Maple Balsamic Dressing

Maple Balsamic Dressing is sweet, tangy, and pairs incredibly well with a colorful Autumn Salad. You’ll want to make it all season long!

The Perfect Fall Dressing

We’ve all had mediocre salads. You know what I’m talking about—a pathetic pile of lettuce topped with a bland, one-dimensional dressing. Those kinds of salads make me sad. 

This stops now. We’re fixing the problem. I’m allllll about filling, tasty salads for any time of the year (see my Summer Berry Salad and Spring Brunch Salad).

With the holidays on the horizon, I know I’ll need a salad to counteract all the heavy comfort food forthcoming. Enter: Autumn Salad. It fulfills the need for salad without making me sad (because it’s so wonderfully delicious). I call that a win.

Why I Love This Maple Salad Dressing

5 ingredients and 5 minutes. That’s all you need for this salad dressing. And you probably have everything on hand already! This Maple Dijon Dressing is about as easy as it gets. If you’re not fully convinced yet, here’s why I love it so much:

• Made with pantry staples like maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• It takes less than 5 minutes to make. All you have to do is throw all the ingredients together and give it a good shake. Voila!
• It has perfectly balanced flavors. This dressing is anything but one-dimensional. It’s sweet, tart, and just a hint spicy, all at once.

Key Ingredients

• Maple syrup- Nothing says autumn like maple syrup. The warm, sweet flavors are perfect for the season! Be sure that it’s real maple syrup, not pancake syrup like Mrs. Butterworth’s or Hungry Jack.
• Dijon mustard- Dijon adds wonderful spicy, tangy flavor to homemade dressings, and also helps them emulsify. It’s also a staple in my Creamy Caesar Dressing.
• Balsamic vinegar- Balsamic vinegar is my favorite vinegar for making vinaigrettes. Even the cheap stuff will work here, but if you can splurge on an aged balsamic, you’ll taste the difference.

How to Make Maple Balsamic Dressing

1. Put all the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Seal, then shake vigorously for 30 seconds, or until the dressing is well combined. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

FAQs

Is maple vinaigrette gluten free?

Yes, it is! You can safely serve it to your GF friends.

Can you make maple salad dressing ahead of time?

Absolutely! The dressing will keep well in the fridge for at least a week. It tends to thicken and separate a bit in the fridge, so be sure to give it a good shake before serving.

What to do with leftover homemade dressing?

This maple dressing will pair well with many different salad greens. Use it to make a simple salad or pair with Chicken Apple Bacon Kale Salad. You can also toss it with roasted sweet potatoes or brussels sprouts.

Leftover dressing can also be used as a marinade for chicken or pork chops.

More Salad Dressing Recipes

Many of my favorite salads include a homemade dressing. Making your own vinaigrette is super quick and easy and almost always tastes better than anything store bought.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Copy Cat Northstar Chopped Salad with a super simple, bright honey dijon vinaigrette
• That Good Salad paired with a lemon garlic dressing
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with a super sweet citrusy lemon dressing
• Panera Asian Chicken Salad with a divine Sesame Dressing
• Mason Jar Taco Salad with a chipotle honey dressing
• Bowtie Pasta Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing