Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe With Olive Oil

Discover how easy it is to make your own balsamic vinaigrette recipe with olive oil and balsamic vinegar - and some yummy ways to use it too!

Jump to:

• Ingredients Needed To Make Keto Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
• Olive Oil Buying Guide & Tips
• Balsamic Vinegar Buying Guide
• Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Vinaigrette Dressing
• More Keto Sauces And Dressings
• 📖 Recipe

Conventional salad dressings are loaded with unhealthy carbs and calories. But this olive oil and balsamic vinegar salad dressing recipe is great for your health—but only if the ingredients are high quality.

I personally love making my own salad dressing at home. I can source the freshest ingredients with the boldest flavors and control how much of them I use.

Balsamic vinegar and olive oil are a match made in heaven. I already enjoy oil and vinegar on my salads, but when I used balsamic vinegar, it felt like I improved on a classic.

You can also use this balsamic vinaigrette recipe as a marinade, too! Let your steak, chicken, and pork marinate overnight for a really juicy flavor.

Ingredients Needed To Make Keto Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

All of the exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Obviously, I used balsamic vinegar and olive oil. To this mixture, I also added some:

• Fresh garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Dijon mustard

The dijon mustard gives this dressing a thicker texture and a bit of zest, too!

Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.

Olive Oil Buying Guide & Tips

Before you purchase the cheapest olive oil in the store or even splurge on an expensive imported bottle to make this balsamic vinaigrette recipe, please refer to these tips. Not all olive oil is made the same way!

How To Choose The Best Olive Oil To Buy

When I buy a bottle of olive oil, I look for one that comes in a dark bottle. That's the first rule.

Avoid any oils of any type that are either not in a very dark, opaque bottle.

The problem with clear bottles is that they allow light to spoil the oil. Olive oil, like most other oils, can go rancid pretty quickly.

Time, light, heat, and oxygen are dietary oil's greatest enemies. So stay away from the clear bottled product when buying ingredients for your olive oil and balsamic vinegar salad dressing.

I also prefer bottles to cans, even though cans are good at preventing light and air in. This is because cans are most often very large. By the time you get halfway down to the bottle of the can, the oil is no longer fresh.

Here's Why Italian Olive Oil Isn't The Best

Don't get fooled into thinking Italian olive oils are the best. Or, other oils from around the Mediterranean.

I used to think that Italy and Greece had the best extra virgin in the world. While that might be true sometimes, often it's not.

Walk in to any supermarket. Pick up a bottle of extra virgin from Italy.

Does it have the harvest date?

If the harvest date was 2016, the oil is probably past mature and therefore on the verge of becoming rancid.

What about an EU certification label?

Chances are, it won't. And, if it doesn't, you're throwing your money away on very poor quality oil. Which, at the end of the day, defeats the purpose of using this balsamic vinaigrette recipe to make a healthy salad dressing.

Does the bottle cost under ten bucks?

And does it just say "imported from Italy" and that's all the information divulged? Then, it's likely fake extra virgin olive oil.

Does the bottle say that the olives come from several countries?

If so, don't buy it.

Try Buying American-Made Olive Oil!

I've actually started buying more olive oil made in the U.S. as I've found that California produces some excellent olive oil.

And, if you live near a Trader Joe's, you're in luck. They sell California Estate-grown extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for a reasonable price!

Now, it might not be the best EVOO on the planet. But, it's very good quality for making a homemade salad dressing using this balsamic vinaigrette recipe, considering the price.

Trader Joe's California EVOO comes in a dark bottle and it usually lasts me a week or so (depending on how hungry my husband and sons are).

Buy Olio Nuovo EVOO

If you want the best quality olive oil, see if you can buy what's called olio nuovo EVOO. Extra virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives.

Olio nuovo is the cream of the crop so to speak of the first pressing. It's basically the first batch of the first pressing of the season.

Olio nuovo is so fresh, it contains sediment. Unfortunately, many people, purely for aesthetics, are turned off by sediment.

That's why most olive oil gets stored for a couple months or so, in order to let the sediment settle. But it's this sediment which gives it the amazing, heart-healthy properties and exquisite taste!

Balsamic Vinegar Buying Guide

Before I share my balsamic vinaigrette recipe, just let me add a quick note about balsamic vinegar. Buying the best vinegar will dramatically improve the taste and quality of your salad dressing.

Look for one that has grape must (which is the juice of freshly squeezed grapes) as the primary ingredient.

Most balsamic vinegar contains wine vinegar as the primary ingredient. This is the cheap stuff.

You also want to make sure you are buying balsamic vinegar that is thicker and more syrupy. This is going to have the richest flavor for your salad dressing!

Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Vinaigrette Dressing

Before I get to the entire recipe, here are some questions people ask about keto salad dressing.

Is Vinaigrette Dressing Low Carb?

The kind you buy in the store probably isn't low carb. Most jarred salad dressings have lots of added sugars. Always read the labels before you buy them and look for sugar as the main ingredient.

Is This Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Keto-Friendly?

Yes, this recipe is completely keto-friendly! This recipe does not have any added sugar. It's a straight vinegar and oil dressing along with some dijon mustard and added spices.

How Do You Store Homemade Salad Dressing?

The best way to store this homemade dressing is in an airtight container with a lid. I like to use mason jars with screw-top lids. This dressing will stay fresh for up to a month in the refrigerator.

How Do I Use Olive Oil and Balsamic Dressing?

There are so many fantastic ways to use this dressing! Drizzle it on your raw veggies, add it on top of your salad, or use it as a marinade. You are going to love it!

More Keto Sauces And Dressings

If you enjoyed this vinaigrette dressing recipe, then you will love these low-carb sauces and condiments too.

• Avocado Mayo is a fat-boost to your veggies, or add it on top of a low-carb sandwich.
• Keto Worcestershire Sauce tastes fantastic on top of grilled meats and veggies.
• Low-Carb Russian Dressing adds a refreshing zing to your chopped salads.
• Keto Sugar-Free Ketchup is perfect for dipping homemade jicama fries into or on top of bun-free burgers.
• Keto BBQ sauce is the best choice for slow cooking your pork, on top of grilled meats, or as a topping for your keto burgers.

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📖 Recipe

Updated on February 23, 2021, with new images and additional recipe information. First published on May 3, 2018.