Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

This Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is a simple, go-to recipe when you need a salad dressing in a pinch. It’s made with only 3 ingredients in under 5 minutes.

This recipe is a classic vinaigrette dressing (olive oil + balsamic vinegar), but it adds in a bit of maple syrup which balances out the tart balsamic. 

For some other unique vinaigrette salad dressing recipes, try this Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette, this Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette or this Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Serving Suggestions
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 3 ingredients — You don’t need any fancy ingredients for this recipe, and you probably have everything you need on hand, ready to go. 
• Versatile — This is a pretty universal salad dressing recipe (as long as you like vinaigrettes!). It can go on a variety of salads, so it’s a great dressing to make ahead of time and have ready to use in your fridge. 
• Creamy — This dressing is surprisingly creamy, which makes it cling well to lettuce and other greens.

Ingredients

• Maple Syrup: Since maple syrup is the star ingredient in this recipe, it is important to use real maple syrup (not the fake stuff). Real maple syrup is a bit more expensive, but you only need a small quantity and it really is worth the extra cost. 
• Balsamic Vinegar: Again, use a high quality balsamic vinegar that you enjoy the taste of. 
• Olive Oil: Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. If you don’t want as strong an olive oil flavor, you can use a light olive oil instead of extra virgin.

How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette

Step 1: Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to a mason jar.

Step 2: Put on the lid and shake the dressing well for 10 to 15 seconds until it is emulsified. Pour it over your salad immediately.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many different salad recipes to go with this dressing. It works well with fruity summer salads, such as with this Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad, but the maple flavor also transitions perfectly into a fall & winter salad dressing. 

Here are some ingredients that pair well with this dressing to help you build your own salad:

• leafy greens (kale, spinach, arugula, romaine)
• goat cheese, parmesan, feta
• toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts)
• sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
• roasted squash or sweet potato
• broccoli
• carrots
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• bell peppers
• apples or pear slices
• cranberries
• pomegranates
• figs
• strawberries, blueberries or raspberries

Expert Tips

• Add in some fresh herbs. If herbs are in season and you want to add in some extra flavor, blend in a handful of fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano or rosemary. 
• Use a food processor. The fastest and simplest way to make this dressing is shaken in a mason jar. But if you want as creamy a dressing as possible, blend the ingredients in a food processor. Make sure to hold the lid of the food processor down as you do this because it can spray everywhere when there is only liquid inside. 
• Store in the fridge. Store any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. It is normal for the dressing to separate once stored. Shake it well before using.

Recipe FAQs

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