This homemade walnut balsamic vinaigrette is a simple classic salad dressing that goes so well with many fall and cool season salad combinations. I’m telling you, you’ll be making it over and over for months to come.

jar of homemade balsamic vinaigrette next to spoon

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Why We Love This Recipe For Walnut Balsamic Vinaigrette

You know how there are some recipes that you make over and over again? You don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore because you’ve memorized it. You may even refer to it as your recipe. Well, this homemade walnut oil vinaigrette has the potential to be one of those recipes. I know that’s a bold statement, but it’s true!

This dressing is just special enough to make you say hmmm, I really like that! The sweet and tart homemade balsamic vinaigrette, just a little maple syrup (not enough to really call it a maple balsamic), the chopped thyme, the raw garlic. It all just works, and all you have to do is chuck the ingredients into the blender and whirl ’em up.

Then, there’s the walnut oil, and I really hope you try this healthy balsamic vinaigrette recipe with the roasted walnut oil. You can of course make this with avocado oil or organic canola oil, but the walnut is what pushes this dressing from basic to signature. To “my walnut balsamic vinaigrette” status.

Recipe Highlights

  • It’s so easy to make – throw it all in a blender and call it a day! You can store it in the fridge to use later too.
  • The nutty roasty toasty walnut oil adds a level of rich complexity that is not to be missed.
  • There is something really deliciously indescribable that comes into play here with the balance of these ingredients – you don’t want to miss it!
  • This vinaigrette gets along with all the salads. There’s truly no salad it wouldn’t work on, so you can easily make this weekly to have it on hand.

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Walnut Oil

Roasted walnut oil is a rich nutty flavored cooking oil that is high in omega-3 fatty acids. It can be found with other oils in large supermarkets, health food stores and specialty food stores. It has a richer more nutty flavor than un-roasted walnut oil. It is good for medium-high heat cooking and for finishing. Store it in the refrigerator once it is open. I used La Tourangelle from California.

If you would like to make this recipe without the walnut oil you can substitute another oil. I’d recommend that you choose a neutral oil such as avocado oil or organic canola oil. If you want to make this with olive oil, try a 50:50 mixture of extra-virgin olive oil and neutral oil.

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic is perfect for a fall or chilly weather flavor palette like this dressing because has a sweetness that cuts any bitterness from seasonal autumnal or winter produce. It’s a delicious pairing with the roasty nuttiness of the oil too.

Pure Maple Syrup

The pure maple syrup (dark or amber) isn’t enough to come through a maple flavor, but it’s enough to balance all of the other ingredients with a delicate sweetness.

homemade balsamic vinaigrette

How to Make Walnut Oil Salad Dressing

To make this easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe, simply add all the ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. For this homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe, I used a mixture of walnut oil (which, as I’ve mentioned, is AMAZING), balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, salt and pepper. That’s it!

You could also use an immersion blender if that works better for you! If you prefer to mix this by hand it will not be as creamy. Just make sure to mince the garlic or grate it with a metal rasp-style grater (Microplane) so there are no large chunks of raw garlic in the dressing.

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FAQs and Expert Tips

How do I store my walnut balsamic vinaigrette?

This homemade balsamic vinaigrette should be kept in the fridge in a sealed container. It might separate a bit as it chills, but that’s totally normal. If your vinaigrette dressing separates, leave it on your counter for 10 minutes before you plan on serving it and then give it a good shake to mix everything back up.

Is this dressing Whole30 approved?

Not as it’s written, but you can omit the maple syrup and it’s good to go!

Serving Suggestions

We use this for our Black Lentil Salad with Mediterranean flavors.

Try in our Thanksgiving Kale Salad with Delicata Squash, Spiced Nuts and Cranberries.

Toss with a classic Garden Salad.

We love it with salads like this Harvest Fall Cobb Salad or this Arugula and Butternut Squash Salad.

More Homemade Salad Dressings

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Walnut Balsamic Vinaigrette on Healthy Seasonal Recipes by Katie Webster

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

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5 from 15 reviews

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Description

This basic yet awesomely delicious and interesting walnut balsamic vinaigrette is a great salad dressing to have on hand because goes with a wide variety of flavors and salad combinations. It is naturally gluten-free and vegan.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup roasted walnut oil *ingredient note
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, dark or amber
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, optional

Instructions

  1. Puree oil, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme in a food processor, mini-prep, blender or with an immersion blender.

Notes

*Ingredient note: Roasted walnut oil is a rich nutty flavored cooking oil that is high in omega-3 fatty acids. It can be found with the other oils in large supermarkets, health food stores and specialty food stores. It has a richer more nutty flavor than un-roasted walnut oil. It is good for medium-high heat cooking and for finishing. Store it in the refrigerator once it is open. I used La Tourangelle from California If you would like to make this recipe without the walnut oil you can substitute another oil. I’d recommend that you choose a neutral oil such as avocado oil or organic canola oil. If you want to make this with olive oil, try a 50:50 mixture of extra-virgin olive oil and neutral oil.

Whole30: To make this Whole30 compliant omit the maple syrup.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Salad Dressing
  • Method: Raw
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 72
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 203 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

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