Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe for Salads and Marinades

This sweet and tangy Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is ready in minutes and elevates any salad with bright, balanced flavor.

Homemade dressings like this one—and other favorites such as Homemade Italian Dressing and Basil Buttermilk Dressing—are quick to prepare and make a noticeable difference in the quality of your salads. Once you start making dressings at home, store-bought bottles rarely measure up.

I rotate this Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette and a classic French Vinaigrette. Fresh, homemade dressings let you control the ingredients and avoid preservatives, unnecessary additives, and artificial colors or flavors often found in commercial products.

This vinaigrette is bright, well-balanced, and far superior to any bottled option I’ve tried. Having a jar of fresh dressing in the refrigerator makes it easier to choose simple, veggie-forward salads for lunch—easy, healthy meals that improve the whole day.

Vinaigrettes are among the fastest recipes to make, and this Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette uses pantry staples you likely already have on hand.

Ingredient Notes

Keep these simple ingredients on hand for an effortless vinaigrette:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Honey
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. Add all ingredients to a mason jar or airtight container.
2. Seal the jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or more until the dressing emulsifies and thickens to a velvety consistency.

Serving Suggestions

This Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette complements salads with nuts, cheese, and fruit. Pick a few items from each category for a vibrant, balanced salad.

Greens: Peppery arugula, baby spinach, butter lettuce, or mixed spring greens.

Cheese: Crumbled blue cheese or feta, shredded or shaved Parmesan, or cubed smoked gouda or Havarti.

Fruit: Dried cranberries, dates, or figs; or fresh blueberries, pears, or apples.

Nuts: Walnuts, pecans, or almonds.

Vegetables: Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, sweet mini bell peppers, artichoke hearts—use whatever you enjoy.

When serving a salad dressed with this vinaigrette, I often include a loaf of French bread. A little extra vinaigrette on the side makes an irresistible dip for bread.

Storing Vinaigrettes

As a general rule, if any ingredient in a vinaigrette requires refrigeration on its own, the finished dressing should be refrigerated. I prefer to refrigerate all homemade dressings to preserve freshness and food safety. Because this recipe contains Dijon mustard, refrigeration is recommended.

Chilled dressings that contain honey will thicken slightly as the honey firms up. Remove the dressing from the fridge while you prepare the salad, give it a good shake to loosen the emulsion, and it will pour smoothly.