Basil Vinaigrette
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Capture the taste of summer with this vibrant basil vinaigrette, perfect for jazzing up salads, veggies, and grilled favorites.
Do you have more fresh basil on hand than you know what to do with? Let’s put that green goodness to work in this vibrant basil vinaigrette! Prepared with loads of fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, and a touch of honey, this dressing is a game-changer for all your favorite summer veggies. It’s equally delicious drizzled over fresh mozzarella, burrata, or feta cheese, as well as grilled chicken or fish. No matter how you choose to enjoy it, this basil vinaigrette is the perfect choice for those balmy days when you’re craving a fresh and delicious meal that captures the taste of summer.
Still more basil? This pesto sauce is good on just about everything, from pizzas to pastas to salads. Are there other herbs in your garden screaming to be used? The dressing from my big Italian salad calls for generous portions of both basil and parsley. If your dill is growing like a weed, this creamy feta dressing will make a small dent in your harvest.
Table of Contents
“This was so ridiculously good that I just made two more batches. Jenn, you are my culinary idol!”
What You’ll Need To Make Basil Vinaigrette
- Fresh Basil: The foundation of the dressing, which adds a distinctive herby flavor.
- Garlic: Provides a savory kick, enhancing the overall taste of the dressing.
- White Wine Vinegar: Adds acidity, balancing the richness of the olive oil. Make sure to use a quality brand, such as Pompeian Gourmet.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Forms the base, giving the vinaigrette a smooth texture. Use a quality olive oil, such as Lucini.
- Salt and Pepper: Essential for seasoning and balancing the flavors.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing, rounding out the taste.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine all of the ingredients.
Process until smooth and bright green.
Store the vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; shake to re-emulsify before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
While technically you can freeze it, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. Basil tends to lose its vibrant flavor and aroma when frozen, and the texture of the vinaigrette might change upon thawing. It’s best enjoyed fresh, but if you do have leftovers, keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days for optimal taste.
Absolutely! If you’re out of white wine vinegar, rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work nicely.
Sure, that should work! However, because the dressing has vinegar in it (which is acidic), it will do best with either bone-in chicken pieces or dark meat. Acidic marinades are generally too harsh for lean white meats like boneless skinless chicken breasts; they will give the meat a leathery texture.
Yep, you can use a blender as an alternative to a food processor. Simply add all the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth and bright green.
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Basil Vinaigrette
Capture the taste of summer with this vibrant basil vinaigrette, perfect for jazzing up salads, veggies, and grilled favorites.
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini
- Scant 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons honey
Instructions
- In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine all of the ingredients. Process until smooth and bright green. Store the vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; shake to re-emulsify before using.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 157
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 78 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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What is the salad pictured (mozzarella, tomatoes, etc)? Is there a recipe for that somewhere as well?
Hi Miranda, It’s not actually a recipe — it’s just a combination of mixed greens, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Hope you enjoy the dressing if you make it!
Well it looks beautiful 🤩
It’s gonna pair with this vinaigrette for my lunch today along with some leftover grilled chicken 😄
Delicious! And a great way to use basil…yum!
Another amazing recipe. I was wondering what to do with all my basil, this was the perfect solution. My granddaughter came over and I asked her to try it and she went nuts. She grabbed a tomato and some cheese and drizzled the dressing over and swooned over it. I sent some home with her and made her very happy.
I made this last night and we loved it! I actually used it as a drizzle over grilled veggies and sauteed salmon. Not only was it delish, but the pretty green color brightened everything. I know it would be good as a dressing too, but I love that it is really versatile. Great way to use some of my basil too (which is growing at a crazy pace)!!
I love your description that it tastes like summer, because it really does! The basil is growing like crazy in my garden and this is a different way to use it than the pesto I make every summer. While it’s called a salad dressing, we used it not only on salad, but drizzled it on chicken the next day. I feel like this is the kind of thing I will now make and keep in my fridge all summer long!
This was so ridiculously good that I made two more batches. Jenn, you are my culinary idol! Quick question- should I make any modifications if I want to use this as a chicken marinade?
Hi Amy, So glad you like it! Yes, you can definitely use it as a marinade. Because it has vinegar in it (which is acidic), it will do best with either bone-in or-dark meat chicken. I’d love to hear how the chicken turns out if you try it. 🙂
I made the vinaigrette and was skeptical about adding the honey so I added 1/2 the amount and still found it sweet.
This is the first recipe out of dozens that I didn’t find perfect!
We always prefer homemade salad dressings and this one is wonderful! Simple to make, and so delicious!
Delicious and a nice variation from other vinaigrettes. A bit too tangy for me but with a little extra olive oil it was perfect.
Wonderful option for all that basil in the garden. All the attributes of great recipe: Simple, fast, fresh and amazing flavor! Thanks Jenn