Creamy Balsamic Dressing

This Creamy Balsamic Dressing is thick and delicious, without using mayonnaise! All you need is a few simple, good quality ingredients and one standard kitchen tool!

Use this addicting dressing on salads, of course, but also as a dip for vegetables or drizzled over your favorite sandwich like this Italian Ciabatta Chicken Sandwich!

The BEST Balsamic Dressing Recipe!

Bold, I know. But it’s taken us a long time to get this Creamy Balsamic Dressing recipe on the site because we needed to make sure it was perfect. And it’s perfect. We use this balsamic dressing on our giant chopped salads, as a dip for veggies and drizzled on our favorite sandwiches.

The best part is that there’s no mayonnaise involved! And we’re big mayo fans, you guys. But this balsamic dressing gets thick and creamy by using your trusty kitchen blender. Just a few seconds is all you need – and it stays that way for a long time.

If the dressing separates a bit while in the fridge, just give it a good shake or whiz it back up in the blender for a few seconds. We actually use our Nutri-Bullet to make this dressing all the time, so don’t think that you need a big fancy blender to make this!

Ingredients to Make This Balsamic Dressing Recipe

Just a few simple, but good quality ingredients is all you need to have this creamy balsamic dressing on hand in your fridge at all times!

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: These brands here are just what we had on hand, you can use whatever extra virgin olive oil you like! Just make sure it is EVOO so you get the fruity, delicious flavor of extra virgin olive oil.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Use a good quality balsamic vinegar, like a kind from the Modena or Reggio Emilia regions. We use this balsamic vinegar from Modena that we get at our local club store and it’s so much better than most balsamic vinegars. It’s deliciously sweet and thicker than most of the balsamic vinegars that you find in the grocery store that aren’t from those regions. I’m not talking balsamic glaze here, just a good quality balsamic vinegar that shouldn’t cost you much more than you’re used to paying, just knowing which ones to buy is the trick!
• Garlic: You can use fresh garlic or garlic paste in a tube like we have here; both options work great. We love using the garlic paste for sauces or dressing recipes so you don’t end up with chunks, but the blender should take care of that, too!
• Dijon Mustard: Mustard acts as an emulsifier to help bind the dressing together and keep it together. Dijon mustard is our go-to for this creamy balsamic dressing but if you have a different mustard on hand that will work too.
• Dried Herbs: Oregano and basil add a delicious Italian flavor to this balsamic dressing!

How Long Does This Dressing Last In The Refrigerator?

At least five days, but you could even stretch it a day or two longer. The dressing will start to separate after sitting in the refrigerator, but all you need to do is shake it back up or add it back to a blender.

Just make sure that you’re storing the dressing in a sealed container, salad cruet or a mason jar to keep it fresh. We go through so much of this dressing that it’s never really a problem, even when we make a double batch!

Variations

This salad dressing recipe can be used with a lot of different kinds of vinegar besides balsamic. Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar will all work.

If you’re using apple cider vinegar, you might want to add a little more honey to the dressing, as it is more tart in flavor.

You can also try adding different herbs like rosemary, parsley, dill and thyme. Fresh or dried will both work!

Ways TO Use This Balsamic Dressing

Of course we’re pouring this balsamic dressing all over our salads, but there’s also a lot of different ways that we use this dressing, too!

• Drizzle over grilled chicken, steak or fish
• Use as a marinade for chicken or steak
• A dip for vegetables
• Drizzle on sandwiches
• Toss with roasted vegetables (especially potatoes)
• Make a no-mayo chicken salad

Can I Add Mayonnaise To This Dressing?

After blending, this homemade dressing is super thick and creamy – just wait until you try it! But if you really want to kick up the creaminess, you can definitely add a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Using mayonnaise will add flavor, and also help to keep the dressing emulsified much like the mustard does. So adding mayonnaise to this balsamic dressing recipe is completely up to you, it’s delicious both ways!

Looking For More Dressing Recipes?

• Homemade Creamy Caesar Dressing
• Easy Creamy Salsa Dressing
• Warm Bacon Dressing
• Dill Pickle Salad Dressing

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