White Balsamic Dressing
I love salads and whenever I say that, I get judgy eyes from people – ok, namely my husband. While salads may not fill him up as easily as they do me, I’m slowly trying bringing him around to the bright side (it’s certainly not the dark side) of salads and the joy of having a delectable salad dressing because the dressing is probably the most important part. This white balsamic dressing is yet another impossibly simple recipe to have on hand!!
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White Balsamic Dressing
If you haven’t tried white balsamic vinegar, then now is the time. It’s much lighter and fruitier than the traditional (dark) balsamic vinegar. Where the latter is made of al the parts of a grape (stems included) are simmered for a long period and then aged in barrels, the former (white balsamic) is the same grape parts pressure cooked and aged for a very short time. It doesn’t have the deep agey taste.
While I love the deep agey taste, there is also a time and a place for that light, tang – and the time is now!!
What’s the Difference between Balsamic Vinaigrette and White Balsamic Vinaigrette?
Literally the vinegar. Ok – too simple, I know. Many recipes for dressings and marinades could just swap out the traditional balsamic vinegar in a vinaigrette with a white balsamic vinegar. The flavors aren’t the same, so they aren’t “replacements” per se, but they are definitely alternatives to one another – just depends on the flavor you’re looking for!
White Vinegar vs White Balsamic Vinegar
This is a tricky one. White vinegar is actually usually made from corn or any other fruit/veggies. It’s like the process of making alcohol – fermentation. Though there may be trace amounts of alcohol (similar to naturally occurring alcohol levels of a banana – so not to fret), it’s not an alcohol.
The flavor of white vinegar is strong and can be pungent. It can be used for a variety of things – cooking to cleaning! Used in small amounts, and appropriate amounts, it can be a good kitchen ingredient.
White Balsamic vinegar, on the other hand, is made from grapes (skins, seeds, stems, and all) as mentioned above. It has a lighter flavor (it’s still a vinegar) and a fruitier flavor because all that fruit hasn’t been aged out of it. White balsamic vinegar is a much lighter flavor that can be used in a variety of ways for cooking – don’t try to clean with this stuff! 😉
White Balsamic Dressing Ingredients
White balsamic dressing has just 5 ingredients – that’s including the salt and pepper!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Can I tell you a secret? The secret to any good salad dressing – is the oil. I feel very strongly about olive oil and you should too. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the best. It should be a green color. It should be in a dark bottle/can. It should be stored in a dark/cool place. And good extra virgin olive oil will taste good – not like a necessity or afterthought. Brands I like include Lucini, California Olive Ranch, Cobram Estates and Séka Hills (locally available). To buy online, you can also try Graza or Kosterina – available here.
When it comes to making any salad dressing, this white balsamic one included, you should use good olive oil!
White Balsamic Vinegar
So, this is a funny thing. Nice vinegars at the market aren’t usually too expensive, so I say “splurge” on those nicer vinegars. You also don’t usually use much vinegar in one sitting, so it’ll last a little while. Any number of of white balsamic vinegars would do.
Freshly Chopped Oregano
Fresh herbs really make the world go round. Until you start embracing fresh herbs, then it might seem like they’re just for decoration, but the fresh, bright flavor they add really takes something from good to OMG great!
Oregano is one of the herbs I grow in my garden – it’s sturdy and survives winter outside with no work! I usually dry most of it (see how to dry fresh herbs), but it’s great to use just a little for a recipe like soup, pasta sauce, and this white balsamic dressing! This recipes calls for just 1½ teaspoons – not a lot.
If you only have dried oregano, that’s fine. You’ll want to use ½ teaspoon (it’s a 3:1 ratio in general for fresh to dry herb conversion in a recipe). VERY IMPORTANT: To get the full flavor from the dried herbs, you’ll want to rub them between your palms before adding it to the dressing to release the natural oils – where all the flavor is!
Salt & Pepper
Obviously. Salt and pepper are SUCH a personal preference. I like saltier flavored things, but I also love the flavor of freshly cracked pepper. This recipe – as with all recipes – the measurements are a starting point and then you can add to taste.
In regard to the pepper, you might consider adding the freshly cracked pepper to each salad serving to keep that freshness bright!
Freshly cracked pepper is a must in all recipes as far as I’m concerned. It’s a wildly inexpensive item that really doesn’t go bad, so bulk buy the peppercorns and get yourself a pepper grinder!
How to Make White Balsamic Dressing
Prep
This is such a fast and easy recipe – part of why I love it! The only prep you need to do is chop your fresh oregano. Otherwise, get out your olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper!
Mix
Put all the ingredients into a container and shake it very well. You can easily use a mason jar with a tightly fitted lid. For storage or serving, I like to use a bottle like this, but it isn’t mandatory.
Storing Homemade Salad Dressing
Ok. Storage is important. A couple things. First, salad dressings can absolutely be made ahead of time. Unlike store-bought salad dressings, however, homemade dressing don’t have preservatives (thank goodness), so dressings don’t last a super long time. I’d say a week is probably good for a white balsamic vinaigrette like this. Keep an eye on it.
The recipe below makes quite a bit of dressing, so if you need less, just modify the amount to suit your needs!
Salad Recipes
WHITE BALSAMIC DRESSING
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a container with a tight-seal lid. Secure the lid and shake for 20 to 30 seconds until all ingredients are blended and the dressing has a creamy appearance.
- Add more salt or pepper to taste.
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