Honey Balsamic Dressing with Thyme

Making a vinaigrette is easy

This recipe is simply delicious.

This honey balsamic dressing (a vinaigrette) is made with tangy balsamic vinegar, rich extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard to bring it all together, honey to sweeten it, and then dried thyme for a super savory flavor.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is sweet and tangy, easy to throw together it's zippy flavor and brings a salad to life, and goes especially well with a spinach salad with apples.

I'll also share the recipe below as well as how to make a honey balsamic dressing and a basic ratio for homemade vinaigrettes, and a list of more ingredients ideas to make your own vinaigrettes.

Is it easy to make salad dressing?

You can make salad dressing at home with basic ingredients and no special tools. Mix vinegar with oil and use an ingredient such as mustard to emulsify, or bring together the two ingredients. From there you can add different spices, herbs, and sweeteners to make your own flavor combinations.

What ingredients do you need to make homemade salad dressing?

• oil - you can use canola, olive oil (extra virgin or light), sunflower, peanut, or something avocado oil
• vinegar - balsamic vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar
• dijon or stone ground mustard to add flavor emulsify the mixture (to help the oil and vinegar stay as a cohesive mixture and not separate)
• herbs - fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, chives
• spices - garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin
• sweetener - sugar, honey, or maple syrup
• make it creamy like ranch dressing by adding mayo and greek yogurt in place of most of the oil

Basic Vinagrette Recipe

For a basic vinaigrette simply mix 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. The best thing about a vinaigrette ratio is that it will work no matter how small or large a recipe you want to make.

For a single salad mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with 3 tablespoons of oil and for larger salads or to keep some dressing on hand, mix together ⅓ cup of vinegar to 1 cup of oil. Scale up and down your additions like spices, herbs, mustards, and sweeteners as needed.

You can make this in a mini blender, using a bowl and whisk, or shake it in a jar with a lid. You can also skip the measuring cups and measure with the jar itself! Just estimate the ratio visually, it doesn't need to be perfect. So easy!

I like using my ninja mini blending cups for this. (Not sponsored, but affiliate linked) The blender is so powerful that my dressings come out super creamy and completely mixed together.

If making a big batch of dressing be aware that oil and vinegar will separate after some time even if you use mustard to help bring them together. Simply shake, whisk, or blend the dressing before using.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Why you should make your own salad dressing

You'll love these benefits of making homemade dressing

• because it so easy
• it'll taste way better
• no sneaky additives!
• it's healthier - no sneaky sugars either, simply sweeten lightly, to taste
• you can make whatever flavor you want
• it'll be cheaper in the long run
• no need to run to the store for a specific bottle of dressing if you keep a well-stocked cupboard - you can simply make whatever your heart desires.

Is balsamic vinegar the same as balsamic dressing?

Balsamic dressing, or a vinaigrette, is made by combining balsamic vinegar (an ingredient), a sweetener such as honey, dijon mustard, and cooking oil like olive oil. Spices and herbs can be added to customize the dressing.

Making it at home cuts out added sugars and unnecessary food additives as well as the ability to customize it to your tastes.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

More Salad Recipes

• Spinach Salad with Apples, Feta, and Pecans
• Taco Salad w/ vegetarian topping option
• Mexican Chopped Salad
• Breakfast Salad with Poached Egg

More Salad Dressing Recipes

• Avocado Cilantro Salad Dressing
• Homemade Ranch Dressing

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.