Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What do you do with maple balsamic vinegar? ›

You can use Vermont Maple Balsamic Vinegar almost anywhere you use maple syrup. Think pancakes, waffles yogurt, and oatmeal. Drizzling it over ice cream or bread pudding, use it in cakes and frosting, toss fruit in it, glaze pork (especially bacon, pork chops, and ham), and more!

For a traditional vinaigrette, you'll need to mix about 3 tablespoons of oil to 1 tablespoon of vinegar. You'll also want to add some salt and pepper to taste. Of course, for all four ingredients, the better the quality you use, the better your vinaigrette will taste.

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.

It's amazing simply spooned over a rich, runny piece of brie, accompanied by crisp apple slices, or blended with diced apples and jalapeños as a condiment for meat or game. It also makes for a surprisingly balanced maple martini when combined with ice-cold gin or vodka. The possibilities are endless.

Some of the most classic balsamic vinegar pairings include Parmigiano Reggiano and strawberries… But balsamic vinegar can also surprise when it is used to create unusual and creative pairings, such as with vanilla ice cream or dark chocolate.

Common ingredients used as emulsifiers in vinaigrettes include Dijon mustard, honey, egg yolks, tomato paste or even roasted garlic (some are better emulsifiers than others). Lastly, you'll want your vinaigrette to have a lot of flavor, so it's a good idea to add herbs, salt and pepper.

The most common emulsifiers in your kitchen are likely egg yolks, mayonnaise, prepared mustard (preferably Dijon), honey, and tomato paste (though I'm not a fan of raw tomato paste, the flavor works quite well in a vinaigrette). For a more neutral flavor, use mayonnaise.

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.

The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. For my personal taste, that's a little too oily — but it's totally up to you. My simple system is: In a small screw-top jar, place vinegar and a pinch of salt; cover and shake (this helps to dissolve the salt).

How to make homemade balsamic vinegar from scratch? ›

Quick Guide: Homemade Balsamic Vinegar

Crush Lambrusco or Trebbiano grapes to extract their juice (the “must”). Strain the must and simmer it for 2–3 days until it halves and thickens. Store it in a wooden barrel for a minimum of 12 years, transferring to a smaller barrel each year.

So the next time you're dressing a salad, reach for the balsamic vinegar–in the long run, not ingesting that extra fat and sugar makes a big difference!

For every 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, substitute 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus ½ tsp. sugar.

Traditional balsamic can be used at the end of the cooking. It's excellent drizzled over traditional veal scaloppine, a rich risotto, or the Italian stew bollito misto. It's also great over grilled meats and seafood. Add about a teaspoon per person just before serving to get the best of its flavor.

While balsamic is mostly associated with savory dishes, it can be the perfect complement to certain kinds of desserts, namely fruits and also vanilla-flavored dishes. You can use the balsamic vinegar on its own, or sweeten it up by mixing it with sugar and reducing it on the stovetop until it becomes a syrup.

Do use it as a finishing flavor. Whether its vegetables or meat, balsamic shines when its flavor hasn't been overheated. If you want to use it to finish a pork filet or a nice risotto, add it right at the end of the cooking time. Add about a teaspoon per person.