Balsamic vinaigrette is simple to make from scratch yet adds a wonderfully bright pop of flavor to any salad! Make a big batch to have on hand all week long.
If you are wanting to improve your health, making food in your own kitchen is essential. Cooking from scratch allows you to pick and use the highest quality ingredients that will benefit your health, instead of being a detriment to it.
The simple truth is that most food companies are not interested in the health of the person buying their product. Making a profit is their goal, and they have many ways of making you purchase more to increase provide.
Many foods are engineered to keep you craving more. Packaged foods are tweaked until they create just the right balance of flavors to make you want to never stop eating them! Sadly, most of the changes are made with ingredients that are also created in a lab instead of coming from nature.
Even more foods are full of poor-quality ingredients, like seed oils, sugars, and chemicals. All things that promote inflammation within the body.
Chronic inflammation, inflammation that lasts for a prolonged time, contributes to a whole host of health issues because over time inflammation begins to damage cells, tissues, and organs.
Is homemade balsamic vinaigrette healthy?
Storebought salad dressings are very often made with unhealthy seed oils. Even if the front label says made with olive oil, chances are it contains other oils such as canola or soybean oil.
There is typically some form of sugar in them as well.
When you read the label, you will find other additives to help prolong the shelf life of the dressing.
Homemade balsamic vinaigrette is a healthier option when you make it with better ingredients, like olive oil. Plus, you can forgo the sugar.
Additionally, you can make the amount you need for a week allowing you to skip the unhealthy additives.
Olive oil and leafy green have both been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body.
Equipment needed
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Mason jar with lid or bowl and whisk
Ingredients for Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Olive Oil – Be sure you are purchasing pure olive oil. Higher quality olive oil will be in dark colored glass bottles. The dark color help to prevent the oil from going rancid due to light exposure.
- Balsamic Vinegar – Purchase organic to avoid added chemicals from the grape growing process.
- Dijon or Spicy Brown Mustard – mustard helps to bind the vinegar and oil together.
- Garlic Powder
- Dried herbs – Italian herbs work really well in this. Dried oregano or thyme both taste great too.
- Salt – always go with an unrefined salt such as Redmond.
- Pepper
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How to make balsamic vinaigrette from scratch
- Add all ingredients to a mason jar.
- Tightly secure the lid.
- Shake the jar until well combined.
You could also add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
Food pairings
Balsamic vinaigrette goes with so many things!
It pairs great with nearly any green you want to make a salad with. More bitter green mixed with romaine is my favorite.
For salad add-ins, again just about anything will taste great with this dressing!
My favorite combination includes dried cranberries, tomatoes, sliced red onion, kalamata olives, sunflower seeds, feta, and leftover roasted chicken. So good!!
But you do not have to use this vinaigrette just on salads! It works to add flavor to steamed veggies, roasted chicken, or pork.
You can also use it to marinade meat prior to cooking it.
How to meal prep this recipe
This might be the easiest meal prep recipe there is! Just make the balsamic vinaigrette as normal, then store it until needed. This is the ideal time to use one of my favorite kitchen tools, the mason jar!
Storing
Homemade balsamic vinaigrette keeps well for up to a month in the refrigerator.
Pull the dressing out of the frig about 30 minutes before a meal.
Let me know in the comments your favorite topping adding that pair well with this dressing.
And don’t forget to pin the recipe for later!
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Balsamic vinaigrette is simple to make from scratch yet adds a wonderfully bright pop of flavor to any salad! Make it to have on hand all week long.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp stone ground or dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried herbs - Italian herbs, oregano, or thyme, etc.
- 1/4 tsp unrefined salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to mason jar.
- Secure lid on tightly and shake until well combined
Notes
- You can also add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined instead of using the mason jar
- See blog post for other ways to use balsamic vinaigrette
- Store in the frig for up to a month
