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    Home » Condiments & Sauces

    Creamy Balsamic Dressing (Easy, No Blender!)

    Published: Jul 8, 2021 / Updated: Mar 23, 2022 / 12 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This creamy balsamic dressing recipe is thick, tangy, and a nice balance of savory and sweet. It's ready in about 10 minutes! 

    Can't get enough balsamic flavors? Try this Balsamic Spinach Bacon Mushroom Chicken.

    close-up of creamy balsamic dressing being drizzled from a spoon over a glass jar of dressing

    Why you'll love it

    This homemade balsamic salad dressing is super easy to make. You simply add the ingredients to a bowl and whisk them together until smooth! If you're the type of person who likes to make their own salad dressing, give this recipe a try. Homemade tastes so much better, and you get to control exactly what goes into it, including salt and sugar quantities.

    I enjoy a classic balsamic vinaigrette as much as the next person, but this creamy twist is a great way to change it up... and you might even like it better! It's also fantastic for easy clean-up since we're not using a blender. You'll be tempted to pair it with every main course.

    Everything you'll need

    • Mayo - I use Hellmann's mayo for this recipe, and it's my go-to in general when I am using mayonnaise
    • Balsamic vinegar - if you can find it, a good quality imported one makes all the difference
    • Dijon mustard - it's a trick to add savory depth of flavor to many recipes. You don't taste the mustard itself.
    • Garlic powder - it adds another savory dimension and rounds it out. Use one small clove of garlic instead of the garlic powder if you prefer.
    • Brown sugar - to balance the acidity
    • Italian seasoning - my favorite dried herb blend that I use for many recipes
    • Salt & pepper - I like to be fairly generous with both

    Pro tips

    • Everyone's tastes vary, so I encourage you to taste and adjust as needed. It's easy to tweak homemade dressings to your preferences, so don't be shy with experimenting!
    • Not that there's anything wrong with using a blender, but I just don't like to dirty it up for salad dressing if I can help it. To get a nice, thick emulsion, you need to slowly drizzle olive oil in while the blender is running. To skip all of that, I simply use mayo, a ready-made emulsion. You get the thickness without the hassle. Easy peasy.
    creamy balsamic salad dressing in a metal prep bowl with a whisk

    Substitutions and variations

    • Bottled balsamic vinegar dressings can be quite sweet (some list sugar as the second ingredient), so if you're after that kind of flavor, you can definitely add more sugar than suggested!
    • If you want the dressing to be even thicker, add a little more mayo. Thinner? Add a splash of water. 
    • You can swap the dried herbs for fresh if you prefer, using up to a tablespoon or so. Or omit the herbs if you don't want this dressing to have a slightly herby flavor.
    • Want to double the dressing? Simply double every ingredient.

    How do I use this dressing?

    • There are so many options! I love to use it to dress up a simple salad with mixed greens, cucumber, little tomatoes, and avocado, which you can serve with Baked Ziti or Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells for an impressive meal.
    • It makes a great dip for a veggie platter. My favorites are carrot sticks, cucumber, orange bell peppers, and raw broccoli.
    • Go ahead and dip a slice of crusty bread into it. It's so good!

    Leftovers and storage

    • In an airtight jar, this dressing will last for up to a week in the refrigerator.
    • I really like these yogurt jars with lids to store homemade dressings in the fridge.

    More tasty homemade salad dressings

    • Easy Caesar Salad Dressing (10 Minutes & No Blender!)
    • Homemade Ranch Dressing
    • Simple Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing (Dairy-free)
    • Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
    • Easy Lemon Tahini Dressing
    a jar of creamy balsamic dressing with a small spoon beside it and salad veggies in the background

    Questions about this creamy balsamic salad dressing recipe? Let me know in the comments below!

    close-up of creamy balsamic dressing being drizzled from a spoon over a glass jar of dressing

    Creamy Balsamic Dressing

    This creamy balsamic dressing recipe is thick, tangy, and a nice balance of savory and sweet. It's ready in about 10 minutes! 
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine American
    Servings 14 (makes a little less than 1 cup)
    Calories 88 kcal
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    Ingredients
     

    • 3/4 cup mayo
    • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar or to taste
    • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • Salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Add dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk together thoroughly. Taste and adjust as needed so the dressing suits your tastes. Note: some balsamic vinegars are a lot sweeter than others, so start with half the amount of sugar suggested, taste, and add more if needed.
    • Transfer to a jar and refrigerate for up to a week. You can eat it right away, but I prefer to leave it for a few hours so the flavors meld more and the dried herbs soften up.

    Notes

    • The recipe makes just under one cup of dressing, so it will work for 1-2 larger salads or about 4-6 smaller ones (of course this depends on how much dressing you use and how big the salads are).
    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. One serving is about 1 tablespoon.
       

    Nutrition

    Calories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 79mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 9IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword balsamic vinegar salad dressing, creamy balsamic dressing
    Author Natasha Bull
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    1. Kristin says

      December 30, 2022 at 1:36 PM

      5 stars
      This is really good! Made it with fresh garlic, left out the sugar and added a tablespoon of cider vinegar to thin it out a little. It was a major hit!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 30, 2022 at 5:03 PM

        I'm so glad it was a hit! 😀 Thanks for your review!

        Reply
    2. Susan says

      July 30, 2022 at 10:35 AM

      Loved it! I will use this dressing a lot! Easy to make and flavorful. A very nice change from bottled dressing.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 30, 2022 at 1:52 PM

        I'm so pleased you liked it, Susan!! 😀

        Reply
    3. Jennifer Farmer says

      July 11, 2022 at 2:50 PM

      5 stars
      This is so delicious! I make it at least once a week. Last night we put it on a big salad with pistachios, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries, apples, avocado, quinoa, grapefruit and oranges, jicama, roasted corn, beets, and salmon!
      Sooooo good!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 11, 2022 at 3:03 PM

        I'm so happy you like it!! That salad sounds amazing! Appreciate your review, Jennifer.

        Reply
    4. Jamie says

      January 8, 2022 at 7:34 AM

      5 stars
      This is my new go-to dressing. So versatile. Great on a mixed green or spinach based salad.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 8, 2022 at 10:47 AM

        Fantastic!! Thanks for your review, Jamie! 😀

        Reply
    5. Julie says

      July 16, 2021 at 8:33 PM

      5 stars
      Wow, this so easy to make and delicious! Used it for dip for artichoke and kids used as dip for bread. All around outstanding!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 17, 2021 at 11:02 AM

        I'm so happy that it was a hit, Julie! 🙂 Love the way you guys used it!

        Reply
    6. Laura says

      July 16, 2021 at 6:39 PM

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. Added extra mustard to give it extra tang. Will definitely uses this over & over again 🥰

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 16, 2021 at 7:33 PM

        Fantastic!! Thank you for letting me know. So happy you liked it!

        Reply

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