This Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette has big flavor and is one of our favorite summer salad dressings. Fresh basil flavor permeates the vinaigrette, along with garlic, shallot and sweet balsamic vinegar.
This dressing is perfect for a fresh summer salad, but it's delicious all year long. There's plenty of bold flavor in this balsamic basil vinaigrette, meaning it's at home simply spooned over fresh tomatoes or on our Burrata Caprese Salad. Or try it drizzled on our Burrata Bruschetta appetizer.
I'll also show you how to make this both whisked by hand for a more rustic salad dressing, or blended into a smooth sauce using an immersion blender.
We love a simple salad dressing, try some of our other favorites:
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Ingredients that Matter
This vinaigrette has a handful of staple ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- Balsamic Vinegar. Use the best quality balsamic vinegar you have or can afford (and prices really skyrocket for aged balsamic), but simply use your favorite balsamic vinegar. There's no need to use the super expensive, syrupy aged balsamic.
- Basil. It wouldn't be balsamic basil vinaigrette without the basil! Use fresh basil leaves and slice it super thin (this is called chiffonade) or add whole if using an immersion blender. Simply roll the leaves up together tightly then thinly slice. Note that the basil will turn dark green or even black as it oxidizes, so if you want a vibrant green color in your dressing, slice it just before serving.
- Olive Oil. Use your favorite olive oil (extra-virgin olive oil or a lighter vegetable oil is fine, too). If possible, choose a fruity oil.
- Mustard. We prefer Dijon mustard in our dressings. Mustard is an emulsifier, meaning it will help hold the oil and vinegar together in a cohesive sauce.
- Shallot. Some finely chopped shallot adds a hint of sweet onion flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic. One clove of grated garlic is plenty to add a good amount of garlic flavor to the dressing.
- Maple or Honey (optional). Add a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey if you want to enhance the natural sweetness of balsamic vinegar.
See recipe card for quantities.
Simple Whisked Balsamic Basil Vinaigrette
Making a homemade vinaigrette is a great way to add lots of flavor to your salads, and once you learn the basics you'll be able to play with the flavors. Plus, there's no need to buy store-bought dressing when you can make your own and control the salt and sugar levels. Here's how to simply use a whisk to create a rustic dressing.
The first step in making a vinaigrette is whisking together the emulsifier (in this case, mustard) with the vinegar and any flavorings (shallots and garlic). Also, now is the time to add the salt as it will melt into the vinegar. Salt has a harder time mixing into oil. Give this mixture a whisk until smooth.
Next, continue whisking vigorously while slowly pouring in the oil. Try to pour the oil straight through the whisk. This will help the oil break up into small globules and emulsify into the vinegar easier. At this point you can add anything that will get stuck in the whisk (in this recipe, that's the basil). Add the basil at the end to make emulsifying the dressing easier.
Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette with Immersion Blender
Using an immersion blender the ingredients together will create a smooth, almost creamy sauce. Here's how to do it:
Add the mustard, shallot, garlic, vinegar, salt and basil together in a wide-mouth jar. Use a handheld immersion blender and pulse a few times to start breaking down the ingredients.
Next, run the blender and stir until the ingredients are well blended.
With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil.
Continue to blend until well combined and slightly creamy. You can also make this recipe in a food processor or regular blender following these instructions.
Adam's Pro Tip
At this point the dressing is ready. But don't stop until you taste it. Now adjust the seasoning, add any extra flavorings (like black pepper) and add more oil or vinegar depending on your personal preference. We like our vinaigrettes fairly acidic, so add more oil in case you don't want it so assertive. My ratio of oil for this recipe is 2:1 rather than a traditional 3:1, hence its bright, tangy flavor.
Variations
There are plenty of ways to mix up the flavor of this balsamic dressing. Here are some ideas:
- Spicy - Add some heat to that vinaigrette with a pinch of cayenne pepper. Or, sub in a spicy mustard.
- More Garlic - Add as much fresh garlic as you'd like, or even use garlic powder, if that's all you have available.
- Citrus - If you want more of a citrus vinaigrette, try subbing in lemon juice for half the balsamic. This recipe calls for ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, so use 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- No Alliums- Some people have sensitivities to alliums like garlic and shallots, especially raw. They sure are delicious, but can cause indigestion. Feel free to leave these ingredients out if needed.
- Vinegar - Swap in white balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar, if desired.
Equipment
Be sure to have a good whisk in your home kitchen. We like this OXO Good Grips 11-inch Balloon Whisk. We also like to have some measuring cups that are easy to pour, like these OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cups.
Serving Suggestions
This dressing is tasty on a simple side salad with greens and tomatoes, but you can also make our Peach and Goat Cheese Salad for fresh summer flavor. It's also a great marinade for grilled chicken. Simply pour the dressing over some chicken and marinate for a few hours or up to overnight.
Or try the vinaigrette drizzled over a grain bowl or a dip for crusty bread. It also makes a great dressing for a pasta salad.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container like a mason jar in the refrigerator. If stored properly it will keep for up to 5 days. We don't recommend freezing this dressing. Give it a good shake before using it.
FAQ
Drizzle basil balsamic vinaigrette over a simple side salad, caprese, bruschetta, grilled chicken or a grain bowl.
Yes! Try marinating chicken, beef or pork in the dressing for a few hours or overnight. Drain and pat dry before cooking the marinated meats.
More Sauces
Looking for other sauces and dressings like this? Try these:
Salads
We love a good salad. Try this vinaigrette with these salads:
Recipe
Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5 min.
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
Description
This Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette has big flavor and is one of our favorite salad dressings. Fresh basil flavor permeates the vinaigrette, along with garlic, shallot and sweet balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. minced shallots (from 1 medium shallot)
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. table salt, plus more as desired
- ½ cup olive oil, plus more as desired
- ½ cup lightly packed basil leaves
Instructions
- Whisk together the balsamic, shallots, garlic, mustard and salt in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk vigorously.
- Pack the basil leaves together tightly and roll into a log. Thinly slice to chiffonade. Stir basil into the dressing. Adjust seasoning and oil, as desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Using an Immersion Blender
- Add all the ingredients except the oil to a wide-mouth jar. Use an immersion blender and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Run the blender and stir until the ingredients are well blended.Â
- With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Continue to blend until smooth and slightly creamy. Follow these same steps to make this recipe in an regular blender or a small food processor.
Notes
- Try Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette on a simple side salad with greens and tomatoes, or drizzled over caprese, bruschetta or a grain bowl.
- Serve the dressing as a dip for crusty bread.
- Use the dressing as a marinade for chicken, beef or pork.
- Adjust the seasoning after the dressings sits for a few minutes.
- Add more oil if the dressing is too acidic
- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 0 min.
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Whisking
- Cuisine: American
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