• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

SmartyPantsKitchen logo

  • About
  • Foodie Tips
  • Kitchen 101
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Foodie Tips
  • Kitchen 101
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Dips and Dressings

White Balsamic Vinaigrette (Low-Sodium)

Published: Jul 23, 2022 · Last Modified: Jul 23, 2022 by Anecia

  • share
  • share
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

You'll want to keep this low sodiium White Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe handy because it's delicious and low in sodium! Keep a jar in the fridge for a quick salad or a light sauce for fish or chicken!

For years, I've tried to make a tasty oil and vinegar salad dressing that I could keep on hand. The problem was, the dressing separated because oil and vinegar don't really like each other.

I finally found the secret to making a vinaigrette that actually emulsifies and keeps well in the fridge!

A spoonful of White Balsamic Vinaigrette being drizzled over spinach salad

Why you'll love this recipe!

  • Low-sodium/Healthy: most bottled vinaigrettes contain a plethora of ingredients including emulsifiers and sodium. A typical oil and vinegar dressing contains 270- 320 mg per 2 tablespoons; this recipe contains 1 mg of sodium per 2 tablespoons, which naturally occurs in dried mustard.
  • Versatile: you can put your own spin on this basic vinaigrette dressing by using different herbs and spices
  • Stores well: due to the specific ratios of ingredients in this recipe, the dressing doesn't separate as much as other oil and vinegar combinations; one quick shake of it and it's smooth!

Here's what you'll need:

White Balsamic Vinegar, Extra Virgin Olive oil, Italian seasonings (dried), dried mustard, lemon juice and sugar (optional.) Do NOT substitute plain distilled white vinegar for the white balsamic.

How to make White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Easy. Just mix the oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl; whisk; add remaining ingredients; whisk again and you're done!

Why this recipe works

No added salt but still has great flavor!

Combines well  - Without going into a dissertation on food chemistry, let's just note that fats and oils are non-polar and hydrophobic-meaning they don't like water.  Vinegar, on the other hand is just the opposite - polar and hydrophilic- which means vinegar likes water. 

So, you can see that these two ingredients are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to mixing well and getting along. 

What they need is something to bring them together...a catalyst. In this instance, that "secret something" is Balsamic Vinegar and dry mustard. 

Balsamic vinegars, both dark and white, are made from cooked grapes. As the grapes cook and brown, they produce polymers called melanoidins. Melanoidins have emulsifying properties which help bind the oil and vinegar. 

Dry mustard also has emulsifying properties. So, the inclusion of these two ingredients in this White Balsamic vinaigrette allow the two opposite ingredients to combine and produce a nice, smooth vinaigrette.

Spinach salad in a glass bowl with a side of White balsamic vinaigrette

White balsamic vinaigrette is ideal for any salad!

Now that I've bored you with the details of WHY...(you can only imagine how popular I am at cocktail parties:)...let's whip up a batch of this white balsamic, low-sodium dressing!

Tips

  • Do not substitute the balsamic vinegar with distilled or apple cider
  • Use a high-quality olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice from concentrate is equivalent to the juice from half of a large lemon
  • Sugar is optional
  • Switch out the herbs if you prefer; if using fresh herbs, you'll want to use twice as much of the fresh, because dried herbs are stronger than fresh

Storage

Store this low sodium white Balsamic vinaigrette in a well-sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. White Balsamic Vinaigrette being drizzled over spinach salad

Serve this low sodium salad dressing over crisp greens or warm it up and drizzle it over asparagus, broccoli or Brussels sprouts!

Related recipes:

  • Easy Herb Cream Sauce
  • All-Purpose Salad Dressing
  • Caesar Salad Dressing
  • Low Sodium Mississippi Pot Roast
 

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment. I love to hear from you!

White Balsamic Vinaigrette being drizzled over spinach salad

Low Sodium White Balsamic Vinaigrette

All-natural oil and vinegar salad dressing with herbs, lemon and garlic. No added sodium.
5 from 15 votes
Print Rate
Course: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: International
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Total Yield: 24 tablespoons
Author: Anecia Hero
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup olive oil Extra Virgin
  • ½ cup White Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Italian herbs dried
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice concentrate
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried mustard
  • ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)

Instructions 

  • Combine olive oil and white balsamic vinegar in mixing bowl; whisk
    1 cup olive oil, ½ cup White Balsamic Vinegar
  • Add remaining ingredients; whisk together and serve
    1 tablespoon Italian herbs, 1 tablespoon lemon juice concentrate, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried mustard, ½ teaspoon sugar

Notes

  • You may substitute dark balsamic vinaigrette for white, but the flavor profile of the salad dressing will change a bit
  • Do not substitute white distilled or apple cider vinegar for the white balsamic vinegar; the oil and vinegar won't emulsify as well
  • Lemon juice: use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice from concentrate or the juice from half of a lemon

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Craving More? Pin it and Share!Mention @SmartyPantsKitchen or tag #smartypantskitchen!
Join the Facebook group!Mention @SmartyPantsKitchen or tag #smartypantskitchen!

