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    Home » Recipes » Condiments, Sauce, Dips

    Honey Balsamic Dressing with Thyme

    Published Oct 4, 2022 · by Jacqueline Piper · 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    50 shares
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    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest

    Making a balsamic vinaigrette at home is super easy and takes only 5 minutes. For this Honey Balsamic Dressing just add the oil, vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper in a jar and shake! It's that easy to make salad dressing at home.

    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar

    Use the table of contents below to jump to any section of this blog post. You can also use the jump to recipe link above to get right to the recipe card.

    Jump to:
    • Making a vinaigrette is easy
    • Ingredients
    • Is it easy to make salad dressing?
    • Basic Vinaigrette Recipe Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Why you should make your own salad dressing
    • Is balsamic vinegar the same as balsamic dressing?
    • More Salad Recipes
    • More Salad Dressing Recipes
    • Recipe

    Making a vinaigrette is easy

    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, and easy to throw together. You can whisk it in a bowl, or just add everything to a jar and shake it.

    The zippy flavor of this balsamic dressing brings a salad to life and goes especially well with my favorite spinach salad with apples, feta, and pecans.

    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.

    Ingredients

    About the ingredients for this recipe. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

    honey balsamic dressing ingredients in a blender cup with text overlay

    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 like 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 and 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

    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.

    Basic Vinaigrette Recipe Instructions

    Prep Tips

    • grab a jar with a lid, or
    • a bowl and a whisk

    The exact ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post to get right to it. Below is a quick summary of how to make this balsamic vinaigrette with step-by-step photos.

    honey balsamic dressing in a blender cup
    1. Add everything to a jar and shake to blend.
    Pouring balsamic vinaigrette on a salad.

    2. Add to your salad.

    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 â…“ 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. 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.

    RECIPE TIP: If you make a big batch, make sure to mix the dressing well before adding it to your salad.

    Substitutions

    ✔ This recipe is vegetarian.

    > To make this recipe vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey.

    Equipment

    You can use a bowl and whisk, a jar with a lid, or a mini blender, like my smoothie blender jars that go with my Ninja Blender System.

    Storage

    You can store this dressing on the counter briefly and then in the fridge.

    After storing it in the fridge, the oil will solidify at least somewhat. Remove it from the fridge 20 minutes before using and let sit on the counter. Give it a good mix or shake before using.

    Why you should make your own salad dressing

    You'll love these benefits of making homemade dressing

    • because it is 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.
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar

    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.

    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

    Recipe

    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar

    Honey Balsamic Dressing

    Jacqueline Piper
    5 from 2 votes
    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.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Servings 12

    Ingredients
      

    • â…“ cup balsamic vinegar
    • 1 cup olive oil (light or virgin*)
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
    • pinch salt and pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Add all ingredients to a container and mix. You can use a bowl and whisk, a jar with a lid or a mini blender.
    • Use immediately or store in the fridge.

    Notes

    Notes – Remix before every use.
    Substitutions – I use extra virgin olive because I like its bold flavor. You might want to try a light olive oil the first time you make this.
    Storage – You can keep this, covered, on your counter for a few hours. After this, store it in the fridge. It does thicken in the fridge, so remove it from the fridge 20 minutes before using and then mix well.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 2gFat: 18gSugar: 2g

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.

    Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
    Keyword balsamic and honey, easy homemade dressing, homemade staples, honey and thyme
    Have you tried a recipe? Tag @pipercooksblog or tag #pipercooksblog!

    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.

    This post was originally posted on January 14, 2021, and updated on October 4, 2022, for clearer information and nutrition information.

    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest

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    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar with text overlay for Pinterest

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    1. Lee Bear

      May 15, 2022 at 12:04 pm

      Excellent!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Piper

        May 17, 2022 at 10:32 am

        Thank you! I'm happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂

        Reply

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