Whether you are into clean eating or not, chances are you will probably still enjoy a salad if it is tossed in a delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette and then topped with some Parmesan or bacon. For many, its that final addition of Parmesan and bacon that make the salad worth eating. Why? Chalk it up to umami.

I’m not vegan and so a tablespoon or two of Parmesan can, and does, often make its way onto my salad greens. And no, I do not consider Parmesan cheese (or bacon, for that matter) to be health foods. However, if you have read our Clean Cuisine book then you know our general philosophy on clean eating and that we not believe you have to eat 100% perfectly in order to achieve an overall good, healthy body.

Having said that, I know there are plenty of people who would prefer to eat a 100% plant-based diet. Or at least knock cheese off the menu entirely. But regardless of whether cheese is on or off your personal list of acceptable foods, this homemade balsamic vinaigrette recipe is one of those standby staples that will never let you down. And it definitely comes in handy when you run out of Parmesan cheese!

Secret Ingredient in the Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

The secret ingredient in the balsamic dressing recipe is the unfortified nutritional yeast (I prefer Sari Foods brand). This is what gives the vinaigrette its savory, cheesy umami quality. If you are not familiar with unfortified nutritional yeast, be sure to read HERE.

Although fortified nutritional yeast is easy to come by in any natural foods store, it can be a bit trickier to track down unfortified nutritional yeast. But the unfortified stuff is the naturally nutritious one and it’s definitely the healthiest choice. If you can’t find it at your local store, you can always just purchase Sari Foods brand unfortified nutritional yeast online at Amazon.