More Dip and Dressing Recipes

  • Coleslaw in wooden bowl.
    Southern Coleslaw with Vinegar Dressing
  • Close up of cheese ring garnished with pinenuts and green onion with orange jam in the center.
    Cheddar Cheese Ring
  • Greek yogurt dip in bowl with naan bread.
    Greek Yogurt Dip (Tzatziki Sauce)
  • Chile con queso dripping of a yellow tortilla chip over a bowl of queso.
    Tex-Mex Chile con Queso

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Morag says

    February 22, 2023 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    Best and simplest recipe I have found, my taste buds are very sensitive to salt, I can count the grains! and if I do eat something with salt everything tastes horrendous. This really works for me, I too use it to marinade chicken and veggies for kebabs and as dressing for cooked veggies. It's also a great dressing for tomato and mozzarella salad. Thanks so much for this recipe.

    Reply
    • Anecia says

      February 23, 2023 at 9:35 am

      Thank you for your kind words! I love the idea of a marinade and caprese salad dressing! Brilliant! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Barbara says

    January 17, 2023 at 12:24 pm

    I just found out I have stage 3 Kidney Disease and would to see more low sodium recipes! I’m going to try this dressing. Thank you

    Reply
    • Anecia says

      January 20, 2023 at 12:35 pm

      I'm sorry to hear about your illness. Sending you prayers:) You can add herbs of your choice to this white balsamic vinaigrette dressing to make it taste differently - add a pinch of minced garlic and/or minced parsley, cilantro, sage, thyme, rosemary.... to give it a different "spin"!

      Reply
  3. Sandra says

    July 24, 2022 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    I made this dressing and now it's a staple in my fridge. I use it on everything...even to marinate chicken before grilling. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
  4. Dolores Pap says

    February 13, 2022 at 3:02 pm

    5 stars
    This dressing, which I made for a friend who must reduce salt intake, is so good that I now make it as my 'go-to-recipe'.
    Perfect in every way...

    Reply
    • Anecia says

      February 13, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      I'm so happy to hear this, Dolores! I, too, have relatives that must watch their sodium; that's why I developed it! The thing that keeps it blended is the fact that it's balsamic vinegar...you could also use dark balsalmic vinegar, if you wanted a different flavor...Thank you !

      Reply
  5. Debra Drake says

    October 05, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    5 stars
    Looks great! We will try this. 😃

    Reply

I'd love to hear from you! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Anecia Hero, Food Blogger

About SmartyPantsKitchen

I'm Anecia, a native Texan, author, cook and photographer for SmartyPantsKitchen where I'm sharing Traditional and Contemporary Southern recipes for cooks of all levels. There's nothing fancy or gourmet about my recipes-just easy, simple, delicious and memorable! Take a tour and check out delicious recipes! 

Learn more about me →

Texas Recipes

  • Authentic Texas Chili in white bowl with tortilla chip and shredded cheese.
    Texas Chili
  • Close up of cake on white plate.
    Original Texas Sheet Cake
  • Sausage cream gravy in red bowl with bowl of biscuits in red checkered basket in background
    Sausage Cream Gravy
  • Whole pecan pie on colorful tablecloth
    Classic Southern Pecan Pie
  • Chicken fried steak with cream gravy and a side of green beans
    Texas Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
  • Apple cake on gold plate.
    Fresh Apple Cake

Brunch

  • Two slices of quiche on white plate
    Foolproof Quiche
  • Holiday Sausage Ball on fork resting over honey mustard dip
    Easy Sausage Balls
  • Smoked tomato bisque on brown serving tray with crouton and cream
    Smoked Tomato Bisque (Low-Sodium)
  • Slice of low carb egg casserole on plate.
    Low Carb Crustless Quiche Recipe
  • Slice of spinach feta pie on white plate with a side of kalamata olives.
    Spinach Feta Pie
  • Shrimp Saganaki in white baking dish.
    Shrimp Saganaki (Baked Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta)

Reader Favorites

  • Fried catfish filets with tartar sauce.
    Restaurant-Quality Fried Catfish
  • Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
  • No beer batter fried fish in paper
    Fish and Chips: No Beer Batter
  • Cream gravy being spooned over chicken fried steak
    Southern Cream Gravy

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and recipes

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2018-2022 SmartyPantsKitchen.com