Fresh Lemon vinaigrette dressing goes well with almost any salad and is the most versatile salad dressing to stock in your fridge (that’s what we do!). It’s light, zippy and perfectly balanced, making it a crowd pleaser. Watch my easy video tutorial and you’ll be mixing up a batch in minutes!
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Lemon vinaigrette recipe
With fresh ingredients, my homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing tastes so much better than store-bought salad dressing. It makes even simple side salads sparkle, and it’s easy to scale up or down.
Our friends, Clark and Sara, shared this family recipe with us, and it was an instant hit with our family. Even our kids were smitten and called it “awesome!” When your six year old likes it, it’s a keeper!
I like making homemade condiments, like BBQ sauce, Pesto, Hummus and Marinara, because I love knowing exactly what I’m eating (honestly, it tastes better), it’s often cheaper and surprisingly easy to make.
Lemon vinaigrette video
You don’t need a fancy blender to make my lemon vinaigrette dressing, but it sure speeds up the process! Grab your whisk or hand blender and let’s start mixing.
Ingredients for lemon vinaigrette
Take these 5 fresh ingredients to make the best lemon vinaigrette dressing. You can also add optional herbs such as fresh parsley, chives, cilantro, thyme or oregano when you have them on hand.
- Olive oil – use a high quality extra virgin olive oil, which really makes a difference. Here’s Bon Appétit’s guide to buying the best oil.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed from 2 lemons (not the bottles, which can taste flat or bitter).
- Dijon mustard – adds so much flavor and helps emulsify (mix two liquids that don’t usually mix, like oil and water) the dressing.
- Garlic cloves, salt and pepper – use fresh chopped, grated or pressed garlic
- Honey – optional, but can help tame the lemon’s acidity. You can also use maple syrup.
How to Make Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Just two steps to a classic lemon vinaigrette dressing:
- Mix – Mix all ingredients by shaking in a jar, whisking or using a mixer.
- Taste and adjust the ingredients if necessary (see table below). Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and if the dressing separates in the refrigerator, shake or whisk to mix.
Natasha’s pro tip:
If using a whisk to emulsify, mix all ingredients except the oil, then slowly add the oil while whisking. This prevents the oil from clumping into large clumps, so it mixes well.
How to adjust lemon dressing to taste
This lemon vinaigrette dressing recipe has the perfect kick to coat salad greens, but the quality and ripeness of the lemons and oils can vary. Taste and then use this chart to adjust the flavor to your liking.
- Too punchy/citrusy? – add more oil or a hint of honey to sweeten
- Not lemony? – add a little more fresh lemon juice or dijon mustard
- Too salty? – Drizzle in more oil and a little more lemon juice
- Overwhelming garlic? – Add more oil and lemon juice to the dressing
- Separate dressing? – Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes and then shake or whisk vigorously. You can also blend for about 10 seconds.
Serving Ideas for Lemon Vinaigrette
Simple lemon vinaigrette dressing tastes great with almost any salad and also works as a marinade, dip or drizzle over vegetables. Here are some of our favorite ways to serve it:
This will become everyone’s favorite salad dressing! One batch makes 2/3 cup dressing, so feel free to double it to store in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to a week when refrigerated, with just a little shake before serving. Let me know how you love to serve this amazing lemon dressing.
Lemon vinaigrette
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Mix – Mix all the ingredients except the oil in a medium bowl with a whisk. Whisk until combined and emulsified. While whisking on high, slowly pour in the oil and whisk until combined and emulsified. You can also shake the dressing in a mason jar until emulsified and creamy.
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Taste and adjust if necessary (see troubleshooting table below). Transfer to a mason jar or an airtight container and refrigerate. If it solidifies or separates in the fridge, leave it out on the counter for a while and then shake it to combine again.
- Too sharp/sour? Add more oil if it seems too strong or lemony. You can also add a hint of honey to sweeten.
- Too mild/oily? Add a splash more lemon juice or a little more Dijon.
- Too salty? Add more oil plus a squeeze of lemon juice
- Too garlicky? Add more oil and lemon juice
- Does the dress separate? Whisk or shake vigorously or mix for 10 seconds.
Voluntary – add fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, coriander, thyme or oregano.
Storage – Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. If the dressing separates, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, then shake vigorously to re-emulsify.
134kcal Calories2g Carbohydrates0.1g Protein14g Fat
Nutrition facts
Lemon vinaigrette
Amount per portion
% daily value*
* Percent daily values ​​are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
More homemade dressing recipes
Lemon vinaigrette is a great homemade dressing to start with, but then try these other favorite salad dressing recipes: