This Easy Maple Balsamic Dressing will take your salads to the next level! It uses simple pantry ingredients and takes less than five minutes. Just add ingredients for this homemade vinaigrette to a small Mason jar and shake!
This easy Maple Balsamic Dressing has been topping our salads for years. It's so delicious that I finally decided it deserved a place of its own here on the blog!
Just like my other favourites, my Everyday Honey-Citrus Salad Dressing, Hollyhock Nutritional Yeast Dressing and this sensational Sesame Miso Vinaigrette, this Maple Balsamic Dressing is always in my regular rotation!
It's quick to make, needs no special equipment, and you can feel good about serving it. Making your own dressings and vinaigrettes means you can keep them free of additives and added sugar, and you can choose a quality oil for their base. If you're considering switching to making homemade salad dressings regularly, see How to Make Homemade Salad Dressing.
Balsamic vinegar has a powerful flavour, so you don't need much of this dressing to enhance your salads. It is rich and smooth and aromatic, adding just the right amount of tartness to this maple-balsamic vinaigrette.
🛒 Ingredients
- a shallot: brings a pungent flavour to this vinaigrette
- balsamic vinegar: the best quality you can afford!
- maple syrup: pure, (not pancake syrup) for a mellow sweetness
- Dijon mustard: a tiny bit adds a little zest
- lemon juice: freshly squeezed is best. Even a small amount adds bright notes to this dressing
- olive oil: extra virgin
- salt and pepper: just a little, to your taste
🥄 Instructions
- Mince the shallot.
- Measure the remaining ingredients.
- Add all ingredients to a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake, shake, shake!
How to Store
Refrigerate leftover maple-balsamic dressing. Remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before serving and shake to re-emulsify it.
🔁 Possible Variations
It's easy to double or triple this recipe. Once you taste it, you'll wish you had!
Make it creamy! If you prefer a creamier dressing, whisk in one or two tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt. Taste as you go.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This maple balsamic vinaigrette will enhance any salad. We like it on this Winter Persimmon Kale Salad and on Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries and Pecans.
It also makes a delicious dressing for cooked shrimp or chicken. Try it on your favourite pasta salad, too!
If you make this easy Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette, let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment and a rating below.
Easy Maple Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp shallot, minced
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until well emulsified.
- Store in the refrigerator. Remove 30 minutes before serving and shake well.
Nutrition
Cathy Bhandar says
HI Elaine.
I have made a version of this recipe for years and love it.
Mine has crushed garlic instead of shallot and no lemon juice.
I found if I eliminated the garlic I could leave it in my cupboard.
I always would forget to take it out early to warm up to mix the ingredients.
I will try adding lemon juice though.
Thanks for all the great ideas.
Flavour & Savour says
Great idea, Cathy! The lemon juice just adds a little brightness! Thanks for commenting!