Honey Balsamic Dressing will quickly become your go-to salad topping. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it’s easy to assemble!
We’ve been making this balsamic vinaigrette recipe for nearly 20 years. It has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors and pairs well with practically any salad components you love.
It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly. If you want a slightly lower-calorie dressing, it uses slightly less oil than traditional balsamic vinaigrette.
Keep it in your fridge this week, and you’ll eat more salads in no time!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This salad dressing starts with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If you’re using a cheaper balsamic vinegar, it might have a slightly more acidic flavor and will require an extra touch of sweetness.
Using vinegar aged at least 3 years will have a naturally sweeter flavor and require less sweetener. So keep that in mind as you go!
Honey, shallot, and garlic round out this dressing, making it taste like it came from a restaurant. If you don’t have shallot on hand, try adding a squeeze of Dijon mustard to help the dressing emulsify instead.
How to Make Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
For the creamiest dressing, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. I use a personal blender cup attachment for my Vitamix, but you could also use an immersion blender if you have one.
You’ll find the complete measurements in the recipe card below.
Once the dressing looks smooth, taste it and make any adjustments as needed. For a tangier flavor, add an extra splash of vinegar. Or, for a sweeter flavor, add an extra touch of honey.
Enjoy the dressing right away over your favorite salad ingredients. It pairs well with spinach or spicy arugula, juicy tomatoes, crisp apples or pears, baked chicken, salmon, and more.
No-Blender option
If you want to skip the blender, finely mince the shallot and garlic and add the ingredients to a mason jar. Secure the lid and shake or whisk well until the dressing looks creamy. It won’t look quite as smooth and creamy as the blended version, but it’s still delicious!
Storage Tip: Store honey balsamic dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. It will thicken slightly and separate when chilled. Stir well before using it again.
Need more dressing recipes? Try Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Champagne Vinaigrette, or Pesto Salad Dressing.
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (see note)
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
-
Combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, 1 tablespoon of honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. Secure the lid and blend until very smooth. Taste the mixture and add another tablespoon of honey, if needed.
-
If you don’t have a blender, you can finely mince the shallot and garlic into a mason jar with a lid. (Use a microplane for a fine texture.) Add the rest of the ingredients to the jar and whisk well to combine. Or, secure the lid and shake until the dressing looks emulsifed. It won’t look quite as creamy as the blended version, but it still tastes great!
-
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The dressing will separate and may thicken when chilled. Stir well each time you use it.
Balsamic Vinegar Note: If you use vinegar aged 3 years or more, it will taste sweeter than cheaper vinegar. That is why the honey amount may vary. Use less honey if your balsamic vinegar tastes sweeter. You can always add more to taste!
Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2025 to omit two tablespoons of water. Readers reported that making the dressing too runny, and I prefer the thicker dressing consistency without it. But feel free to add it if you prefer!
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg
If you try this homemade salad dressing, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it!
