If You Love Salads but Hate Boring Dressings, I'm With You

Hey friend! So, wanna know my secret for not falling asleep in my salad bowl? It’s this zingy, totally craveable balsamic vinaigrette with a handful of fresh herbs. I started tinkering with vinaigrettes years back after one too many limp, sad restaurant salads (you know the ones with the gloopy bottled stuff and wilted lettuce—no thanks). Actually, it was my cousin Ellie who totally changed my mind about homemade dressing by dumping some oregano into a bottle and shaking it like she was at a dance party. I've been riffing on it since, though her trick with the dance moves never tastes the same for me.

Why You'll Probably End Up Making This All The Time

I make this when I can’t look at another flavorless salad, and trust me, my family pretty much refuses to eat lettuce without it now. (Though last week my nephew tried to pour it on cold pizza? Kids these days!) It’s quick, doesn’t require obscure ingredients, and—let's be honest—sometimes I just crave that tangy bite with a hunk of sourdough. Oh, and if you’re burned out on vinaigrettes splitting or tasting like pure vinegar chaos, this one’s mild and herby. I finally got fed up with those oil slicks that never blend, so this recipe saves my sanity. Honestly, I even drizzle it on roasted veg or over chicken—anything to avoid bland-ville.

What You'll Need (But Go Nuts With Substitutions)

⅓ cup good balsamic vinegar (My grandmother swears by the aged kind, but the supermarket stuff is fine. I use the Trader Joe’s bottle when I’m penny-pinching—no shame.)
½ cup olive oil (Sometimes I swap in half avocado oil when I run low, but classic olive oil has more oomph.)
1-2 teaspoons Dijon or wholegrain mustard (Honestly, yellow mustard in a pinch is...passable, but not as tangy.)
2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup (On lazy days, I skip this altogether. It’s more tart but still totally edible.)
2 garlic cloves, smashed or grated (Sometimes, I cheat & use that pre-minced stuff from the jar. Sorry, purists!)
3 tablespoons fresh mixed herbs (I grab whatever's on the windowsill—basil, parsley, thyme, or a cheeky bit of rosemary. Dried works too, just use 1 tablespoon.)
Big pinch of salt & black pepper
Optional: a splash of lemon juice (Brightens up the flavor, but you can totally leave it out. Or just squeeze in whatever citrus is lurking in your fridge.)

How I Actually Throw This Together

Grab a clean jam jar, bowl, or honestly, whatever is clean. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and mustard. If you’re using honey or maple syrup, add it now.
Toss in the garlic and herbs. This is where I usually sneak a taste of each herb just to check if it’s not gone weird. (Basil in July is sometimes more perfume than flavor, y’know?)
Shake or whisk enthusiastically. If you’re using a jar, seal and shake like a lunatic. Bowl and fork also works. Don't worry if it looks a bit odd at first—just keep going until it turns glossy brown.
Season to taste. Add a fat pinch of salt and grind black pepper right in. Sometimes I toss in an extra pinch (I always forget how salty my salt is).
If you’re feeling wild, add a squeeze of lemon. On second thought, don’t overdo it or it’ll taste like lemonade. Sample a bit—this is your kitchen, after all.

Pitfalls, Goofs, and Accidental Wins (AKA Notes)

If you over-garlic it, try mellowing with a touch more honey (or pour it over roasted veg—it somehow fixes itself!)
Don’t use cheap vinegar if you can help it. The dollar-store bottle left my mouth puckered for an hour.
Recipe multiplies easily but shaking in a giant jar is, um, tricky. Maybe halve it if you’re not feeding a crowd.

Wild Experiments and Stuff I’ve Tried

Once I swapped the balsamic for apple cider vinegar. Didn’t love it, if I’m honest—tasted like apple-tinged floor cleaner...?
Squeezed in orange juice once when out of lemons. Surprisingly fresh, would do again!
Added a smidge of chili flakes—my brother called it “angry salad.” Not for the faint-hearted.

Do You Actually Need Any Fancy Tools?

I always swear by my ancient jam jar (it leaks but whatever). Don’t have a whisk? A fork will do just fine. Once I used a protein shaker bottle. Messy but strangely effective.

Delicious Savory HerbInfused Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Storing It (But It’s Usually Gone Fast)

Keep it in the fridge with the lid on and it’ll be good for about a week. That being said, I can’t remember a time it lasted more than a day—everyone ends up putting it on everything!

How We Like to Serve It (And My Odd Addiction)

Honestly, on leafy greens is classic, but I love it drizzled over grilled veggies or, weirdly, on cold pasta. Family tradition? We serve it in an old gravy boat at barbecues and dare guests to guess the herbs. (No one gets it right, ever.)

Lessons Learned the Hard (and Humorous) Way

I once rushed the shaking and ended up with pure oil on top—ten seconds more and it was perfect. Don’t skip the shake, trust me!
Forgot to taste before serving? Yeah, rookie error. Salt is key.

Wait, People Actually Ask Me These Questions?

"Can I make this vegan?" Yup! Just use maple syrup or skip the honey. My pal Jess does this every time and swears it’s just as tasty.
"What if I don’t have fresh herbs?" Don’t sweat it—dried works, just use about a third as much. The flavors wake up if you let the dressing sit a bit longer.
"Can I double (or triple) the recipe?" Totally! Just make sure you have a big enough container...unless you fancy cleaning vinaigrette off the ceiling. (Learned that the hard way, whoops!)
"My vinaigrette split—how do I fix it?" Just shake again or whisk furiously, honestly. Some say a splash of warm water helps, but I just shake like mad.
"Where’d you get your little jam jars?" Oh—big fan of Weck jars, but jars form supermarket olives are fine. For vinegar, I sometimes order from The Spice House, best flavor so far.

So there you have it—a dressing that’s more than the sum of its parts. If you end up pouring it on pizza too, well, you’re in good company. And if not, there’s always next salad. Cheers—let me know how your kitchen adventures go!

Delicious Savory HerbInfused Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe