A few months ago I visited the kitchen of a reader, Lilian, and shot this kitchen tour. Lilian served me a really fabulous vegetable-centric lunch, including a salad with a perfectly balanced balsamic vinaigrette. I mentioned at the time that it was turning into a favorite salad dressing, but I just had to report back and say: It still is a favorite, and I keep a big jar of it around all the time now. It's my favorite balsamic vinaigrette, and here's why.
It's not hard to make a balsamic vinaigrette; you just whisk a bit of balsamic vinegar together with olive oil. This is tasty on its own, but often people use too much vinegar and the dressing ends up harsh. I am always trying to find just the right balance.
But this dressing goes a step beyond the basic and adds honey, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper for a more balanced dressing. It's ultra quick and easy to make, and the recipe makes a big batch.
I really appreciate the extra touch of sweetness in this dressing; I think the honey and the garlic balance out the acidity that can overwhelm in some balsamic dressings.
Which brings me to the real advantage here (and this goes for any homemade salad dressing!) — keeping a big jar of this stuff in the fridge helps me to eat salads every day. Knowing that I have a truly yummy dressing ready in the fridge makes me look forward to my lunch salad with an extra bit of anticipation!
Get the recipe: Balsamic Vinaigrette at Chinese Grandma
See Lilian's kitchen tour: Lilian's Sunlit Kitchen
What's your favorite recipe for homemade salad dressing?
Related: Way Beyond Ranch: 15 Fresh Ideas for Salad Dressing
(Images: Faith Durand)
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yup, that's my dad's recipe too. always good.
thanks, faith! i'm delighted to know the vinaigrette has found a home in your kitchen. i use it every day and never tire of it.
loving the new kitchn! no idea how you do it all.
do stop by if you are ever out my way - there's always hot tea in my sunny kitchen. =)
Oh, that's roughly the same as mine - except I don't use mustard very often, and the crushed garlic is, er, generally out of a jar. I've also just switched to using honey instead of sugar. It's very nice!
I do much the same except without any added sweetener; for me the balsamic is plenty sweet on its own (I am not a big fan of sweet stuff in general).
This looks great, but how can it store indefinitely with the addition of the garlic? Would two weeks be safe?
kariwk - the honey and mustard are for flavor but also help greatly in holding the emulsion.
ek76 - honey and vinegar are both natural preservatives, and i've never had the garlic go rancid. normally i cycle through a batch of vinaigrette very quickly, but occasionally i've lost track of a jar in the fridge. many weeks or even a few months later it's still good.
I love a good balsamic vinaigrette but never seem to get the proportions right so must give this recipe a go.
yum! I have always used maple syrup, but may try the honey!
this will go great with my favorite baked baby beets & arugula salad
http://www.mazamag.com/2011/12/baked-baby-beets-with-arugula/
I just bought a terrific book: Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food, from San Francisco's Bi-Rite Market, and have been making their excellent vinaigrette ever since, though I am also incorporating the two balsamic vinaigrettes here into my repertoire -- they are more refined than my usual go-tos (sorry, Cooks Illustrated). Here's the Bi-Rite recipe -- I have occasionally substituted sherry vinegar for the champagne vinegar, which also works nicely:
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar, cover tightly, and shake vigorously.
Refrigerated, it keeps for at least 2 weeks. Whisk or shake well before using; as always, be sure to taste the dressed ingredients and adjust the vinegar, lemon juice, or salt before serving.
Tip: You can also add fresh garlic, finely grated lemon or orange zest, or fresh herbs such as chives, thyme, or basil to this vinaigrette. If you do so, add them only to the portion of the dressing you're using right away, as these fresh ingredients will discolor and change flavor during storage.