Mason Jar Balsamic Vinaigrette
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A go-to balsamic vinaigrette recipe, a classic salad dressing recipe to make from scratch in seconds — just add pantry ingredients including olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and Dijon mustard to a glass jar and shake it up!
I have a handful of favorite dressings for that I use over and over in my salad recipes. And a classic balsamic vinaigrette is in the top five, for sure.
Even though I’ve been mixing up balsamic vinaigrettes for years, I spent some time testing to get my perfect ratio of acidity, sweetness, salt and fat.
This vinaigrette tastes perfectly balanced and comes together almost instantly. That’s the beauty of shaking salad dressing in a jar.
Early in my cooking career in restaurant kitchens, I became somewhat of an expert at making salad dressings. I worked the garde manger station (the section of the kitchen that prepares salads and cold dishes) and one of my daily tasks was making salad dressings, mayonnaise and other sauces by the gallon — not to mention tossing SO MANY dinner salads to order.
I learned that the secret to tasty salad dressings is all about balancing the ingredients to find the “sweet spot.” You’ll know you’ve hit it when your tastes buds say WOW!
About the ingredients
Gather these pantry staples to make this delicious homemade dressing recipe. It beats any store-bought vinaigrette by a mile.
- Balsamic vinegar: Unlike other vinegars, this sweet Italian elixir isn’t made from wine. It’s actually a cooked, concentrated juice from the white Trebbiano grapes, aged in wood barrels. It’s worth stocking a good, affordable aged balsamic in your pantry. It’s my recommendation for this vinaigrette. You’ll notice immediately that it has a thicker, more syrupy texture than unaged balsamic. Be sure not to get anything labeled balsamic “glaze” which is a type of artificially sweetened syrup.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use your best everyday olive oil, or a half-and-half mixture of extra virgin and a neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Fresh garlic: Nothing compares to the flavor of fresh garlic. You only need a small amount (about one clove) because it goes a long way. This vinaigrette isn’t machine blended or processed, so I prefer to grate the garlic on a rasp grater so it melds quickly.
- Dijon mustard: Mustard adds tanginess and also acts as the emulsifier to bind the oil and vinegar. Dijon is really the secret to keep any smooth salad dressing from separating.
- Honey: Use a mild, liquid honey or pure maple syrup to add touch of sweetness to the dressing without tasting cloying. Start with 1 tablespoon, adding more by the teaspoon to taste, if you like.
- Salt: Kosher salt or fine sea salt.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground black peppercorns taste best.
Recipe steps
You won’t need a whisk, bowl or food processor to make the vinaigrette, just a clean glass jar that has a lid. Note: If you want to make a larger batch (more than 2 cups) of dressing, it’s best to blend in a food processor or blender.
1. Measure the oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper into a glass jar with a lid. 2. Shake well for about 30 seconds, until the vinaigrette is smooth and blended.
How to use balsamic vinaigrette
- Of course, balsamic vinaigrette is great for everyday salads. It’s best on sturdy greens like romaine, and perfect on radicchio salad with blue cheese and walnuts.
- Balsamic vinaigrette pairs well with fruits, too (be sure to leave out the garlic). Try it with a strawberry salad, or sliced peaches with goat cheese.
- Use the dressing as a marinade for chicken or veggies, or in a pasta salad.
Mason Jar Balsamic Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, smooth or grainy
- ½ teaspoon grated or very finely chopped fresh garlic, about 1 small clove
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Yield: 1 cup vinaigrette
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, Dijon, salt and pepper in a glass jar.
- Secure the lid. Shake well to combine, about 30 seconds. The dressing should look smooth and emulsified. Taste the vinaigrette and add more honey, salt and pepper to taste, if you like.
- Shake the vinaigrette a few times to blend before using.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- The recipe can be doubled or tripled — be sure to use a larger capacity jar, 16-24 ounces.
- The dressing keeps up to 5 days, refrigerated — if kept much longer, the garlic begins to ferment and will taste “off” or stale. If you want the vinaigrette to last longer in the fridge, mix it up without the garlic, and add fresh garlic when ready to serve your salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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Loved it!! I used the honey; after emulsifying the ingredients it needed something so I added a little maple syrup…Wow! It took it to another level for me. Thanks so much for this recipe
I’m happy you liked it! Maple syrup is never a bad idea 🙂