This white balsamic vinaigrette dressing mixes up in the blender in just 5 minutes. There’s no chopping or dicing because the blender does the work for you. With only 6 ingredients, it has all the flavors of a traditional vinaigrette and will enhance any salad.
Be sure to check out more of my vinaigrette recipes including the correct ratio for a traditional vinaigrette, my most popular easy mango vinaigrette and my quick and easy blueberry vinaigrette.
Blender Salad Dressing
Using the blender has so many benefits for a vinaigrette.
- First, it saves you having to do any chopping, slicing or mincing if you’re using ingredients like fresh shallot, garlic and herbs.
- Surely you know how homemade vinaigrettes separate so quickly. The oil and vinegar do not want to stay together. When you use a blender, the speed of the spinning blades forces them together into a light foam. The oil and vinegar will still separate, bit it will take much longer.
- Last, the air that’s whipped into the dressing also creates a creamy texture that hugs your salad perfectly.
It’s not necessary to use a high powered blender like a Vitamix. I use my mini countertop blender and it does the job with no problem. An immersion blender or even a smoothie blender will work too.
Ingredients
White balsamic vinegar is a milder flavored, slightly sweet vinegar. The sweetness works so well in a vinaigrette.
Extra virgin olive oil is my preferred oil for vinaigrette dressing. It’s rich, slightly bitter flavor gives depth of flavor and body to salad dressings.
The one problem with EV olive oil is that it solidifies when refrigerated. If you aren’t using all of the vinaigrette at once, adding a neutral oil will help keep this from happening. Extra light olive oil, avocado, sunflower, canola or other neutral flavored oil will work.
Shallot is a traditional ingredient in vinaigrettes. It adds a fresh pop of slightly pungent flavor to dressings. Because you’ll be using the blender to mix up the dressing, there’s no need to chop it.
A garlic clove adds more depth to this dressing and again no chopping, no garlic press needed. Just peel and drop it in the blender.
Finally a few ingredients that will balance the flavors. The sour of the white balsamic vinegar and the bitterness of olive oil, shallot and garlic need a little help to make this a delicious dressing. Adding a sweet element and some salt is the best way to balance bitter and sour.
Agave is my preferred sweetener for dressings because it incorporates very easily. Honey, sugar or even maple syrup are good alternatives.
I like my vinaigrettes a little more on the sweet side. So I’ve given a range of 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweetener. Start with one tablespoon, taste and add more if it seems too sour, bitter or not sweet enough.
See more about balancing flavors in a vinaigrette in my post The Correct Ratio for a Traditional Vinaigrette.
Easy 5 Blender Minute White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- β c white balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp agave or other sweetener agave syrup substitute
- 1 piece of shallot that fits in a tablespoon measuring spoon, do not chop
- 1 small-medium sized garlic clove
- ΒΌ tsp salt
- β c extra virgin olive oil
- β c oil – light olive oil, sunflower, safflower canola or vegetable oil*
Instructions
- Use either a blender (easiest) or an immersion blender to mix up this vinaigrette.
- Place the vinegar, agave, shallot, garlic and salt into the blender or a bowl.
- Blend on high until the mixture is foamy and the garlic and shallot are liquefied. About 20-30 seconds.
- Add both oils and blend on high for 15 seconds.
- Taste. The vinaigrette's flavor may need some tweaking. Too sour? Add another teaspoon of sweetener and a tablespoon of neutral oil.Too bitter? Add more salt 2-3 pinches at a time.Lacking something you can't identify? Add 2 pinches salt and Β½ teaspoon of sweetener.Not tart enough? Add another tablespoon of vinegar.
- This dressing can be stored at room temperature for a day, then refrigerate. Shake well before pouring.
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