Vegan Creamy Balsamic Dressing is made with healthy ingredients and is one of the best-tasting dressing recipes out there! It goes perfectly with veggie bowls and salads. Plus, it's dairy-free, oil-free, and gluten-free.
Enjoy Creamy Balsamic Dressing with this Crispy Roasted Chickpea Salad for a complete and healthy meal.
For the best assortment of vegan dressings, visit my Healthy Dressings page on this site. Try these three Healthy Salad Dressings, as well as my Green Sauce recipes.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Balsamic vinegar
- Mustard
- Maple syrup
- Shallots (optional)
- Red chili pepper (optional)
- Tahini
See the recipe card for quantities.
🫙 Substitutions
- Spicy - Add more chili peppers for spicy. This recipe is not too spicy as written.
- Shallots - omit as desired
- Tahini - omit the tahini as desired but the dressing will be more of a sauce and less creamy
- Mustard - use whole grain mustard or Dijon
See more healthy dressing recipes on my Vegan Dressings page. Condiments are on my Vegan Condiment Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Creamy Balsamic Dressing (No Dairy)
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
Step 1. Transfer the balsamic vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, shallot, and red chili pepper to a small skillet or saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat.
Step 2. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add the water and adjust until a desired sauce-like consistency.
Step 3. Remove from the stove and add the tahini. Add warm water as needed, until the desired creaminess. (Do not heat further.)
Step 4. This Creamy Balsamic Dressing works on any salad or veggie bowl. I especially enjoy it with my Roasted Chickpea Salad recipe.
✔️ Expert Tips
- The sweetness of the dressing will vary depending on the brand of balsamic vinegar. Add the maple syrup one teaspoon at a time until the desired sweetness.
- Add the warm dressing straight from the skillet to transform your salad or grain bowl into a nourishing and comforting warm meal.
- Use this recipe as a sauce instead for tofu steaks, or pour over mashed veggie purees.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Creamy Balsamic Dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve warm or chilled. Reheat on the stovetop, adding more water as needed, or in the microwave.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Balsamic vinaigrette is a specific type of balsamic dressing made by emulsifying balsamic vinegar with olive oil and other ingredients like mustard, honey, and herbs/spices. Balsamic dressing is any salad dressing made with balsamic vinegar as the main ingredient, with or without olive oil.
Traditional balsamic vinegar is made via a multi-step process of reducing and fermenting whole-pressed white grapes. The grapes are pressed whole–stems, seeds, and juice. This is followed by a long aging period in a series of wooden barrels.
The grapes in balsamic vinegar improve arterial function. Balsamic vinegar also removes any negative effects on arteries from the oil when consumed in a vinaigrette!
In general, consuming vinegar with a meal reduces the spike in blood sugar, insulin, and triglycerides. It works especially well in pre-diabetics showing signs of insulin resistance.
Looking for the "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale" label, grape must as the only ingredient, a D.O.P. seal, thick viscosity, complex flavor, and a premium price are reliable indicators of an authentic, high-quality traditional balsamic vinegar.
My preferred brands include Bellino Organic, Barengo, Di Bruno Bros., Good & Gather Signature, and Lucini.
🫙 Related Recipes
🥙 Pairing
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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I would love it if you would ⭐️ rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Best Creamy Balsamic Dressing Recipe (NO DAIRY)
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or whole-grain mustard
- 2 to 3 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 medium shallot thinly sliced
- 1 small red chili pepper rib and seeds removed, minced
- 2 tablespoons water plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon tahini plus more to taste
Instructions
- Heat: Transfer the balsamic vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, shallot, and red chili pepper to a small skillet or saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add the water and adjust until the desired sauce-like consistency.
- Remove from the heat. Add the tahini and warm water as needed, until the desired creaminess.
Notes
-
- The sweetness of the dressing will vary depending on the brand of Balsamic vinegar. Add the maple syrup one teaspoon at a time until the desired sweetness.
- Add the warm dressing straight from the skillet to transform your salad or grain bowl into a nourishing and warm meal.
- Use this recipe as a sauce instead for tofu steaks, or pour over mashed veggie purees.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Creamy Balsamic Dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve warm or chilled. Reheat on the stovetop, adding more water as needed, or in the microwave.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Katie says
Delicious! A dup of the olive garden recipe but waaaay tastier!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww so happy to hear that! Thank you!!!
Primla Goddard says
So tasty ! Love the fact that it is dairy free !
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you so much.
Neena Chandiramani says
Delicious and easy to make!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you. It's a fave!