong second and depending on the time of the year and what my taste buds are craving, it often takes first place.

I love how this dressing goes with just about anything and everything. I often use it on my kale citrus salad, a delicious spinach salad, my favorite persimmon salad, or even my Mediterranean quinoa salad.

But you don’t need a fancy salad to enjoy this dressing. Any salad garden salad will do! I love just tossing it in some fresh greens, halved cherry tomatoes, thin slices of red onion, and voila – you have a deliciously awesome salad!

How to Make the Perfect Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing – 3 Easy Ways!

There are really 3 ways of making this dressing and all of them are pretty easy!

1. Use a bowl and whisk. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the dressing is well combined and starts to emulsify. Some folks suggest adding the olive oil slowly while whisking but I get good results either way.
2. Use a blender or food processor. Combine the ingredients in the blender and process for 30 seconds. You’ll get perfectly emulsified dressing (yay!) but end up with a blender or food processor to clean. But this is a great method for making larger batches and bigger families.
3. Use a glass jar. Combine all of the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. I think this method gives the same results as a blender but doesn’t leave you with a blender to clean afterwards. I go into more detail below on this method as it’s my favorite!

The 1-Minute Version

My favorite no-mess method of making this dressing is by combining all of the ingredients in a glass jar and shaking until it emulsifies and is ready to use. I use the same jar to make and store the dressing. No extra bowls or whisks needed.

I love using a Ball mason jar — just make sure the lid is tightly secured before shaking vigorously. The mustard will emulsify the vinaigrette and result in that silky luxurious texture. That’s it!

Tips on Making the Best Balsamic Vinaigrette

While this balsamic vinaigrette recipe is fail-proof and so easy to make, here are some tips on ensuring you’re getting the best results possible!

• Use high-quality balsamic vinegar. The quality of your balsamic vinegar will greatly set the tone for this dressing. Use a good quality aged balsamic vinegar. The longer the balsamic vinegar has been aged, the richer, milder, and sweeter it becomes. Use a better balsamic vinegar and you won’t need a sweetener!
• Always use extra-virgin olive oil. While regular olive oil is refined and usually stripped of important nutrients, extra-virgin olive oil is a powerhouse of antioxidants and healthy fats.
• Make a batch and use it throughout the week. As long as your vinaigrette is stored in a tightly closed container, preferably a glass jar. Store the dressing in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Just be sure to shake well when you want to use it.

Looking for more dressing recipes? Try these!

Save (or pin) this balsamic vinaigrette recipe for later and if you’re looking for more recipes, these are some of my other favorite:

• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing

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