This super quick and easy homemade Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is sweet, tangy, and perfect for drizzling on all of your favorite salads!
I am so excited because this week we have the first harvest from our garden…a beautiful mesclun greens mix! I think these delicate but flavorful lettuces are best drizzled with a simple vinaigrette rather than a heavy dressing, and this Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is the perfect choice!
I LOVE salad…and good thing because there is a A LOT of lettuce in our garden right now! In addition to the mesclun, I’ve got some romaine lettuce that will be ready soon too! We’re having salad for lunch, salad with dinner, and I’m loving every single minute of it!
ISN’T SUMMER THE BEST?!?
Just look at this beautiful lettuce that was grown right in my very own backyard!!! (A green thumb I have not, so I have to give a shout out to David for being an excellent gardener!)
Lettuce this fresh and good deserves a simple, delicious, freshly made dressing!
Homemade salad dressings are so darn easy to make (and so much less expensive than the bottled stuff), I often wonder why we even bother buying them. Convenience? Come on now. This dressing has only 4 ingredients – 6 if you include salt and pepper – and literally takes less than five minutes to make!
And the taste? SOOO much better than any bottled balsamic vinaigrette I’ve ever had! It’s plenty tangy from the balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard, and the maple syrup adds sweetness to balance things out (if you want it sweeter, you can always add more maple syrup).
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- Maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Pure maple syrup is my favorite natural sweetener. Not only do I love the flavor, but we actually make our own maple syrup, so I always have some around, and I use it in everything! Get the good stuff. Pancake syrup just isn’t the same.
I don’t use extra virgin olive oil in this recipe. I think the flavor is too strong. I want the balsamic and maple to be what shines in this dressing. I use either regular or light olive oil, both of which have a more neutral flavor.
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE MAPLE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:
THAT’S IT!!!
If you don’t have a mason jar or something similar, a whisk and a bowl works too, or you could even use a blender.
The mustard is the key ingredient when it comes to the vinaigrette being nicely emulsified (fancy-schmancy word for well-combined). It will be ever-so-slightly thick and will hold together nicely for quite some time, beautifully coating your lettuce without separating.
Leftover dressing will last in the refrigerator for several weeks. The olive oil may solidify a little from the cold, so just bring it out to room temperature for a bit, give it a good shake, and you’ll be good to go!
Oh, and you could totally use this dressing as a marinade, too! It’s yummy on chicken, steak, pork, and veggies.
For an equally delicious variation, use honey instead of maple syrup for a honey balsamic vinaigrette!
I hope you try this recipe for Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil (regular or light)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until well combined.
Notes
- I do not recommend using extra virgin olive oil for this vinaigrette as the flavor can be too strong.
- You can substitute honey for the maple syrup.
- Leftover vinaigrette will last in the refrigerator for several weeks. The olive oil may solidify a little from the cold, so just bring it out to room temperature for a bit and give it a shake before serving.
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