Balsamic Honey Salad Dressing

By
Molly Watson
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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Updated on 08/29/21
Balsamic Honey Salad dressing

Molly Watson
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1/3 cup
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
116 Calories
9g Fat
8g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
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 homemade dressing before, you will be delighted with how easy it is. You may find 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 toward deliciousness than a strict recipe, per se.

This dressing complements fresh green salads with nuts and fruits, such as an apple and walnut salad, or a fall fruit salad with walnuts and blue cheese.

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Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. 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 in the bottom of the large salad bowl.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 Variations

  • Taste the dressing, and 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.
  • If you don't have a shallot, you can use a small amount of red onion, about a tablespoon, minced.

How to Store

  • If there is any leftover dressing, store it in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

How should balsamic vinegar be stored after opening?

  • Store your opened bottle of balsamic vinegar in the pantry along with other kinds of vinegar you may have. Vinegar has a long shelf life, but just keep track of the expiration date.