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This Honey Balsamic Dressing recipe is one of my family’s favorites. It has the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, and uses a little less oil than traditional vinaigrette recipes to lighten up the calories.

honey balsamic dressing in jar

How to Make Honey Balsamic Dressing

To make this dressing, all you need is a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and a blender. If you don’t have a blender, you can simply mince the garlic and shallot finely and use a whisk to stir the dressing together, but I find a blender works to get the dressing a little thicker, since we’re not using as much oil.

honey balsamic dressing ingredients

Paired with fresh shallot and enzyme-rich honey, I think this dressing is just as good as any restaurant’s version. I hope you’ll enjoy it just as much!

honey balsamic dressing in jar

Honey Balsamic Dressing

5 from 8 votes
This sweet and tangy dressing is a family favorite! It's perfect over any salad, and uses a little less oil than traditional dressing recipes.
prep5 mins total5 mins
Servings:8 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (preferably aged 3 years)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
  • 1 garlic clove , or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Combine the vinegar, shallot, garlic, salt, honey, olive oil, and water in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust any seasoning to taste. (You can add a little extra honey if your vinegar is too sour.)
  • Allow to chill for 4 hours before serving, for best flavor and texture. Shake well before serving each time.
  • This dressing should keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 17mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: balsamic, salad dressing, vinaigrette
Per 2 tablespoons: Calories: 110, Fat: 10g, Carbohydrtes: 4g, Fiber: 0g, Protein: 0g

Recipe Notes:

  • I find the flavor is best when I use a balsamic vinegar that has been aged at least 3 years. If you use a cheaper balsamic vinegar, add a little more honey to balance the flavor, since cheaper vinegar is more pungent and acidic in flavor.
  • To make this recipe vegan, you could use maple syrup instead of honey to taste, or even try using dates as a natural sweetener if you have a really good blender.

Reader Feedback: Do you have a favorite salad dressing?

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. This is my favorite salad dressing. It’s so good I could almost eat it on its own. I’m vegan, so I use maple syrup instead of honey.