Easy 5-Minute Maple Balsamic Dressing

Need a super easy, nourishing salad dressing? With just 5 minutes and 5 simple ingredients that you probably already have, you can make this 5-Minute Maple Balsamic Dressing! It’s delicious, nutritious, and can be paired with a variety of delicious salad recipes.

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely keep a handful of store-bought salad dressings in my fridge for those moments that I’m in a pinch. However, I sometimes forget how quick and easy it can be to make super simple, super delicious, super nourishing salad dressing recipes at home!

Sure, some homemade dressings are a little more complex, requiring a blender, various fresh herbs, spices, and more. But not this one. To make this Maple Balsamic Dressing, you need less than 5 minutes (more like one minute!), and just a short list of ingredients that are probably already in your pantry.

It’s quick and it’s versatile – so you can enjoy it on all different types of salads! Like my Nourishing Fall Quinoa Salad, Warm Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad, and my Autumn Harvest Kale Salad.

Maple Balsamic Dressing Ingredients:

I’m telling you, this ingredients list is simple. Here’s what you need:

• Extra virgin olive oil (if you don’t have extra virgin, any olive oil will do)
• Balsamic vinegar
• Pure maple syrup
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Is This a Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette?

Yes! This recipe is for a Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing. If you’re like, “okay Hannah, but what is a vinaigrette?” Let me tell you!

A vinaigrette is made by mixing an oil (like our extra virgin olive oil) with a mild acid like a vinegar or lemon juice. Vinaigrettes are commonly used as salad dressings, like we’re doing here, but they can also be used as marinades too!

Here, we mix olive oil with balsamic vinegar (our acid) to create a vinaigrette, and enhance the mixture with some additional ingredients like pure maple syrup, dijon mustard and salt.

Nutrition Benefits of Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

• Extra virgin olive oil. The extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO, as some like to call it) is the nutritional star of this recipe. Yes, extra virgin olive oil is high in calories, because it’s primarily a source of fat, but it’s also really good for you. The fats in extra virgin olive oil are mostly monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health. Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in antioxidants, which can prevent cell damage and therefore, certain diseases.
• It helps us eat more veggies! As a Registered Dietitian, I see one of the important nutrition benefits of a good salad dressing is that it makes eating nutritious foods – like vegetables and salads – more satisfying and enjoyable. So not only does this dressing offer nutrition itself, it helps us eat nutritious foods, too!

Maple Balsamic Dressing vs. Maple Balsamic Glaze

You may be wondering if a maple balsamic dressing and a maple balsamic glaze are the same thing. The two are actually a bit different from one another. A maple balsamic dressing (like this one) is made by mixing together oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and a few other ingredients.

A maple balsamic glaze tends to require just balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. It’s usually a bit thicker and more syrup-like in consistency, and requires simmering the maple and balsamic mixture in order to create a reduction and achieve the thicker glaze consistency.

How to Make This Maple Balsamic Dressing:

Like I’ve mentioned, this maple syrup and balsamic dressing is really easy to make.

All you need to do is grab a mason jar, a bottle, or a glass to mix your dressing in. Pour in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pure maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Using a small whisk or a fork, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined.

Alternatively, you can seal the jar or bottle (make sure it’s sealed tight!) and give it a good shake to mix all of the ingredients together. Then just pour it over your salad and enjoy!

If you’re looking for more nourishing salad dressing recipes, check out my 10-Minute Healthy Caesar & Wholesome Dressing, Easy Italian Dressing, or this Avocado Green Goddess Dressing recipe.

Storage Tips & Substitution Suggestions:

If you have dressing leftovers, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container (again, like a mason jar or bottle) for up to 2 weeks. Make sure to give the salad dressing a good stir or shake before using again as it may separate while sitting in the fridge.

If you don’t have the required ingredients on hand, here are some substitution suggestions that may work for you:

• For extra virgin olive oil: You can use another olive oil (like virgin or regular olive oil), or a mild-tasting oil like canola oil or avocado oil.
• For dijon mustard: You can use honey mustard or regular mustard in place of dijon mustard. If you don’t enjoy the taste of mustard, you can replace the dijon with mayonnaise instead.

Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below. Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can re-share on my stories!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest so you never miss a new recipe or blog post.