Balsamic Vinaigrette

Michael Eisenwasser

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A classic balsamic vinaigrette kept within Monash serve sizes. Five ingredients, one jar, thirty seconds of shaking — ready for any salad in the fridge.

Prep 5 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 8

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegan

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (plain, no garlic or honey)
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme
• Optional: 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil (swap for 1 teaspoon of the plain olive oil)

Instructions

Shake it together

1. Add the balsamic vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Seal and shake for 10 seconds to dissolve the mustard and maple into the vinegar.
3. Add the olive oil (and infused oil, if using), seal again, and shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds until the dressing thickens and looks glossy.

Taste and adjust

1. Dip a lettuce leaf or clean spoon in and taste. If it's too sharp, add another 1/4 teaspoon of maple. If it's flat, add another pinch of salt.
2. Stir in the fresh herbs if using.

Store

1. Keep the jar in the fridge. Shake vigorously again before every pour — olive oil separates and partially solidifies when cold.

Tips & Substitutions

• Read the Dijon label. Most plain Dijons are just mustard seed, vinegar, water, and salt — all fine. Skip any labeled "honey Dijon" or "garlic Dijon," and specifically check the ingredients for onion powder or garlic powder, which show up in flavored varieties. Whole-grain mustard works too, as long as the label stays clean.
• Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Pure maple is low-FODMAP at 2 tablespoons per serve. Most supermarket pancake syrups are high-fructose corn syrup, which is high-FODMAP and also tastes flat in a dressing.
• Add a garlic note with infused oil. Swap a teaspoon of the plain olive oil for garlic-infused olive oil if you want that savory edge. Fructans aren't oil-soluble, so the flavor carries but the FODMAPs don't. Use a commercial infused oil or a properly strained homemade version — never leave garlic pieces sitting in oil, which is a botulism risk.
• Herb it up. A half teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano, thyme, or basil turns this into an Italian-leaning dressing. Dried herbs work at half the quantity.
• Don't reach for balsamic glaze. Commercial balsamic glazes are reduced balsamic plus added sugar or, often, garlic, onion, or fig — check the label before assuming it's safe.
• Whisk, blender, or jar. A jar is fastest and stores the dressing in the same container. A small blender or immersion blender gives you a thicker, creamier emulsion that clings better to sturdy greens.

Why This Works

Balsamic vinegar at a 1 tablespoon serve. Monash lists balsamic vinegar as low at 1 tablespoon (21 g) per serve. Above that, the naturally concentrated fructose starts to add up. This recipe uses 2 tablespoons divided across 8 servings, which works out to about 3/4 teaspoon of vinegar per serving — well under the 1 tablespoon ceiling. Even a generous 2 tablespoon pour of finished dressing contains only about 1/2 teaspoon of actual balsamic.

Maple syrup, not honey. Honey is high in excess fructose and high-FODMAP at every serve size Monash has tested. Pure maple syrup is low-FODMAP at 2 tablespoons per serve and does the same job in a dressing — a touch of sweetness to round out the acid. One teaspoon spread across 8 servings means each salad gets a trace amount, nowhere near a problem portion.

Check the Dijon label. Plain Dijon mustard is fine on the low-FODMAP diet — the classic ingredient list is just mustard seed, vinegar, water, and salt. Trouble starts when manufacturers add honey, garlic powder, or onion powder, all of which show up in flavored varieties. If the label reads clean, 1 teaspoon in a whole batch is a non-issue.

The 3:1 oil-to-vinegar ratio. This is the classic vinaigrette proportion — 3 parts oil to 1 part acid — and it's why the dressing tastes balanced instead of biting. It also keeps the per-serving balsamic low without you having to think about it. The Dijon helps the emulsion hold together longer; maple softens the edge of the vinegar; salt and pepper tie it together.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. Olive oil solidifies in the cold, so let the jar sit on the counter for 10 minutes before using, then shake hard until glossy. Don't freeze — the emulsion breaks and the texture turns grainy once thawed.

Not sure about an ingredient? FODMAP Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with FODMAP ratings to help you cook with confidence.