Basil Vinaigrette
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This easy basil vinaigrette is bursting with fresh herb flavor and comes together in just minutes. Keep a jar in the fridge for salads, vegetables, sandwiches, and more.
This basil vinaigrette is one of those recipes I look forward to making every summer. It’s packed with fresh basil, comes together in minutes, and is an easy way to add bright, herby flavor to everything from salads and vegetables to grilled chicken, fish, and fresh mozzarella or burrata.
Still have basil to use? My pesto sauce is delicious on everything from pasta and pizza to sandwiches and salads. Or, if you’ve got parsley overflowing too, try the dressing from my Big Italian Salad—it calls for generous amounts of both basil and parsley.
“This was so ridiculously good that I just made two more batches. Jenn, you are my culinary idol!”
What You’ll Need To Make Basil Vinaigrette
To make basil vinaigrette, you’ll need fresh basil, garlic, white wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey. For best results, make sure to use good quality vinegar and olive oil.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add ingredients to the food processor. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Step 2: Blend. Process the ingredients until smooth and bright green. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to shake it well to re-emulsify before using. Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Use it fresh for the best flavor. Basil can lose its brightness in the freezer, so aim to use the vinaigrette within 5 days and store it in the fridge.
- Be mindful when marinating. This vinaigrette works well as a marinade, but stick to dark meat or bone-in chicken—acidic marinades can toughen lean cuts like chicken breasts.
- A blender works too. No food processor? Just toss everything in a blender and blend until smooth and vibrant green.
- Use it beyond salads. This basil vinaigrette is just as good tossed with roasted vegetables or baby potatoes as it is drizzled over or a summery pasta salad. It’s even great on grilled corn—any fresh, seasonal produce will soak up the flavor.
More Salad Dressings You’ll Love
Basil Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini
- Scant 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons honey
Instructions
- In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine all of the ingredients. Process until smooth and bright green. Store the vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; shake to re-emulsify before using.
Nutrition Information
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.
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What is the salad pictured (mozzarella, tomatoes, etc)? Is there a recipe for that somewhere as well?
Hi Miranda, It’s not actually a recipe — it’s just a combination of mixed greens, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Hope you enjoy the dressing if you make it!
Well it looks beautiful 🤩
It’s gonna pair with this vinaigrette for my lunch today along with some leftover grilled chicken 😄
Delicious! And a great way to use basil…yum!
Another amazing recipe. I was wondering what to do with all my basil, this was the perfect solution. My granddaughter came over and I asked her to try it and she went nuts. She grabbed a tomato and some cheese and drizzled the dressing over and swooned over it. I sent some home with her and made her very happy.
I made this last night and we loved it! I actually used it as a drizzle over grilled veggies and sauteed salmon. Not only was it delish, but the pretty green color brightened everything. I know it would be good as a dressing too, but I love that it is really versatile. Great way to use some of my basil too (which is growing at a crazy pace)!!
I love your description that it tastes like summer, because it really does! The basil is growing like crazy in my garden and this is a different way to use it than the pesto I make every summer. While it’s called a salad dressing, we used it not only on salad, but drizzled it on chicken the next day. I feel like this is the kind of thing I will now make and keep in my fridge all summer long!
This was so ridiculously good that I made two more batches. Jenn, you are my culinary idol! Quick question- should I make any modifications if I want to use this as a chicken marinade?
Hi Amy, So glad you like it! Yes, you can definitely use it as a marinade. Because it has vinegar in it (which is acidic), it will do best with either bone-in or-dark meat chicken. I’d love to hear how the chicken turns out if you try it. 🙂
I made the vinaigrette and was skeptical about adding the honey so I added 1/2 the amount and still found it sweet.
This is the first recipe out of dozens that I didn’t find perfect!
We always prefer homemade salad dressings and this one is wonderful! Simple to make, and so delicious!
Delicious and a nice variation from other vinaigrettes. A bit too tangy for me but with a little extra olive oil it was perfect.
Wonderful option for all that basil in the garden. All the attributes of great recipe: Simple, fast, fresh and amazing flavor! Thanks Jenn