Balsamic Vinaigrette
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A great all-purpose balsamic vinaigrette to drizzle over greens, tomatoes, mozzarella, and more.
Tangy and a touch sweet, this is a great all-purpose balsamic vinaigrette. The secret is a spoonful of Dijon mustard, which not only adds flavor but also acts as an emulsifier to make the vinaigrette nice and thick. In addition, I add finely minced shallots, which have a delicate and slightly sweet onion flavor, and a bit of fresh garlic to round out the flavor. Try to use good-quality extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar; in a vinaigrette recipe, it makes a big difference. Balsamic vinaigrette will keep for about 4 days at room temperature. It’s delicious tossed with mixed greens, drizzled over a Caprese salad or grilled vegetables, or slathered onto an Italian-style sandwich.
What you’ll need to make Balsamic vinaigrette
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the mustard, garlic, shallot, salt, freshly ground black pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar in a medium bowl.
Whisk to combine.
While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil to create an emulsion.
The dressing should be slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
That’s all there is to it. Store the vinaigrette in a jar at room temperature for up to 4 days. Shake to re-emulsify when ready to use.
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Balsamic Vinaigrette
A great all-purpose balsamic vinaigrette to drizzle over greens, tomatoes, mozzarella, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, from 1 small shallot
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, shallot, salt, freshly ground black pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the oil to create an emulsion; the dressing should be slightly thickened and emulsified when all the oil is added. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Store the vinaigrette in a jar at room temperature for up to 4 days. Shake to re-emulsify when ready to use.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 174
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Sugar: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Sodium: 193mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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Great dressing! I omitted the shallot (bc I didn’t have one), used a thick high quality balsamic vinegar and reduced the olive oil to 3/8c. Lastly, I used an emulsion blender which made the dressing creamy and easy to mix in a snap. Served it on a chef salad to rave reviews!
Delicious!!! With your excellent recipes I will never use store bought dressing again. Thank you
This recipe is perfect! So well balanced! I make it every week. I use it on a salad to serve with your Crustless Broccoli Quiche! Thank you so much.
Cindy
My go-to balsamic vinaigrette. Very well-balanced!