Basil Balsamic Dressing

This Basil Balsamic Dressing is an incredibly vibrant and fresh way to add a ton of flavour to a variety of dishes. Easy to make and the perfect way to use up those fresh herbs.

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Why you should make this Basil Balsamic Dressing

If you’re looking for a simple yet flavorful way to elevate your salads, grain bowls, or roasted vegetables, this Basil Balsamic Dressing is the recipe for you! With just five basic ingredients, this dressing is incredibly easy to whip up, making it a perfect go-to for busy days or meal prep. 

The star of the show is fresh basil, which brings a vibrant note that pairs so well with the tangy richness of the balsamic vinegar. Combined with high-quality extra virgin olive oil, this dressing provides healthy fats that not only support heart health but also help your body absorb nutrients from the rest of your meal.

What makes this dressing especially appealing is its versatility. Drizzle it over summer tomatoes and mozzarella for a quick Caprese twist, toss it with a pasta salad for a light lunch, or use it as a marinade for grilled chicken or tofu. It stores well in the fridge for up to a week, making it a meal-prep staple you’ll reach for again and again. 

Whether you’re planning to get into the habit of making your own salad dressings or you just want to try something new, fresh and flavorful, this balsamic basil vinaigrette is a delicious way to upgrade your everyday meals.

Ingredients needed

Here’s what you need to make this Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Fresh basil leaves
• Dijon mustard
• Fresh garlic
• Salt
• Black pepper

Substitutions

This homemade salad dressing is pretty minimal when it comes to ingredients so there aren’t a ton of substitutions to make without altering the final result. However, here are some suggestions, if needed:

• Red wine vinegar
  • Although I highly recommend using balsamic vinegar, you can use red wine vinegar instead.
• Dried basil leaves
  • If you don’t have any fresh basil leaves, you can opt for ½-1 tbsp of dried basil. If you choose to use the dried herb, the colour, texture and overall flavour profile will be slightly different than this original recipe.
• Garlic powder
  • Instead of fresh garlic, you can use ½ tsp of garlic powder.
• Honey or maple syrup
  • To add a bit of sweetness to this dressing, you can add ½-1 tsp of honey or maple syrup.

How to make Basil Balsamic Dressing

It’s incredibly easy to whip up this dressing. All you have to do is:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend on high for 20-30 seconds. 
2. Make sure all of the basil leaves have been pureed into the dressing and blend again if necessary, until fully incorporated.
3. Alternatively, you could add the ingredients to a bowl and use an immersion blender to combine it all.
4. Pour the dressing over your favourite salads, bowls, pasta or roasted vegetables and enjoy!

I have made recommendations on the best way to store this dressing, below.

Storing the dressing

Once the dressing is made, I recommend transferring it to an airtight container like a mason jar and keeping it in the fridge. The dressing will stay good for up to 1 week.

Depending on the temperature of your fridge, you may notice that the olive oil begins to solidify slightly when refrigerated. To emulsify the dressing after this:

• Bring the dressing to room temperature. You can do this by taking it out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before you’re ready to serve it. Alternatively, you can microwave it in 5-7 second increments, stirring in between to distribute the heat better.
• Shake or whisk the dressing vigorously to recombine the ingredients. You may need to use an electric whisk or an immersion blender if the dressing still contains some chunks of hardened oil.
• Make sure you do a taste test after the dressing has been in the fridge and re-emulsified. Feel free to adjust any of the flavours as needed.
• I would recommend holding off on pouring this dressing on any food that you plan to have as leftovers (unless it’s being used as a marinade), so that it doesn’t get soggy over time. You can add the dressing right before you’re ready to eat it.

What to pair it with

There are countless ways to use this dressing and foods to pair it with. Here are a few of my favourite:

• This recipe was originally developed when I was creating an orzo pasta salad for the summer. So pouring this dressing over pasta, quinoa, rice or other grain salads is an excellent idea!
• Lean into the fresh summer produce and drizzle this dressing over fresh tomato slices and mozzarella.
• You can also use it as a way to add flavour and healthy fats to your favourite leafy green or bean salad.
• Use it as a marinade! In a sealable bag or airtight container, pour the dressing over raw chicken breasts or thighs, tofu or portobello mushrooms. Allow them to soak in the dressing for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. Then cook as preferred! You could then chop up the chicken and make a tasty chicken salad for easy lunches throughout the week.
• Try my air fryer roasted vegetables and use this dressing instead of the maple balsamic dressing.
• Instead of plain olive oil and vinegar as a dip for bread, use this recipe! The bread will soak up all the flavour and really elevate this classic appetizer.

Dietary considerations

This recipe is already vegetarian, vegan*, gluten free, dairy free and nut free. No need to make any adjustments.

*However, if you choose to use honey instead of maple syrup as a sweetener in the dressing, this will result in a dressing that is NOT vegan.

If you make this Basil Balsamic Dressing, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutritionkitchen!