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Summary
A fast balsamic dressing that can lean fruity, savory, or neutral depending on what the salad needs.
This is the kind of dressing worth memorizing because it takes about 5 minutes and works with a ridiculous number of salads. It has enough sharpness from the balsamic, enough richness from the olive oil, and just enough honey to round everything out without turning sweet. One thing that sets this apart is having just enough dijon to emulsify the dressing so your leafy greens won’t wilt as quickly. Use poppy seeds for fruit-forward salads, Italian seasoning for heartier savory salads, or skip both when you want the dressing to stay in the background. Once you make it a couple times, you will stop buying bottled balsamic dressing altogether.
5
5
minutes64
kcal5
minutesA fast balsamic dressing that can lean fruity, savory, or neutral depending on what the salad needs.
Ingredients
15 g 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
40 g 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
28 g 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp raw honey
1.8 g 3/8 tsp Dijon mustard
1.5 g 3/8 tsp grated garlic
1.8 g 3/16 tsp kosher salt, ground fine, plus more to taste
0.3 g 1/8 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
6 g 1 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
5 g 1 tsp water
Directions
Before We Start
Use good balsamic: The key ingredient is balsamic, don’t buy the cheap fake stuff. It should be thick and syrupy. Ideally use balsamic that is from Italy because they have stricker rules around what can be called balsamic vinegar.
Poppy seeds are best for fruity salads: Use them when the salad leans sweet, especially with berries, apples, candied nuts, or creamy cheese.
Italian seasoning works better for savory salads: Use 1 tsp of Italian seasoning when the salad is heartier or more herb-forward.
Skip both if you want the dressing more neutral: That works well when the salad already has plenty going on or when you are using fresh herbs.Whisk the Dressing
For the dressing
15 g | 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
40 g | 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
28 g | 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp raw honey
1.8 g | 3/8 tsp Dijon mustard
1.5 g | 3/8 tsp grated garlic
1.8 g | 3/16 tsp kosher salt, ground fine
0.3 g | 1/8 tsp black pepper
5 g | 1 tsp water
Grate the garlic and add in a small bowl with the balsamic. This is important as the garlic sitting in the vinegar for a few minutes helps tone down garlic.
Add in honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
Then finally add in your olive oil. Whisk to combine until thick and emulsified.
If the dressing feels thicker than you want, add a small splash of the water from the ingredient list. Whisk and test the consistency again. Add more water if needed. It should be thinner than gravy but slightly thicker than a syrup.
Add Your Extras (Optional)
6 g | 1 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
1 g | 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
You can take this dressing a few different ways.
For berry or sweeter salads, go with poppy seeds.
For savory or more balanced salads, go with Italian seasoning.
If you have fresh herbs in your salad already, then skip both.
Just Add Water (Optional)
If the dressing feels thicker than you want, add a small splash of the water about 1 tsp at a time. Whisk and test the consistency again. Add more water if needed. It should be thinner than gravy but slightly thicker than a syrup. It should coat the back of a spoon and if you run your finger through it, it should stay separated.
This is as needed because balsamic vinegars differ greatly on consistency. When we use our bottle of Giusti Italian Balsamic Vinegar it typically only needs 1 tsp of water to get it to the right consistency.
Dress And Serve
Use immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 4 days. If the olive oil firms up in the fridge, let the dressing sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes and shake or whisk again before serving.
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Additional Details About This Recipe
What is the difference between using poppy seeds and Italian seasoning?
Poppy seeds lean a little more classic for sweet and fruity salads. Italian seasoning pushes the dressing in a more savory direction and works better with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, grilled chicken, or antipasto-style salads. You can also leave both out altogether if your salad already has fresh herbs or you want a more neutral dressing.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. Shake or whisk again before using.
Can I use a different sweetener?
Yes. Maple syrup works well and keeps the texture similar. 2 Tbsp of Allulose is another great healthy sweetener for it. 1.5 Tbsp of sugar can be used in a pinch, but I recommend grinding it into a powder using a mortar and pestle first so you don’t have a grainy texture.
Do I have to use Dijon?
It is worth using. Dijon helps the dressing emulsify and gives it a little backbone. You can leave it out, but the dressing will separate faster, taste flatter, and your greens will wilt faster because of it. So just use it!
What salads does this go with?
This works with berry salads, goat cheese salads, grilled chicken salads, simple green salads, and chopped salads. It is flexible, which is the whole point.
Nutritional Facts (per 1 Tbsp serving, recipe makes about 5 servings)
(Values are estimates based on USDA-style ingredient averages and will vary slightly depending on whether optional add-ins are used.)
- Calories: 64 kcal
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.0 g
- Sugars: 2.8 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 90 mg