This pesto salad dressing is quick, easy and made with just 3 ingredients! Prepared pesto is combined with white wine vinegar and olive oil for a super easy pesto vinaigrette dressing perfect for salads, marinades, bread-dipping, pasta, and more!
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Here at Fresh Coast Eats, we love everything pesto!
My favorite pesto recipe on the site is our nut-free pesto recipe, which I use for EVERYTHING! I especially love to make this chicken pesto pasta salad and tuna pesto pasta when I need something quick and easy.
When I can get my hands on a ton of fresh basil, I make a big batch and use it throughout the week.
This quick and easy pesto vinaigrette recipe is another one of my favorite ways to use up a big batch of pesto.
By adding a little extra olive oil and vinegar you can easily make a light and tangy dressing that is perfect to drizzle over a bowl of salad greens, veggies, chicken or even just on bread!
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Ingredients for Pesto Vinaigrette
The best part about this recipe is that it uses just 3-ingredients.
- Freshly Prepared Basil Pesto: Fresh is always best. I highly recommend using our quick and easy nut-free basil pesto as a base. It takes just a few minutes to whip up and I promise, it's worth it. If you do choose to use jarred, make sure you are using your favorite brand. Since it is the base of the recipe, you want it to have excellent flavor.
- White Wine Vinegar: High quality is best. This is what gives the pesto vinaigrette the tangy finish that keeps you craving more! Try this Napa Valley white wine vinegar, or purchase a single vineyard, barrel aged white wine vinegar from your local market.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Choose quality, fresh olive oil for the best flavor. Olive oil adds a sturdy base for the dressing and helps thin it out making it perfect for leafy greens, veggies and use as a marinade.
Check the recipe card further down the page for the exact quantities of each.
Substitutions
- Fresh Pesto: If you don't have time to whip up fresh pesto or can't access fresh basil to make it, you can use jarred prepared pesto. I prefer fresh prepared pesto you can find for sale in the refrigerated section over jarred sauce on the pasta aisle. Fresh bottled pesto is uncooked and has a sweet and vibrant fresh basil flavor, where jarred pesto has been cooked and is earthier.
- White Wine Vinegar: I like the subtle, delicate flavor of white wine vinegar however you can also use fresh lemon, red wine vinegar or whatever else you prefer. Of these choices, fresh lemon juice is my favorite substitution because basil and lemon are made for each other! Please note the color and flavor of your pesto vinaigrette may vary with your choice.
- Olive Oil: High quality olive oil is perfect for this recipe but you can also use your preferred oil of choice in it's place. Give avocado, seed, or nut oils a try. Keep in mind these oils may change the flavor slightly.
Equipment
Clean up is a breeze for this pesto vinaigrette recipe! If using prepared pesto sauce, all you need is:
As mentioned above this recipe is ideal when making fresh pesto, if you are making it fresh then you will also need a food processor or a mortar and pestle.
How to Make Pesto Salad Dressing
Once you have your high quality ingredients and equipment ready, clean and prepare your working area and let's get started.
Start by measuring out each ingredient into a mixing bowl. A medium sized bowl will be just fine for this recipe.
PRO TIP: When measuring out the prepared pesto, give it a good stir before adding it to the measuring cup. Sometimes, as pesto sits it can separate a bit so stirring before measuring it out can help make sure everything is well mixed.
Once you have everything in the bowl, use a whisk and gently mix everything together.
Using a bowl to mix this up allows you to see the viscosity very clearly so you can adjust as needed.
PRO TIP: Depending on your intended use, you may choose to adjust the consistency. To thicken the vinaigrette, simply add a little extra pesto. To thin up the dressing a bit, add a little extra olive oil.
Please note that this dressing will separate a bit and will need to be shaken or stirred before you use it.
After everything is well combined and you have the texture you want, you can transfer it to a small bowl, a mason jar or a dressing bottle.
How to Store Pesto Vinaigrette
Your homemade basil pesto vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze this recipe for up to 2 months. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays and take out little ice cube sized servings as needed. To thaw, simply move to the fridge the evening before you plan to use it.
- A mason jar is a no-fuss way to store homemade salad dressings. I love that you have an airtight seal to lock in freshness and protect leaks.
- This swing top bottle is another excellent way to keep the dressing extra fresh and has a more elegant appearance so you can move it straight from fridge to table.
- A classic salad dressing bottle is also a great way to store your dressing, just make sure to avoid any bottles with a filtered top for this recipe since we don't want to strain out any of the fresh basil goodness!
Serving Suggestions
Once you have made your pesto vinaigrette dressing, give it a taste and let your imagination go wild. There are so many ways to enjoy it! Give these ideas a try:
- Use it as a dressing on a salad.
- Serve over fresh veggies such as over some fresh cooked green beans or Instant pot asparagus.
- Use it for bread dipping.
- Use it as a chicken marinade.
- Drizzle it over grilled chicken or grilled salmon.
- Serve it over pasta or add it to your favorite pasta salad.
- Try it on pizza for a burst of flavor.
Expert Tips and FAQS
I hope you love this fresh basil vinaigrette recipe as much as I do. Remember these tips when you go to make it for yourself:
- Use freshly made pesto as your base. My viral fresh basil pesto recipe is popular for a reason and takes just a few minutes to make. I promise, it's worth it!
- Use QUALITY ingredients. The results will only be as good as the ingredients that go into it.
- To thicken the dressing, add an extra scoop of pesto.
- To thin the dressing, add a little extra olive oil.
- Store in the fridge for 5 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 2 months.
This quick and easy recipe is made with just 3 ingredients: prepared pesto, white wine vinegar and olive oil.
It's fresh, earthy, tangy and has a sweet basil background making it perfect for salads, veggies, chicken or fish.
No, you can use whatever pesto recipe you prefer. Try Thai basil pesto, almond pesto, or cashew pesto for a change.
This versatile salad dressing goes well over all sorts of fresh greens and is equally tasty over many fresh veggies. Try it tossed with tomato, cucumber, carrots, and more.
Try These Easy Salad Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!
Pesto Salad Dressing
Equipment
- Small Mason Jars or other salad dressing container
Ingredients
- ½ cup Prepared Pesto Sauce
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together all ingredients until combined.
- Adjust consistency as desired. Add more pesto to thicken or more olive oil to thin it up.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, mason jar or salad dressing bottle and serve.
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