Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

This basil vinaigrette will bring a fresh flavor to everything it touches! Salad dressing is a great way to use this herb: sprinkle it over seafood or salads.

Do you have a lot of basil? No need to get stuck in a pesto rut. try that Basil Vinaigrette! It’s got a lot of fresh, tangy flavor: it actually tastes like pesto in vinaigrette form. It is ideal for salads, especially a summer tomato salad. But the sky’s the limit: use it as a sauce for chicken or seafood, or even to drizzle over goat’s cheese crostini. The flavor is ultra-spicy and it only takes 5 minutes to mix. Alex took a bite and exclaimed, “Wow!” (I was flattered.) Here’s how to make this delicious homemade dressing.

Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients

Only a few ingredients are used for this basil vinaigrette: each one packs a huge punch! Our favorite part is that you don’t even have to buy a fresh lemon. Red wine vinegar will do the trick and do all the necessary stuff except for the Basil Pantry ingredients. What you need for a basil vinaigrette:

• Fresh basil
• Garlic
• olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Sugar

Use a food processor or blender

You can use a food processor or blender for this recipe, but there are a few things to keep in mind regarding recipe size. Here’s what you need to know:

• Food processor or hand blender: This recipe makes ½ cup basil vinaigrette. A food processor works best with this small amount of ingredients; You can also use a blender and mug.
• Standard Mixer: You can also use a commercial blender! If this is the gear you have, we encourage you to do so double the recipe. A larger amount blends better in a large blender. Then follow the storage instructions below.

Information on storing basil vinaigrette

This basil vinaigrette is best made fresh! As mentioned above, this recipe makes ½ cup: This should be enough for 4 salads or to drizzle over fish or seafood. Do you want to double it for leftovers or make it in a standard blender? Store this basil vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

The basil loses some of its color but is still quite green. Be sure to bring to room temperature before serving, as olive oil will solidify in the fridge.

Ways to serve basil vinaigrette

This basil vinaigrette is loaded with summer flavors! A good alternative to pesto is to use summer basil. Or you can absolutely do it anytime: use fresh, store-bought basil to evoke the flavors of summer. Here are some great ways to use it:

Do you have any other ideas? Tell us how you would use this basil vinaigrette!

Other ways to use basil

There are so many delicious basil recipes for using summer basil! Here are some other basil recipe ideas that we love:

This basil vinaigrette is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.