Balsamic and Mustard Vinaigrette

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/23/22
Balsamic and Mustard Vinaigrette

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Servings: 8 servings

This balsamic and mustard vinaigrette takes less than five minutes to prepare, and it makes a fabulous dressing for almost any tossed salad. The balsamic vinegar gives the vinaigrette a sweetness, while the mustard adds a spicy, pungent flavor. 

When you dress a salad, use just enough to highlight and flavor; don't add too much vinaigrette or the lettuce will be soggy, and the ingredients will be overpowered by the dressing. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Balsamic and Mustard Vinaigrette ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Combine all ingredients—oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper—in a jar. Cover and shake until well blended. Alternatively, you can use a whisk or electric blender to combine the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings.

    Balsamic and Mustard Vinaigrette ingredients combined in a jar

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Serve with salads or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Shake again before using.

    Balsamic and Mustard Vinaigrette with a salad

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Tips

  • When building your salad, you can use almost any vegetable with this dressing. But don't forget to consider including a crumbled cheese, like blue or goat, and crunchy nuts such as walnuts or chopped almonds. These flavors work really well with the balsamic and mustard in the dressing.
  • This all-purpose vinaigrette is not only perfect for a salad but is also delicious as a marinade for chicken or steak. And after the meat is grilled, try drizzling the dressing over the chicken or steak before serving for added flavor. The next time you make a pasta salad, grab this vinaigrette—it is an ideal match for sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, and olives; throw the grilled chicken in there for a complete meal.

Recipe Variations

  • A good-quality balsamic vinegar will be rather sweet, but if your vinegar is not very sweet, add a little sugar or brown sugar to the dressing to reach the desired taste. For added flavor, sprinkle in a little dried leaf basil or Italian seasoning to the mixture. You can also include finely chopped fresh parsley. 

How to choose balsamic vinegar?

You may be a bit overwhelmed when you look at the grocery store shelves filled with bottles of balsamic vinegar. From the drastic price differences to all of the information on the labels, it can be confusing. Once you learn how balsamic vinegar is classified, however, your choice will become clear. Balsamic vinegar is divided into three grades: Traditional, commercial grade, and condiment grade. In order for a vinegar to be considered traditional, it must be produced in specific regions of Italy, must age for a significant amount of time, and be made with certain grape varieties. This is the most expensive type of balsamic. Commercial grade can be made anywhere, including the United States, and will have color, thickener, and flavor added. Condiment grade kind of falls in between—it hasn't been made under the strict regulations of traditional but has been produced with more time and care than commercial grade.


Nutrition Facts (per serving)
190 Calories
20g Fat
2g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 190
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 186mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 16mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)