Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is a healthy, flavorful dressing that comes together in just 2 minutes with a few ingredients. Made with real maple syrup, this vinaigrette adds bold flavor to your favorite salad or veggies, and can be used as a marinade.
Maple balsamic vinaigrette is a versatile dressing that dresses up the simplest salads! This dressing is tangy and sweet and pairs especially well with salads that have sliced apple, pear, figs, or protein, like cheese, shrimp, chicken, or steak. You can even drizzle it on grilled or roasted vegetables, like Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Carrots.
This vinaigrette is more economical and tastes better than store-bought dressing. It's easily scalable, whether you need to dress a small salad or make a batch for a couple of weeks. It's also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
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About Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Taste - The combination of balsamic, maple, and dijon is uniquely rich and tangy.
- Texture - The maple balsamic dressing is light and airy.
- Effort - All you need to do is whisk the ingredients then add it to your meal.
- Time - It takes just a couple minutes to mix the ingredients together.
Ingredients
- Balsamic vinegar - Balsamic vinegar is a rich, concentrated vinegar from Italy. It has a syrupy texture and a dark, bold flavor.
- Real maple syrup - Maple syrup provides a light sweetness to the dressing. We recommend grade A or B real maple syrup. Do not use pancake syrup, as they are not the same thing!
- Dijon mustard - Dijon mustard is an emulsifier that adds a tangy and sharp flavor. Use creamy or whole grain dijon.
- Freshly ground black pepper - Black pepper adds a little spice.
- Lemon juice - Lemon juice brightens the dressing.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil is the base of the vinaigrette.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Aged balsamic vinegar - Use aged balsamic vinegar for a richer and more complex balsamic flavor.
- Honey - Replace maple syrup with honey if you prefer a lighter and more floral sweetness.
- Honey mustard - You can use honey mustard instead of dijon for a slightly sweeter and less tangy mustard.
- Lime juice - Use lime juice if you prefer the taste of limes to lemons.
- Orange juice - Replace lemon juice with orange juice to add a sweeter citrus flavor.
Variations
- Garlic - Add minced garlic for a pungent and classic aromatic flavor.
- Thyme - Thyme adds a minty and earthy accent.
- Oregano - Add a dash of oregano for extra herbaceous flavor.
Instructions
- Whisk ingredients - In a bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until combined. Slowly add in oil and whisk until the dressing is emulsified. If you have trouble whisking, add the ingredients to a jar and give it a good shake until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Refrigerate then serve - Store in an airtight container or lidded jar and refrigerate. Shake before serving.
Pro tip: This salad dressing recipe creates enough dressing for 1 large salad, but you can make a bigger batch and store it if you want to use it for other dishes.
What to Serve with Maple Vinaigrette
We usually enjoy this vinaigrette with as a salad dressing for Peach Arugula Salad with Prosciutto and Burrata, Pear and Rocket Salad, Flank Steak Salad, or pasta salad. The vinaigrette is also perfect for drizzling over an appetizer like Burrata Caprese.
Recipe FAQs
No, Balsamic vinegar only contains grape must. On the other hand, balsamic vinaigrette usually contains balsamic vinegar, oil, and sugar. If you want a super simple salad dressing, balsamic vinegar is a great option.
Sometimes dressings can solidify in the fridge because of the olive oil. If this happens, just let the dressing it temper for 20 minutes before remixing it and using it.
Yes! All of the ingredients in this recipe are gluten free.
Equipment
This balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing calls for just a few common kitchen essentials, including measuring spoons, a mixing bowl, and a whisk to mix.
Storage
Store this easy maple syrup dressing in the refrigerator in an air-tight container up to 2 weeks. Before using it again, shake it reaches its original consistency. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tip
- Use a high quality balsamic vinegar to ensure a richly flavored dressing.
- If you don't have a mixing bowl, you can add the ingredients to a glass jar or bottle and shake to make the dressing.
- Try to use all room temperature ingredients, especially the oil. If the oil is too cold, the dressing may not emulsify.
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Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Whisk ingredients - In a bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until combined. Slowly add in oil and whisk until the dressing is emulsified. If you have trouble whisking, add the ingredients to a jar and give it a good shake until the ingredients are incorporated.3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoon dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, Squeeze of lemon juice, 4 tablespoon olive oil
- Refrigerate then serve - Store in an airtight container or lidded jar and refrigerate. Shake before serving.
Notes
- Use a high quality balsamic vinegar to ensure a deliciously flavored dressing.
- If you don't have a mixing bowl, you can add the ingredients to a glass jar or bottle and shake to combine.
- Try to use all room temperature ingredients, especially the oil. If the oil is too cold, the dressing may not emulsify.
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