Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Name: Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup pecans (raw and unsalted); 1/4 cup water; 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar; 1/4 cup Homemade Date Syrup; 1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

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You're gonna want to sop this Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette up with the biggest lettuce, spinach, or kale leaf in your salad bowl. You may also like our Walnut Salad Dressing.

side view close up of a mason jar with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and mixed green salad in a white bowl blurred in the background

The secret ingredient to this healthy balsamic dressing you've ever had is the toasted pecans. This amazingly delicious dressing is vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and Daniel Fast-compliant.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Health Benefits
What You'll Need to Make This Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette
How to Make This Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Recipe FAQs
More Sauce Recipes to Check Out
Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Whole‑food deliciousness without the guilt. No oils, no weird additives.
Nutrient‑dense and fresh, elevating salads, Buddha bowls, or veggie dips.
Easy breezy prep. Just toast, blend, and let it work its creamy magic.
Flavor trifecta with the nutty pecans, sweet dates, tangy balsamic, and sharp Dijon keeps taste buds dancing.
One of our favorite approved Daniel Fast Sauces and Dressings.

Health Benefits

Lower calorie density: Replacing oils with water makes this a lighter pour, perfect for mindful eating.
Healthy fats: Pecans deliver monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good for heart health and nutrient absorption.
Natural sweetness: Date syrup (or softened dates) replaces refined sugar, offering fiber and nutrients.
Plant‑based and allergen‑friendly: With no oil, gluten, soy, or animal products, this vinaigrette is inclusive and clean.

What You'll Need to Make This Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients for healthy balsamic vinaigrette dressing: homemade date syrup, Dijon mustard, pecans, balsamic vinegar.

Pecans (raw and unsalted): Adds nutty depth, body, richness, and creamy texture when blended.
Homemade Date Syrup (or pitted dates soaked in hot water): Brings natural sweetness and luscious smoothness with fiber notes.
Balsamic vinegar: Lends tangy, sweet, acidic complexity and depth.
Dijon mustard: Injects savory sharpness and helps emulsify the blend.

A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

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How to Make This Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add raw unsalted pecans to the dry skillet and warm for 1 to 2 minutes, carefully shaking the nuts around a few times, so they don't burn. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients (water, balsamic vinegar, Homemade Date Syrup, and Dijon mustard) to a mini bullet blender cup.

Carefully add the warmed pecans to the mini bullet blender along with the other ingredients and let them sit for 5 minutes. This allows the pecans to cool to room temperature and soften in the liquid.

After sitting, blend until smooth and creamy. The dressing will be a little warm, adding to the yumminess.

Also, this oil-free balsamic vinaigrette will thicken as it sits. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more water and mix well to combine.

Pecans toasting in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop. — toast the raw and unsalted pecans in a hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes

Ingredients for balsamic salad dressing soaking in a container for a mini bullet blender. — add all ingredients to a mini blender and let sit for 5 minutes

Store any extra dressing in an airtight container—such as an 8 or 12 ounce mason jar—in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Balsamic dressing being poured into a mason jar.

Recipe FAQs

Is balsamic vinaigrette healthy?

Generally speaking, balsamic vinaigrette dressing tends to be a healthier choice than cream-based dressings because it has less saturated fat than dairy-based options. However, most balsamic vinaigrettes contain a high amount of oil, which is a processed food item. This recipe, however, is oil-free and uses whole pecans as its source of unprocessed and healthy fat.

Is there a difference between balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinaigrette?

Yes. In short, balsamic vinegar is a key ingredient in balsamic vinaigrette along with other seasonings and a source of plant fat, like toasted pecans.

What do you eat with this balsamic vinaigrette?

This recipe makes a great dipping sauce for a raw veggie plate, or as a drizzle over Veggie Pizza for One. But my favorite way to enjoy this delicious vinaigrette is on a good salad, like the Elegant Beet Arugula Salad, Easy Rainbow Salad, or Curry Quinoa Chickpea Salad. You'll love it!

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container, like a mason jar with a lid, for up to 4 days.

Here’s the real talk: your dressing shouldn’t be the bland, watery last-resort condiment hiding in the fridge. This Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette is a flavor powerhouse. It's nutty, tangy, subtly sweet, and totally guilt-free. Whether you’re glamming up a salad, dressing a bowl, or dunking fresh veggies, it’s the kind of sauce that makes eating plants feel like a treat. Keep it easy, keep it whole, and your taste buds (and body) will thank you.

More Sauce Recipes to Check Out

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