Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
This easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe uses aged balsamic, fresh basil, and a small dice of shallot whisked into a slow drizzle of oil. Five minutes from cutting board to bowl, tangy and sweet at once, and ready for any salad I am building that week.
Ingredients
- ½ peeled and small diced shallot
- 8-10 finely minced fresh basil leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the shallots, basil, mustard, sugar, and balsamic vinegar to a medium-size bowl.
- Using a whisk, whisk the ingredients together while slowly drizzling in the oil to make sure it stays emulsified.
- Finish by seasoning it with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Most home vinaigrettes split because the order is wrong. So this is the order I recommend: acid, mustard, and aromatics hit the bowl first. Oil goes in last, in a thin stream, with the whisk already moving. Stop whisking before the emulsion sets and you'll watch it break in the jar an hour later.
Slow drizzle, steady whisk: The oil should leave the bottle as a thin pencil of stream, not a glug. A fast pour breaks the emulsion before it ever sets up and the vinaigrette splits in the jar 20 minutes later.
Mind the balsamic: A syrupy bargain-bin balsamic is usually caramel color and corn syrup talking, not real grape must. Spend a few extra dollars on a bottle that lists wine vinegar and cooked grape must on the label and the whole dressing tastes better.
Use it as a marinade: Drop chicken thighs, flank steak, or pork tenderloin into a zip bag with the vinaigrette for 2 to 4 hours before grilling. The sugar caramelizes on the grates and the basil shows up on the finished plate.
Taste with what you are serving: A leaf of romaine, a slice of tomato, or a chunk of cucumber pulled through the bowl tells you more than a spoon dipped into the dressing. Adjust salt, sweet, and acid against the actual dish, not in the abstract.
Make-Ahead: I make the vinaigrette up to 3 days ahead. The basil will fade past day two, so a fresh batch the day of a dinner party is the better call when the basil is the loudest note on the plate.
How to Store: Refrigerate in an airtight jar or squeeze bottle for up to 7 days. Pull the jar out 15 to 20 minutes before serving and shake or whisk it back to one consistent pour.
How to Freeze: I skip the freezer. The dressing breaks on the thaw and the basil turns dark and bitter.
Nutrition
Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg