Elevate your salads, grain bowls, and roasted vegetables with this Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette. With just 6 simple ingredients, you can have this homemade salad dressing ready in under 5 minutes!
This easy balsamic maple salad dressing is made with minimal pantry staple ingredients and can be paired with a variety of delicious salad recipes.
Buying store-bought dressings is convenient but once you learn how fast and easy it is to make your own dressings, there's no turning back.
Some homemade dressings require a blender or various fresh herbs, spices, and more. But not this one.
Simply combine a few basic pantry staples together and you'll end up with a sweet and tangy vinaigrette that tastes way better than store-bought.
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Ingredients
If you're in need of a quick and easy salad dressing, this balsamic vinaigrette with maple syrup is the one for you!
In just 5 minutes, you can whip up this sweet and tangy dressing that is the perfect balance of maple syrup, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and garlic.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is the best oil to use when making salad dressings because it has the most flavor.
Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar is both sweet and sour. It's bright and tangy which pairs well with the maple syrup.
Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup is best!
Dijon Mustard: Tangy Dijon mustard complements the sweet maple syrup and helps emulsify our dressing so it's creamy. Please note that not all Dijon mustard is vegan but there are vegan-friendly varieties available.
Garlic and Shallot: Finely mince the garlic and shallot or use a microplane.
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful Equipment
This homemade dressing recipe comes together using minimal equipment.
Use a bowl and a whisk or add all the ingredients to a jar with a lid and give it a good shake.
If you're using a jar, you'll need to make sure you have one with a tight-fitting lid. I use this mason jar and love it!
How to Make This Recipe
Whipping up this vegan maple balsamic vinaigrette is a breeze, with just two straightforward steps.
The outcome is a perfectly balanced dressing that brings together creaminess, tanginess, sweetness, and savory goodness in every bite.
The full recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, minced shallot, minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper in a small bowl or in a jar with a lid.
Step 2: Give it a whisk or a vigorous shake. Taste and adjust to your preference.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight jar for up to a week.
Note: If your salad dressing separates, just give it a vigorous shake prior to serving.
Substitutions & Variations
Making your own salad dressings at home lets you play around with different flavors and ingredients, so you can customize it to your liking and pair it perfectly with all sorts of dishes.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil will bring the most flavor but you can use regular olive oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil as well. The flavor will be different.
Maple Syrup: Agave syrup will work in replace of maple syrup.
Dijon Mustard: You can use spicy brown mustard or stone ground mustard. See more alternatives in my article Dijon Mustard Substitutes.
Balsamic Vinaigrette: Apple cider vinegar can be used but it would alter the flavor.
Garlic: If you don't want to add raw garlic, you can use garlic powder.
Add-Ins: Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley would be delicious.
Serving Ideas
Feel free to experiment and use this vegan salad dressing in various creative ways that suit your taste and preference.
Salad: Drizzle this maple balsamic salad dressing over a simple green salad or try it with arugula, apples, cucumber, and dried cranberries.
Roasted Vegetables: Drizzle over roasted vegetables like carrots, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and red onions.
Tofu: Use this simple vinaigrette as a marinade for tofu then grill or bake it until golden. Serve on a bed of mixed greens, along with avocado, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled vegan feta cheese.
Grain Bowls: Drizzle over grain bowls for added flavor. Combine cooked farro or brown rice, roasted vegetables, baked tofu, and a handful of fresh herbs.
Sandwich Spread: Toss veggies like cucumber, onion, and romaine lettuce in this balsamic vinaigrette and use on sandwiches or wraps.
Tips & Tricks
The process of combining oil and vinegar to form a creamy mixture is known as emulsifying. There are three methods to achieve this: whisking the ingredients in a bowl, shaking them in a jar, or blending them together in a blender.
If your salad dressing separates, just give it a vigorous shake prior to serving.
Taste and adjust: Always taste your vinaigrette and adjust the flavors as needed. Add more vinegar for tanginess, more oil for smoothness, or additional seasonings for added flavor.
Storage
Store leftover maple balsamic dressing in an airtight container or airtight jar for up to a week but make sure to give it a good shake before each use.
If it has solidified, allow it to sit at room temperature or place in a warm bowl of water to speed up the process. This happens sometimes when the olive oil gets cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Simple let it sit at room temperature or place in a warm bowl of water to help it return back to normal. This sometimes happens when the olive oil gets cold.
This may seem surprising but it's not always vegan-friendly. Dijon often uses white wine in the "fining" process so that would make it not vegan. But there are vegan brands of Dijon mustard- Annie's, Sir Kensington's, 365 Whole Foods, and Primal Kitchen are vegan-friendly and delicious!
More Salad Recipes
Looking for other salad or salad dressing recipes like this? Try these:
Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating down below if you try this recipe! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more recipes and updates.
Recipe
Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- ⅓ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard see note
- 1 tablespoons Minced Shallot
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt see note
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Red Chili Flakes optional
Instructions
- Combine the balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, minced shallot, minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper in a small bowl or in a jar with a lid.
- Give it a whisk or a vigorous shake. Taste and adjust to your preference. If you want a hint of spice, add a pinch of red chili flakes.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight jar for up to a week.
Notes
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