Balsamic Honey Salad Dressing

Written by
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Molly Watson
Updated 07/02/19
Salad dressing
Balsamic honey dressing.

Molly Watson
  • Total: 10 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 1/3 cup (6 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
116 Calories
9g Fat
8g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1/3 cup (6 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 116
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 109mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Protein 2g
Calcium 43mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Balsamic vinegar and honey (along with a bit of mustard) pack a lot of flavor in this sweet-yet-tangy salad dressing. If you've never made dressing before, you will be delighted with just how easy it is and just how much you like being able to control exactly what and how much goes into your salad. Feel free to adjust all the seasonings to your taste and use this recipe as more of a guideline towards deliciousness.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. If you're using the dressing right away, make the dressing right in the bottom of the large salad bowl.

  2. Peel and mince the shallot. Add it to the dressing. If you want to add the additional kick of garlic, peel that, mince it, and add it as well. Whisk them into the dressing. Add the salt and pepper and whisk those in, too. Let the dressing sit 5 to 10 minutes for the flavors to blend a bit.

  3. Taste the dressing—the best way to do this is to dip a lettuce leaf into the dressing so you taste how the dressing will work on the salad.

Recipe Variation

  • Add more salt and/or pepper if you think it needs it.
  • You can adjust the amount of honey and mustard to make it sweeter or more pungent, respectively.
  • Too strong? Consider whisking in an additional tablespoon of oil (or just add a tablespoon of warm water to dilute the flavor a bit).