Creamy Balsamic Dressing

This Creamy Balsamic Dressing is the perfect sweet, tangy and creamy dressing to add to any salad. It is flavorful without being overpower and can pair perfectly with almost any type of salad. This dressing is gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly.

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
• What I Love about this Creamy Balsamic Dressing
• Storage
• Recipe Tips
• Related Recipes
• Other Great Paleo Recipes
• Did you try this Creamy Balsamic Dressing?
• 📖 Recipe

I almost never purchase store-bought dressing. You can make dressing at home in a matter of minutes. This option is always going to be aomuch more flavorful and you can use high-quality ingredients. Who wants to dowse their healthy salad in soybean oil? That's a no for me.

In addition to being a healthier option, this simple, slight sweet and tangy Creamy Balsamic Dressing can be used on a variety of salads with a variety of ingredients. Try it on this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad, this Charcuterie Salad, this Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad, or this Pomegranate and Feta Winter Salad.

Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions

Avocado Oil Mayo

Use your favorite mayo in this dressing since it makes up the bulk of this recipe and adds the creaminess to the dressing. I like using avocado oil-based mayo to avoid seed oils. Chosen Foods and Primal Kitchen are my go-to's, but be sure to select a mayo that you enjoy the flavor of. You can usually purchase Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo from Costco at a really good price!

Balsamic Vinegar

A lot of the flavor in this dressing comes from the balsamic vinegar. I like using a high-quality Italian balsamic vinegar.

Maple Syrup

Alternatively, honey or even granulated sugar can be used in place of pure maple syrup. If using one of these substitutions, be sure to mix the dressing long enough for the honey or the sugar to fully dissolve.

Dijon Mustard

The mustard in this recipe adds some depth of flavor. Only a small amount is used, so you will not taste the flavor of the mustard. You can substitute about ⅛ teaspoon of ground mustard seed; however, I don't recommend using regular yellow mustard. This ingredient can be omitted if needed.

Garlic Powder

You can substitute 2 small cloves of garlic (finely minced) for the garlic powder in this recipe.

How to Make this Creamy Balsamic Dressing

This dressing can be whipped up in just 5 minutes and stores well for up to 2 weeks. It can be made two ways. Here's how to do it:

Bowl & Whisk

1. First, place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Simply whisk together until the dressing is completely smooth with no lumps.

Blender

1. First, place all ingredients into a blender that has a low minimum volume requirement. Blend for about 30 seconds on high, or until the dressing is smooth.

Storage

This dressing can be made ahead and stores well. Simply place the dressing in an airtight container or an 8-ounce jar (or larger) fitted with a lid. It will store well for up to weeks and doesn't really separate!

Recipe Tips

• Make sure you mix your dressing well enough to ensure the sweetener and the mayo is fully incorporated. There should not be any lumps or settling at the bottom.
• You can adjust the sweetness to taste. For a sweeter dressing, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup. For a more savory dressing, use just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.

Related Recipes

• Honey Lime Dressing and Marinade
• Maple Mustard Dressing
• Thai Peanut Dressing
• Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

Other Great Paleo Recipes

Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:

📖 Recipe