Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
Get ready for the most amazingly terrific salad dressing you will ever eat, and I mean it! This Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette is fresh and herby. It absolutely explodes with basil flavor. Your salads won’t know what hit them!
It’s better homemade. I say this a lot, but it’s so true. There are many items we buy in a jar, can, or box that with a few simple ingredients we can make ourselves. Salad dressings and sauces are a great example of that. Anything homemade tastes better of course, but it’s also nice to know just exactly what’s in the food you’re eating because you made it. That’s why The Copper Table exists- to help you make wonderful dishes you can feel great about, and using fresh produce to its fullest potential.
I grow basil every year, and this basil vinaigrette has a special place on my refrigerator shelf almost constantly. If I’m not using my home grown basil to make pesto from scratch, then I’m making this dressing. It’s been a reader favorite on the blog for a long time!
I love it on panzanella or caprese salad, or with just a simple green salad made with things from the garden. It’s even nice on fruit salad! The combination of basil and balsamic vinegar is terrific, and makes this vinaigrette pretty versatile!
What’s even better is that if your local grocery store sells fresh basil year round, you can have this any time you want. That’s worth celebrating!
What Is Basil Vinaigrette Made Of?
All you need are a few things and you’ve got a killer vinaigrette! I want to talk about a couple of the ingredients here to give you some helpful tips. The full ingredient list is down in the recipe card.
Honey- Salad dressings typically contain an emulsifier (in other words, something that helps keep the vinaigrette from separating). Depending on the dressing, you’ll see things like mustard or even egg yolks used. Honey can be used for this purpose as well, and here it pulls double duty by not only bringing out that awesome basil flavor but it acts as the emulsifier also.
White Balsamic Vinegar– If you have not been using this in your kitchen, you need to get yourself some! It has a mild flavor that is perfect for a salad dressing because it won’t overpower other ingredients. The subtlety of this vinegar really helps that basil shine through!
Don’t you just love when pure magic happens from just a few simple ingredients? I sure do!
Making Balsamic Basil Vinaigrette
This is literally as easy as 1,2,3! I use an immersion blender to make this dressing, but if you’re making a large batch of it (which can be done with no problem at all) then a standard blender works great for that!
Here’s a basic overview to make this dressing, but don’t forget to head to the recipe card for all the details!
- Place the oil and vinegar in the blender cup.
- Add the seasonings and honey.
- Add the basil and blend.
It really is that easy!
If you are reading this, thank you for being here. I certainly hope you love this basil balsamic vinaigrette and that this recipe inspires you to make more of your own salad dressings at home. If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Just leave a rating or comment below, and be sure to share this recipe with others!
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Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
This sweet and herby Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette is just what your salads need. Light and fresh with lots of yummy basil flavor!
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup neutral flavored oil such as Grapeseed or Avocado Oil
- 2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 10 large leaves of Fresh Basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Place the oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper in a bowl (if using an immersion blender) or in a blender if using a standard blender.
- Roughly chop the basil and add it the bowl or blender. Blend until smooth, and taste for salt and pepper. Add more if needed.
Notes
Be sure to use a mild flavored honey here such as clover, acacia, or fireweed.
You can use another type of basil other than the Genovese variety, but the flavor will be a bit different.
A high powered blender may be used if you don’t have an immersion blender.
This can be stored in a glass salad dressing bottle or glass jar with a lid. it will keep refrigerated up to two weeks.
I don’t recommend freezing this dressing, it does not freeze well.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Sauces and Condiments
- Diet: VegetarianDiet
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 227
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 584
- Fat: 21
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 11
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0
OMG I cannot wait to try this.Sounds delicious.