White Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with white balsamic vinegar? ›

Restaurant chefs use white balsamic vinegar not only for its milder flavor, but also because it won't turn a salad dressing or sauce brown the way the regular stuff will. Use it in any vinaigrette recipe, for dressing roasted vegetables, or for deglazing a pan of crispy chicken thigh bits.

Change up the base ingredients to give your dressing a different flavor. For example, try using rice vinegar, a shot of soy sauce, cilantro instead of parsley, and a slice of fresh ginger; blend in a neutral oil like canola or avocado.

Balsamic vinegar

One of the most complex and flavourful vinegars, balsamic is also versatile—it can be used as an ingredient within a recipe (marinades, soups and braised dishes, full-flavoured vinaigrettes) or reduced to a sauce. More refined, aged versions can be drizzled on fruit or cheese.

For years it went by the name white balsamic vinegar, as it's made with similar ingredients. Due to some legal constraints, it's no longer available as white balsamic, but can be found under the names white Modena vinegar, or white Italian condiment.

White balsamic vinegar is milder than its red counterpart, and it is created by pressure-cooking wine musts instead of simmering them. This keeps them from caramelizing or gaining any extra color. White balsamic is a great choice if you don't want to add color to a recipe.

Balsamics' enemies are light and heat, so cool, dark storage spaces are best. If you're using balsamic vinegars primarily for salads and like them chilled, they can be refrigerated. If you're using them for sauces, marinades, and reductions, store them in a cupboard.

An emulsifier is used in a vinaigrette to stabilize the oil and vinegar. Common emulsifiers include egg yolks, soy lecithin, and mustard. These ingredients all include lecithin--the stabilizing compound. In many vinaigrettes, mustard is the go-to stabilizer.

Egg yolks or Mayonnaise

The lecithin found in egg yolks has a natural affinity for both oil and water, making it an effective emulsifier. When combined with vigorous whisking or blending, the egg yolks help create a stable, creamy emulsion that imparts a luxurious mouthfeel to your dressing.

How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last? Traditional vinaigrettes, like the balsamic version listed below, will last longer—sometimes up to a few weeks. However, anything with fresh garlic should be consumed within a few days, as the combination of garlic and oil can form harmful bacteria over time.

What's the difference between balsamic dressing and vinaigrette? ›

Balsamic vinegar is pure vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark brown in color and has a very robust, slightly sweet flavor. Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and/or other spices. It is typically used as a salad dressing but has other uses in the kitchen as well.

From the Package. WATER, CIDER VINEGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, SALT, POPPY SEEDS, CELLULOSE GEL, DRIED ONION, MUSTARD FLOUR, XANTHAN GUM, CELLULOSE GUM, SUCRALOSE, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS), TITANIUM DIOXIDE COLOR).

Increase the red wine vinegar to the dressing to decrease the sweetness. Start with small amount and mix it in. Then taste if it is still sweeter than you like add a little more, until you achieve the taste you like.

- Add some sugar or honey to the dish. Sugar and honey can counteract the sourness of vinegar and add some sweetness to the dish. You can start with a small amount and adjust according to your taste.

If your dressing is too sweet

Balance it out with a pinch of salt or something savory such as capers, miso, soy sauce, or tahini.

You can add other ingredients to the mayonnaise to create different flavor profiles. Mustard is a common addition to mayonnaise dressings, as are fresh herbs and garlic. You can also use other ingredients, such as sour cream, yogurt, and fruit juices, as the main dressing ingredients.