Published on 07/22/23

We are so excited to bring you a super easy Basil Vinaigrette salad dressing that is going to be your new star of the summer! Homemade salad dressings are packed with flavor and surprisingly simple to make. Enjoy this healthy basil salad dressing on any of your favorite salad recipes, this Summer Grain Salad or drizzle on top of some grilled chicken breast!

The Best Basil Vinaigrette

We used to be a little intimidated to make our own salad dressings at home, but we quickly discovered that these recipes are actually super easy and some of our favorite dressings! Typically you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients already in your pantry or fridge. And the flavors that you get from using fresh, simple ingredients is out of this world!

This basil vinaigrette salad dressing recipe is a summer favorite because of all the fresh basil. We always have so many basil leaves growing in the garden so we are always finding new ways to use them in various recipes. Don’t be intimidated like we were, just go for it! Trust us, you won’t regret it!

Looking for another homemade vinaigrette recipe? You have to try our Greek Vinaigrette – another delicious dressing that can be used in so many different ways!

What You Will Need

fresh basil leaves – you should be able to find plenty on the basil plant growing in your herb garden (if you have one), at your local grocery store, or farmer’s market.
lemon juice & lemon zest – a little bit of acidity to make it a light and bright dressing!
extra virgin olive oil – an essential ingredient for most homemade salad dressings.
kosher salt & ground black pepper – simple seasonings that are always a must!
fresh garlic – everything is better with a little bit of garlic in the mix.
shallot – try to look for a small-ish shallot. They come in all different sizes and you don’t want the flavors to be too overpowering by using a really big shallot.
rice vinegar – added for a little bite that is very mild.

How To Make Basil Vinaigrette

The first steps to making this easy recipe are to gather all of the fresh ingredients.

Ingredients for a basil vinaigrette in separate bowls.

Now place all of those ingredients in a small food processor or blender. You could also place everything in a tall jar and mix with an immersion blender.

Basil vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor.

Blend everything on the high setting and in a matter of seconds you will have a dressing with a perfectly smooth texture.

Blended basil vinaigrette in the food processor.

Store for later in an airtight container or use on or with any of your favorite recipes!

Basil vinaigrette in a small glass jar with a spoon.

Best Ways To Enjoy A Basil Vinaigrette

Let us count the ways! Our favorite part is that there are so many great ways to enjoy this simple basil dressing. Our all-time favorite way is to generously pour it on our Summer Grain Salad (shown below)! It would also be great on a grilled salmon salad, an easy grilled chicken salad, grilled flank steak salad, or any other summer salad. Beyond salads, you could also drizzle it over some grilled chicken thighs, spread some on the bread of a grilled chicken sandwich, or over some air fried salmon fillets!

Basil vinaigrette being poured on a summer grain salad.

Recipe FAQ

Other fresh herbs: feel free to toss some other fresh herbs in the mix! A little bit of fresh cilantro or fresh parsley would compliment the basil well.
Other flavors: feel free to get creative with this basil vinaigrette dressing! To play with the flavors you could add some apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or some red pepper flakes for a little kick.
Freezing: this fresh basil vinaigrette is a good recipe to store in the freezer! We love to pour some into ice cube trays, freeze, pop them out, and store them in a reusable storage bag. That way we can thaw individual portions and enjoy them as needed.

Pinterest image for an easy basil vinaigrette.

Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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