Top salads, roasted veggies, and grain bowls with this lightly sweetened Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.
Get ready for your new favorite, go-to homemade salad dressing! This honey balsamic dressing is one of my dear friend’s go-to dressings. I love to watch her make this dressing because she doesn’t use a recipe. Instead, she lets her taste buds guide her as she adjusts the ingredients until she achieves her desired flavor.
This honey dijon balsamic dressing is so versatile and pairs well with all salads – sweet and tangy! Feel free to let your taste buds be your guide and adjust the honey and/or dijon to your liking.
How To Enjoy This Dressing
I love mixing up a jar of this dressing to add flavor to meals throughout the week. Many store-bought dressings have extra ingredients and additives that aren’t necessary. Making dressing at home is quick, easy, and a great way to customize the ingredients to your own preferences.
What To Serve With Our Balsamic Honey Dressing?
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this balsamic dressing is over our Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash. The naturally sweet and nutty flavor of the acorn squash pairs beautifully with the honey dressing. The squashes are filled with a warm quinoa stuffing made with vegetables, cranberries, and pecans.
The Honey Balsamic Dressing would also be great over other fall roasted vegetables or a simple green salad. I recommend serving it over arugula to offset the greens’ naturally spicy flavor.
What You Need To Make This Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Made with only four ingredients you probably already have on hand!
- Olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- Balsamic vinegar
- Honey
A Dietitian’s Insight Into The Ingredients
I love combining my passion for food and cooking with my expertise as a dietitian. Here’s a little insight into why this honey balsamic dressing is one of my favorites from a flavor and nutrition perspective.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is the base of most Mediterranean salad dressings because it’s versatile, delicious, and nutritious. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats that are important for heart health.
Observational research shows strong associations between regular olive oil consumption and longevity. For example, the Nurses Health Study looked at over 92,000 people over a 28-year timeframe and found that the group with the greatest consumption of olive oil had a significantly lower risk of death compared to the group with the lowest consumption.
Dijon Mustard
Dijon mustard is made from mustard seeds, vinegar, water, and salt. It adds a subtle spice and bitterness to the dressing which balances the sweetness of the honey. Dijon mustard is low in calories and it is used in a small quantity in this recipe so it doesn’t significantly change the nutritional profile of this honey dijon vinaigrette.
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is a dark vinegar with a rich, tangy flavor. It adds a delicious flavor to this dressing. Balsamic vinegar is acidic so you can add more or less depending on how tangy you want your dressing. Balsamic vinegar is different from balsamic glaze, so make sure you pick up the right one.
Honey
The honey is a key component of this recipe because it balances the tangy, savory flavors with its natural sweetness. Honey is also amazing because it contains natural antibacterial properties.
Is Balsamic Vinegar Healthier Than Balsamic Vinaigrette?
Balsamic vinegar is just the vinegar component within a salad dressing. A balsamic vinaigrette is a type of salad dressing that contains balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Therefore, a balsamic vinaigrette will be higher in calories than just the vinegar because it has the addition of olive oil. Some balsamic vinaigrettes also have added sugar, so it’s worth looking at the label to know what’s included.
Both are delicious ingredients to use in a meal and healthy parts of the Mediterranean diet.
How To Prepare Our Honey Balsamic Salad Dressing
Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar. Shake until well combined and then drizzle over your meal.
Honey Balsamic Dressing
Equipment
- mason jar
Ingredients
- ½ cup Olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 Tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Place olive oil, dijon, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a mason jar. Shake to combine.
- Serve over grain bowls, roasted vegetables or salads.
Recipes To Pair With This Honey Balsamic Dressing
Serve this easy and flavorful dressing over these Fully Mediterranean recipes.
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