This easy homemade basil vinaigrette only has 5 ingredients! Use it for salads, serve with grilled fish or meat, add to a crudité platter, the possibilities are endless!
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Fresh basil vinaigrette is a true gift of summer! Packed with flavor, yet it only has 5 ingredients, and you can make it in less than 5 minutes.
This is a great way to enjoy basil all summer long, and an alternative to pesto when you have a bumper crop that you need to use up quickly.
Ingredients
- Fresh basil: Really fresh basil from your garden or the farmers market will work best for this recipe, but store bought will do in a pinch.
- Red wine vinegar: Since it's a bit milder than some others, red wine vinegar won't overpower the taste of the fresh basil in the vinaigrette.
- Olive oil: Use a high quality olive oil. There are only a few ingredients, so make sure they're the best!
- Garlic
- Kosher salt
How to make it
Grate the garlic clove on a microplane grater. Place all ingredients in a blender or mini-food processor and pulse to combine.
I used my Magic Bullet blender for this and it worked really well since it's a small amount of ingredients.
Tips
- I like to grate the garlic before blending so that you don't get big chunks of garlic in the dressing and the flavor gets evenly distributed throughout the vinaigrette.
- Don't run the blender or food processor any longer than necessary. The heat from the blades can cause the basil to discolor and you won't have that bright green color.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Then make more!!)
Serving Suggestions
- Basil vinaigrette is a key component of this Peach, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Salad.
- Drizzle over a simple Roast Chicken or Crispy Roasted Potatoes.
Related Recipes
So many ways to use basil!
- Pesto is an obvious choice that no one hates, so just do it!
- Well then of course you have to make Pesto Pasta.
Recipe
Basil Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Grate the garlic clove on a microplane grater. Place all ingredients in a blender or mini-food processor and pulse to combine.
Notes
- I like to grate the garlic before blending so that you don't get big chunks of garlic in the dressing and the flavor gets evenly distributed throughout the vinaigrette.
- Don't run the blender or food processor any longer than necessary. The heat from the blades can cause the basil to discolor and you won't have that bright green color.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Then make more!!)
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