Homemade Balsamic and Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

This homemade balsamic basil vinaigrette recipe has a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and herby notes, elevating your salads, veggies, and more with a touch of freshness and simple sophistication.

Homemade Fresh Basil Dressing

Get ready to jazz up your salads with this easy basil balsamic vinaigrette recipe. We’re taking classic balsamic vinaigrette dressing and kicking it up a notch. Bursting with vibrant freshness, this flavorful dressing combines the lively essence of fresh basil with the perfect balance of tanginess from balsamic vinegar.

Quick and versatile, it’s not just a dressing; it’s a flavor enhancer for salads, a marinade or finishing drizzle for grilled veggies and meats, and more. Elevate your meals with this homemade salad dressing goodness that’s sure to become a staple in your kitchen.

If you love fresh and flavorful homemade sauces and dressings, be sure to check out our easy citrus balsamic vinaigrette, tangy blueberry barbecue sauce, and our two-ingredient cranberry mustard sauce.

Ingredient Notes

Balsamic Vinegar: Go for the good stuff – a quality balsamic vinegar brings a rich, tangy flavor.

Fresh Basil Leaves: Fresh basil brings a fragrant and herbaceous note to this vinaigrette. It adds a burst of freshness that complements the other flavors.

Shallot and Garlic: Finely minced shallot and fresh garlic infuse the vinaigrette with savory depth. They provide a subtle, aromatic complexity to the dressing.

Dijon Mustard: Consider Dijon mustard as the smooth operator, seamlessly binding the components and introducing a subtle zing to the blend.

Honey: A little bit of honey is the sweet sidekick here, balancing out the tanginess with a touch of warmth.

Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce brings a savory umami quality to the vinaigrette and adds a subtle richness. It’s one of my favorite “secret” flavor enhancing ingredients. It also pairs particularly well with blue cheeses like Gorgonzola.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Choose a nice extra-virgin olive oil – it’s the canvas for all these flavors, adding a touch of richness that’ll make your vinaigrette irresistible.

*Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

What Are Common Mistakes When Making Vinaigrette?

• Not Emulsifying Properly – Whisk in oil or shake ingredients together vigorously to prevent separation. Including ingredients like Dijon mustard and honey help stabilize the mixture.
• Using Low-Quality Ingredients – Aged balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and a good quality extra virgin olive oil make a big difference in flavor.
• Unbalanced Ratio of Oil to Vinegar – Too much vinegar makes it sharp, too much oil makes it greasy. Stick to the classic 1:2 or 1:3 vinegar-to-oil ratio.
• Skipping the Taste Test – Always taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or a touch of honey for balance.
• Not Letting It Rest – If using dried herbs or garlic, let the vinaigrette sit for 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Serving Suggestions

Salad: Use it to dress green salads like our festive spinach gorgonzola salad with Pear and Pomegranate, steak and blue cheese salad, simple strawberry spring mix salad, or a classic Caprese salad.

Pasta Salad: Toss cooked pasta with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, olives, salami, and mozzarella. Coat everything in the vinaigrette for a refreshing pasta salad.

Roasted Veggies: Drizzle it over roasted veggies to enhance their natural flavors.

Chicken or Shrimp: Marinate chicken breasts or shrimp with the basil balsamic vinaigrette before grilling or baking.

Bruschetta: Top toasted baguette slices with diced tomatoes that have been combined with the vinaigrette for a quick and flavorful bruschetta appetizer. Or top grilled or baked chicken with the tomato and basil bruschetta mix.

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