Name: Creamy Balsamic Basil Vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil; ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar; ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon avocado oil mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon water; Salt and pepper, add to taste; Honey, stevia, or sweetener of choice (optional, add to taste)

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This balsamic basil vinaigrette brings together the vibrant flavors of sweet balsamic vinegar and fresh basil leaves for a simple salad dressing that will liven up any meal and certainly up your salad game.

Balsamic basil vinaigrette in a glass jar with a spoon and lemon next to it.

When fresh herbs are a plenty, there's no excuse to not use them in all your salads and salad dressings!

This basil balsamic vinaigrette is the result of excess basil, and it's just so good. Drizzle it on this Summer Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad or my Keto Steak Salad or this Pesto Steak with Tomatoes and Arugula.

Rest assured, it works well with any fresh summertime salad greens but salads are not the only dish you can use it with.

Serve it over power bowls or even this Bruschetta Chicken Bake. This vinaigrette also doubles as a great marinade for chicken and steak.

You'll appreciate the big flavor in this vinaigrette, with floral, basil notes, sweet balsamic, savory shallot and a touch of honey.

why this recipe works

Fresh basil is at its peak right now and I'm making the most of this summertime herb. Enter this fresh basil vinaigrette, now known as our new favorite salad dressing.

Simple ingredients create a delicious homemade vinaigrette that takes just a few minutes to make.

It's fresh and bright with the perfect balance of flavors- sweet, herb-y and savory.

Making your own salad dressings is also a great way to ensure you're using clean, healthy ingredients.

Many store-bought dressings include inflammatory ingredients like canola oil or other vegetable oils, added sugars, and preservatives. The best thing about homemade dressings is you have complete control over what's going into them, and they always taste 1000x better, too.

This tangy balsamic vinegar and basil vinaigrette is:

fresh, quick, and easy to prepare;
low-carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly;
the perfect make-ahead dressing that is sure to come in handy throughout the week (great for meal prep!);
easy to adapt and modify to your own taste;
a flavorful, delicious vinaigrette that will elevate salads, bowls, and more.

Basil balsamic vinaigrette on a summery salad. — Basil balsamic vinaigrette on a summer-y salad.

basil balsamic vinaigrette ingredients

Anyone who has ever made their own vinaigrette knows that the process and ingredient list could not be more simple.

The real key to a good vinaigrette is having the proper ratio of vinegar to oil. I long followed The Vinaigrette Ratio outlined by Simply Recipes, which is basically 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

When developing recipes, I usually start there and adjust accordingly, based on the added ingredients, supporting flavors, and my own taste.

This one is an example of that. You will need:

Extra-virgin olive oil. A good quality olive oil will ensure a tastier vinaigrette.
Balsamic vinegar. Tangy and sweet, balsamic vinegar gives the dressing a punchy, bold flavor. Choose one without a lot of added sugar. I usually use a dark balsamic but a white balsamic vinegar works just as well.
Fresh basil. Fresh basil leaves are key here! They'll give you the best flavor.
Fresh lemon juice. Another element that brings acid to the vinaigrette and imparts a light, lemony taste.
Shallot. Adds a light savory flavor to the dressing.
Avocado oil mayonnaise. Just a little bit will give you an extra creamy dressing. It's not entirely necessary but I like to add it in.
Salt and pepper. Season the dressing to taste with a little bit of ground black pepper and fine sea salt.
Sweetener. A little bit of honey boosts the sweetness a tad. If you want a sugar-free sweetener, you can use stevia drops, liquid allulose, or a powdered monk fruit blend (just sweeten it to taste).

Ingredients for balsamic basil vinaigrette on a white surface.

my balsamic basil vinaigrette recipe

I love blending all of the ingredients together in a large mason jar (or similar glass jar) with an immersion blender, as it creates an emulsion and will give you a creamy basil balsamic vinaigrette.

This helps prevent the vinaigrette from separating and creates a beautifully creamy dressing.

If you don't have a stick blender, you can also combine the ingredients in a small food processor, bullet blender, or by simply giving it a good shake in a lidded jar.

Here's a step-by-step of how to make it, but be sure to check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all of the details.

Overhead of fresh basil leaves in a jar for the basil vinaigrette.

Overhead shot of basil balsamic vinaigrette in a glass jar.

In a large mason jar or glass measuring cup, add the balsamic basil vinaigrette ingredients except for the salt, pepper, and sweetener.
Using an immersion blender, pulse to blend the mixture for about 15-20 seconds to create a creamy vinaigrette.
Taste and add salt, pepper, and sweetener as needed. Blend again, then serve.

tips for the best results

An immersion blender (or other kind of blender) creates an emulsion which makes this a creamy, thicker vinaigrette. If you don't have (or don't feel like using) a blender, you can also place the lid on the mason jar and shake it vigorously. Keep in mind that you will likely have to finely-chop the basil and shallot if you're using this method.
Taste and adjust! The key to good salad dressings is to adjust it to your own taste- that includes salt, pepper, sweetener, lemon juice, vinegar, etc.

variations

This salad dressing is so easy to modify based on your own taste. Here are a few other ingredients/substitutions that work:

Garlic: For an extra savory and garlicky bite, add a fresh garlic clove into the mix!
Dijon mustard: I usually add 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard to vinaigrettes and I've added it to this one, too. You don't need it but if you want a touch of that Dijon flavor, you can certainly add it in.
Avocado oil: Avocado oil is a neutral-tasting oil that's a great option for vinaigrettes. You can swap it in 1:1 if you prefer.
Vinegar: If you want to use a different type of vinegar, I recommend white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

storage

Store this vinaigrette in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for up to one week. If it does separate, you can simply blend it or shake the jar again to create the emulsion.

The vinaigrette is thicker when it's cold so I recommend letting it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.