• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Blues Best Life
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • How To
  • Contact
  • About
  • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • How To
    • Contact
    • About
    • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Dressings, Sauces & Spices

    Easy Sweet Balsamic Dressing

    Published: Jan 24, 2023 · Modified: Feb 27, 2023 by bobbieblue

    331 shares
    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy sweet balsamic salad dressing is made with simple ingredients. It has a touch of sweetness that is perfectly balanced with the acidity of the vinegar. Making your own balsamic vinaigrette dressing is the easiest way to enhance your favorite salad!

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe

    By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Blue's Best Life.

    A mason jar with sweet balsamic dressing.

    (Blue's Best Life is a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Programs.  I earn a small commission if you purchase through those links.  This helps me keep the blog going!)- Bobbie

    Table of contents

    • Why This Sweet Balsamic Is The Best!
    • Key Ingredients
    • Step-By-Step Instructions
    • Storage Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Substitutions And Additions
    • Looking For Other Salad Dressings? Try These!

    Why This Sweet Balsamic Is The Best!

    If you love a basic balsamic vinaigrette recipe, this sweet and tangy vinaigrette will be your new favorite. This is my favorite recipe for a simple salad or even roasted vegetables. It has the tangy zip from the balsamic and grainy mustard but plenty of sweetness from pure maple syrup. It has the right balance of flavor making it the perfect homemade salad dressing.

    Balsamic vinegar is one of my favorite ways to add flavor to food. It is great in dressings, marinades and condiments. I make this easy balsamic glaze for skillet chicken caprese and grilled peach and burrata salad. It is amazing how much flavor it adds to a plain piece of chicken or enhances the flavor of stone fruits.

    Homemade dressings are easy to make and a great way to jazz up a salad. I love making my own dressings because store-bought salad dressing typically contain preservatives, sodium and artificial flavors. By making your own dressing you can control the ingredients and make a delicious dressing to drizzle over salad greens or even a caprese salad.

    Key Ingredients

    balsamic vinegar- buy a good quality balsamic vinegar for the best results.

    olive oil- I prefer extra virgin olive oil for salad dressing because it is the highest quality of olive oil. It has a peppery taste that is delicious in dressing.

    pure maple syrup- pure maple syrup is made from 1 ingredient, tree sap which is reduced down to make it thicker.

    The ingredients for sweet balsamic dressing.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    Use a pairing knife to mince the shallot. Remove the leaves from the sprig of thyme and roughly chop. This will help infuse the dressing with the flavor of the herb.


    In a small bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey. Add the Dijon mustard minced shallot, thyme leaves, salt and black pepper. I just use a whisk for the emulsion process but you could use an immersion blender or a food processor.

    Mincing the shallot and thyme leaves.  Whisking together the balsamic vinegar.

    Storage Tips

    After you have made the dressing you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to weeks. A mason jar with a tight-fitting lid is the perfect way to store the dressing. Make sure to give it a good shake before serving.

    A spoonful of balsamic dressing.

    Serving Suggestions

    Drizzle this sweet balsamic dressing over your favorite salad, fresh fruit or even pasta salad. This balsamic dressing recipe is versatile and delicious on everything.

    Drizzling a spoonful of dressing over a salad.

    Substitutions And Additions

    shallot- I like to use shallots because they have a milder flavor than onions. You can always use a red onion in place of the shallot.

    maple syrup- honey is a great substitute for the maple syrup if you are looking for a natural sugar for sweetness. Brown sugar is also a good substitute.

    thyme- I love fresh herbs for flavor. Thyme, oregano and parsley are all great flavor enhancers in this recipe.

    Looking For Other Salad Dressings? Try These!

    Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

    Creamy Homemade Balsamic Dressing {with Greek Yogurt}

    Citrus Vinaigrette

    Did you try this recipe? Please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and a 5- star rating. I would love to hear from you! Subscribe Here to get new recipes sent straight to your inbox!

    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Easy Sweet Balsamic Dressing

    This easy sweet balsamic salad dressing is made with simple ingredients. It has a touch of sweetness that is perfectly balanced with the acidity of the vinegar. Making your own balsamic vinaigrette dressing is the easiest way to enhance your favorite salad!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time0 minutes mins
    Total Time5 minutes mins
    Course: Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: sweet balsamic dressing, sweet balsamic vinegar, sweet balsamic vinaigrette, sweet balsamic vinaigrette dressing
    Servings: 6
    Author: Bobbie Blue

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon shallot, minced
    • 2 teaspoon stone ground Dijon mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 sprig fresh thyme, minced

    Instructions

    • Mince the shallot into very small pieces.
    • Remove the leaves off of the sprig of thyme and mince.
    • Add the balsamic, olive oil, maple syrup and mustard to a small bowl. Whisk together vigorously.
    • Add the chopped shallot, salt, pepper and thyme leaves to the balsamic mixture and whisk well.
    • Once combined the dressing can be used immediately. Store in a mason jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Shake vigorously before using.

    More Dressings, Sauces & Spices

    • Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing
    • Easy Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
    • How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
    • Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning Recipe (So Easy!)

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Bobbie! Welcome to Blue's Best Life. I'm a self-taught cook that loves to cook wholesome meals while still enjoying a truly decadent dessert, because there is always room for a little something sweet!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Kitchen Sink Cookies
    • Honey Roasted Peaches (Oven Baked Peaches)
    • Easy 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars
    • Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper

    Copyright © 2025 Blue's Best Life

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.

    Privacy Policy