A Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette So Creamy, You’ll Wonder Why You Ever Bought It From the Store
Plays Well With Butter is well-loved for simple yet stunning salads, and I’d go so far as to say that this maple balsamic vinaigrette recipe is my ✨signature salad dressing.✨ I first shared it back in 2018, and it has been loved by thousands of readers ever since.
It’s everything you love about a classic savory-sweet balsamic vinaigrette, made with just 6 ingredients. The balance of tangy aged balsamic vinegar, pure maple syrup, and punchy Dijon and garlic is absolutely perfect—then I add a few simple twists to make it super special.
Rather than shaking up the sweet and tangy vinaigrette, I use an immersion blender, which gives it a gorgeous creamy texture you can lick right off a spoon. Trust me, it’s worth breaking out the blender for! 🤤 I then add a generous amount of chopped rosemary and thyme—a trick I learned from the Italian restaurant where I worked after college.
It’s way better than any store-bought maple balsamic salad dressing, and you end up having much more control over what goes into it, without a ton of extra work. You’ll never buy the bottled stuff again.
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High-quality aged balsamic vinegar is a must here! Aged balsamic (vs. non-aged) has a more complex, fruity tang and is very lightly sweet. You don’t have to break the bank, but it’s the backbone of the dressing’s tangy-sweet flavor, so resist the temptation to grab the cheapest one on the shelf.
The same goes for maple syrup—pure and fresh is best! In my experience, maple’s naturally caramelly sweetness complements the vinegar without overpowering its bold flavor (vs. another sweetener like honey, which can taste overwhelmingly floral here).
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Buy Now → How to Make a Creamy Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
The secret to a luscious balsamic vinaigrette is using a high-speed blender to emulsify the oil and vinegar. It’s the best way to get a thick and creamy texture (and much easier than shaking or whisking!). A silky-smooth dressing also clings better to fresh greens, making any salad taste totally restaurant-worthy.
🧑🏻🍳Important! Be sure to wait until after blending to add the fresh herbs. Bigger pieces have a great texture, creating little pops of herbaceous flavor throughout the dressing. Blending pulverizes the herbs, making their flavor too overpowering.
Storage Tip: Another big bonus of blending this 5-minute salad dressing is that it won’t separate in the fridge! Make it ahead and you’re set for salads all week—no shaking required.
Quick Serving Suggestions
This dressing is endlessly versatile, but my go-to pairing is with my 15-Minute Kale Salad with Cranberries (the tangy-sweet vinaigrette is *chef’s kiss* with hearty greens and tart dried fruit!). It’s also a classic match for fresh berries, like in this Herbed Chicken Strawberry Salad.
🍁For a cozy autumn twist, swap the fresh herbs with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Paired with the maple and balsamic, it adds a layer of warmth that makes this vinaigrette a perfect fall salad dressing for Thanksgiving and beyond.
I can’t wait for you to try this Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette! If you do, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
5-Minute Creamy Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
This perfectly tangy-sweet Creamy Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is my go-to homemade dressing for leafy green salads!
Ready in 5 minutes, simply blend olive oil with maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic until smooth and silky.
Then add a handful of chopped rosemary and thyme for an herbaceous finish that tastes totally restaurant-worthy. A longtime PWWB reader favorite!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped hardy fresh herbs, such as oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme (can substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Prep the maple balsamic vinaigrette: There are 2 approaches you can take, depending on your desired consistency:
- For an especially thick and creamy maple balsamic vinaigrette, emulsify with the help of an immersion blender*. To a wide-mouth jar, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pure maple syrup, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Insert the immersion blender in the jar, submerging it into the vinaigrette mixture. Blend until emulsified into a beautifully thick and creamy vinaigrette. Stir in the chopped herbs. (*Note, using a personal blender or mini food processor also works really well. If using a full-sized blender or food processor, you may want to double the recipe to ensure there is enough liquid to emulsify in the larger bowl—use the “Scale” buttons next to the Ingredients List, above, to easily double the recipe).
- For a drizzly maple balsamic vinaigrette, combine all listed ingredients in a small bowl or jar, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Whisk or shake to combine.
- Finish the maple balsamic vinaigrette: Once mixed, taste and season the maple balsamic vinaigrette with additional kosher salt or ground black pepper as desired. Use immediately as desired—this Kale Salad with Cranberries and this Strawberry Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese are my personal favorite pairings. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage instructions: Maple balsamic vinaigrette will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks. If the vinaigrette separates and solidifies in the refrigerator, simply warm it slightly in the microwave until it’s liquid again, then whisk to combine well and serve as desired.
This recipe is absolute perfection!!!! I amplified the maple flavour by using a maple balsamic vinegar and love it. I love that it tastes like a store bought dressing and yet costs a fraction to make at home with fresh ingredients and no preservatives. Thanks for an impeccable recipe!
Maple balsamic vinegar sounds HEAVENLY! So happy you loved this vinaigrette as much as we do, Tamara!
Does it stay emulsified for a week and if not, can I just shake the jar or do I need to get out an appliance?
Hi Sharon! The vinaigrette may separate as it stores (& depending on where it is stored in the fridge the olive oil could solidify as well). If this happens, just bring the vinaigrette back up to room temp before use then give it a good shake in a sealed jar (a mason jar works great!) & it will be ready to use again! 🙂
What a delicious recipe! Perfect for all my winter salads. Simple ingredients and so much better than anything I could have found in the store. Thank you, Jess!
Emma, thank you!! There really is something about a homemade dressing! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette – if you like the flavors of this one & also like Cinnamon, you should try our Autumn Grain Bowls that features a hint of cinnamon too!
Every recipe for MBV I saw online included dijon which I didn’t have. That’s why I was drawn to this recipe. I used garlic powder (didn’t have fresh) and compensated by adding a little squeeze of yellow mustard (why not). I don’t have the fresh herbs either. I was not sure what to expect but whoa how yummy! Would make this again. Thanks for the recipe. =]
Hi there! So glad to hear that you were able to use what you had on hand and that you enjoyed! Thank you for sharing!!
I love this, I do mine with a little Dijon.
dijon is always good! xo