• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Piper Cooks
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Condiments, Sauce, Dips

    Honey Balsamic Dressing with Thyme

    Published Jan 14, 2021 · by Jacqueline Piper · 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    40 shares
    Jump to Recipe Rate this recipe
    honey balsamic dressing in a mini pouring jar

    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.

    honey balsamic dressing ingredients in a blender cup with text overlay

    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 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. (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.
    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.

    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
    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
    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 and shake it or a mini blender. Use immediately.

    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 week or two. I keep mine in the fridge. It does thicken this way so I take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before I use it.

    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.

    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
    « Sweet + Spicy Chex Mix
    Spinach Salad with Apples, Feta, and Pecans »
    40 shares

    Enter your Email address to Subscribe to my Newsletter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    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

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Jacqueline Piper.

    Hi, I’m Jacqueline Piper and I’m all about the homemade because I love to make things. From 15 minute meals for your weeknight dinner to more effort for special dinners and desserts on the weekend, I’ll show you how to cook from scratch. We’ll do healthy and we’ll do delicious, everything from kale to chocolate with beautiful, fresh ingredients. Search my recipes for your cravings, because we can make it!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Cinnamon Bun Overnight Oats
    • Iced Coffee with Instant Coffee
    • Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
    • Quinoa Ground Turkey Skillet - One Pan Dinner
    • Quick & Light Brioche Buns
    • Creamy Dill Chicken

    All photography and recipes on this site are Copyright © 2022 Jacqueline Piper © PiperCooks except where stated and may not be used without permission.

    Featured on:

    Reader's Digest, Half Your Plate, NOOM, Parade.com, and Yogi Approved

    Footer

    as featured on

    ↑ back to top | Home  | About | Contact | Privacy Policy | Web Stories | How to Blog | Sign Up! for email updates | © 2022 Piper Cooks

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.