White Balsamic Vinaigrette
This post may contain affiliate links.
This white balsamic vinaigrette is hands down my favorite everyday salad dressing! It’s zesty, flavorful, and takes less than 5 minutes to make. I whip up a batch every week on meal prep day.
We eat a lot of salads here, but it wasn’t always that way. The key to a crave-able salad is to mix up your flavors and add lots of textures. Try making your own salad mix and croutons for more texture.
If you’re looking to eat more salads, I HIGHLY recommend making your own salad dressings, like Avocado Lime Dressing, or Lemon Basil Vinaigrette. They are simple to make and only take a few minutes. Plus you know exactly what goes in them, and they won’t be filled with tons of preservatives.
Meal Prepping Tips
- Store dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- It’s normal for real extra virgin olive oil to harden in the refrigerator. Let the dressing sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the oil can melt. Shake vigorously before serving to re-emulsify the ingredients.
- If you have leftover dressing you won’t end up using, try it out as a marinade!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use the good stuff! The Kirkland brand from Costco is affordable, available in bulk, and tastes great.
- White balsamic vinegar – A way underrated ingredient in my opinion! It has a milder flavor than regular balsamic, so it doesn’t overpower a dish. Substitute for white wine vinegar.
- Fresh garlic – Substitute 1 clove fresh garlic for ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Kosher salt – Every recipe on Meal Plans For Two uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt (which I highly recommend). This salt is less salty than table salt, so make sure to start with half the amount if using regular table salt.
- Dried basil – Substitute for your favorite dried herb or use fresh.
- Red pepper flakes – The recipe as written is not spicy, but omit if needed.
The Process
Making a homemade vinaigrette is seriously simple. Just measure and shake!
- Add all ingredients to a jar with a tight lid.
- Shake the heck out of it for about 1 minute.
You can also make this in a food processor or with an immersion blender, but shaking is the simplest method.
Time Saving Tip
Use a jar with measuring markings on the side (like in the photo above). Since the oil and vinegar won’t mix until you shake it, you can use the markings to measure the oil and vinegar. Less dishes!
Serve it with
- Use this easy salad dressing on your favorite salad.
- Drizzle it on roasted veggies.
- It works great as a pasta salad dressing too!
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt to taste*
Instructions
- SHAKE: Add all ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously for 60 seconds.
- SERVE: Serve with your favorite salad. Shake well again right before serving.
Notes
- Substitute white balsamic vinegar for white wine vinegar.
- 2 cloves garlic = ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Salt to taste. I use 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
- Store dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Authentic extra virgin olive oil will harden in the refrigerator. Transfer the jar to room temperature about 20 minutes before serving so the olive oil can melt. Shake vigorously before serving to re-emulsify the ingredients.
- The traditional vinaigrette ratio is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I like mine less oily and more tangy, so I use more vinegar. If you prefer closer to a 3:1 ratio, use 1 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup vinegar.