Honey balm seasoning will soon become your salad filling. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it’s easy to assemble!
We have been making this balsamic recipe for nearly 20 years. It has a perfect balance of sweet and rich flavors and pairs well with any salad ingredients you like.
It is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly. If you want a slightly lower calorie seasoning, it’s slightly less oil than traditional balsamic vinegar uses.
Keep it in the refrigerator this week and you will have more salads right away!
The ingredients you need
This salad dressing starts with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If you are using cheap balsamic vinegar, it may have a more acidic flavor and requires an extra sweetness.
Vinegar for at least 3 years will have a naturally sweet taste and require less sweetener. So, keep this in mind!
Honey, shallots and garlic round this seasoning to make it taste like it comes from the restaurant. If you don’t have scallions on hand, try adding squeezed Dijon mustard sauce to help emulsify the dressing.
How to make honey vinegar
For the creamiest seasoning, mix olive oil, vinegar, scallion, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a blender. I use a personal blender cup attachment for my vitamix, but if you have one, you can also use an immersion blender.
You willTake the complete measurement in the recipe card below.
Once the seasoning looks smooth, taste and make any adjustments as needed. To get Tangier flavor, add extra vinegar. Or, for a sweeter flavor, add extra honey.
Enjoy the seasonings of your favorite salad ingredients now. It pairs well with spinach or spicy arugula, juicy tomatoes, crispy apple or pear, grilled chicken, salmon and more.
No mixer option
If you want to skip the blender, chop the scallions and garlic and add ingredients to the mason jar. Secure the lid, shake or stir well until the seasoning looks buttery. It doesn’t look as smooth and creamy as the mixed version, but it’s still delicious!
Storage Tips: Store honey balm seasonings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It thickens slightly and separates when refrigerated. Stir well before using again.
Need more dressing recipes? Try apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar or pesto salad seasoning.
- ⅓ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar (See Note)
- 2 spoon Chopped shallots
- 1 Garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 spoon Honey
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Grind black pepper
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Mix olive oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, 1 tablespoon of honey, salt and pepper in a blender. Secure the lid and mix until very smooth. Taste the mixture and add honey if needed.
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If you don’t have a blender, you can cut the scallions and garlic into capped jars. (Fine texture with micro-papers.) Add the rest of the ingredients to the jar and stir well. Alternatively, secure the lid and shake until the seasoning looks emulsified. It doesn’t look as creamy as the mixed version, but the taste is still great!
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Store all leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The dressings will separate and thicken when refrigerated. Stir well every time you use it.
Balsamic vinegar notes: If you use vinegar 3 years old or older, it tastes sweeter than cheaper ones. That’s why the amount of honey may vary. If your balsamic vinegar tastes sweeter, please be less honey. You can add more flavors at any time!
Update Note: The recipe was updated in 2025 to omit two tablespoons of water. Readers report that making the dressing too runny and I prefer the thicker dressing consistency without it. But feel free to add if you prefer!
Calories: 129KCAL | carbohydrate: 5g | protein: 0.2g | Fatty: 12g | Saturated fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated fat: 1g | Monounsaturated fat: 9g | sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 28mg | fiber: 0.1g | sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | calcium: 6mg | iron: 0.2mg
If you try this homemade salad dressing, Please leave comments and star ratings below. Let me know you like it!
