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!
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Table of contents
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.
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.
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.
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.
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}
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!
Easy Sweet Balsamic Dressing
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.
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