I think every family has at least one famous, original recipe that has been passed down through generations. Maybe it’s Grandma’s sugar cookies or Dad’s hamburgers. We have several popular original dressings in our household, but none have become a staple in my kitchen like Aunt Lisa’s amazing salad dressings. It’s so delicious that you can drink it straight from the bottle!
Every Thanksgiving, Aunt Lisa makes a creamy maple balsamic dressing and tosses a mixed green salad with pears, gorgonzola cheese, crispy bacon, and candied pecans (I mean, right?!). It may seem strange that a salad would be one of my favorite holiday dishes, but it really is.
And this dressing is so delicious that I only have it once a year. I make it regularly and fill mason jars and store it in the fridge for a week.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beam
What makes this dressing so good?
This easy-drinking dressing is a perfectly balanced combination of flavors. Balsamic vinegar and granulated Dijon mustard make it tangy, maple syrup makes it sweet, soy sauce makes it salty, mayonnaise makes it creamy, garlic powder gives it a punch, and maybe olive oil? Simply measure and pour everything directly into the jar and shake until beautifully emulsified.
This creamy maple balsamic dressing is so easy and quick to make, and the ingredients are simple, so I always prefer it over store-bought dressings. While ready-made dressings often contain sugar, preservatives, and stabilizers, this dressing is naturally sweetened with maple syrup. If you don’t have it on hand, you can use brown sugar, but you won’t get the same flavor.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beam
How to make creamy maple and balsamic dressing
For 2/3 cup dressing (4 to 6 servings), you will need:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons granulated or regular Dijon mustard 4 teaspoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a mason jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified.
Serve with your favorite salad greens or store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beam
What do you put this dressing on?
We call it salad dressing, but it can be used on a lot more than just leafy greens. When tossing leafy greens on a salad, choose hardy greens like kale, romaine, or spinach that retain their crunchy texture when tossed with creamy dressings.
That aside, I love to drizzle this dressing over roasted vegetables or grain bowls. It’s also great as a sauce for a simple skillet or roast chicken.
Try making this dressing yourself. If you make a few tweaks here and there to get it just the way you want it, it won’t be exactly like Aunt Lisa’s recipe, but it will become your family’s new original recipe, and it might be passed down to the next generation.
