This 5-Minute Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe is the easy salad dressing I keep coming back to. It’s light, fresh and it always makes my salads taste better.
I’ve made this simple lemon vinaigrette more times than I can count. I use it in my own salads at home, in recipes here on Inspired Taste, and also as a base for marinades. It’s quick, foolproof and made with ingredients I always have on hand.
Use this simple vinaigrette to toss with vegetables, drizzle over grain bowls, or toss with beans and roasted vegetables. It is endlessly useful and always good.
Key ingredients
- Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, and that’s what makes this dressing so delicious.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard is classic in this vinaigrette, but a coarse ground mustard would be lovely.
- Honey: You need some sweetness to balance the tartness of the lemon juice. I usually stick to honey, but maple syrup or agave nectar work beautifully too.
- Garlic (optional): Fresh garlic adds a little kick, but a little goes a long way. I grate about half a small clove on a microplane. It blends right into the dressing without overpowering it.
- Olive oil: Use a good extra virgin olive oil and make sure it’s one you enjoy the taste of. I prefer light and fruity olive oil for my salad dressings.
- Preserved lemon (optional): This takes dressing to another level. I usually buy mine (you can find them near olives or pickles), but you can also make your own. We also use them when we make this arugula couscous salad with feta cheese.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to make my favorite lemon vinaigrette
Tip 1: Whisk in the olive oil slowly. The sign of a great vinaigrette is that it looks creamy and emulsified, not patchy or separated. Slowly whisking the olive oil into the lemon juice and mustard helps everything come together beautifully.
Tip 2: Store it. This lemon vinaigrette will last up to a week in the fridge (yay!). When it freezes, two things can happen: it can separate or the olive oil can solidify. If it separates, just shake or whisk it before using. If the oil solidifies on you, let the dressing sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then shake or whisk until smooth again.
My favorite ways to use it
I’m not exaggerating when I say we use this lemon salad dressing all the time! Here are my favorite ways to use it:
More recipes for lemon salad dressing
Light lemon vinaigrette
This lemon vinaigrette recipe is my desert island dressing. If I could only choose one salad dressing, this would be it. It’s bright, endlessly useful, and comes together in minutes. Plus, it keeps well in the fridge so you can use it all week.
Makes 3/4 cup or 6 servings
You will need
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons (60 ml)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 to 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
½ small garlic clove, finely grated, optional
1 teaspoon finely chopped preserved lemon, optional
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (78 ml)
Directions
1Add lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), garlic, preserved lemon, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk until well combined.
2While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil until the dressing looks creamy and emulsified. Taste and then adjust with additional honey, salt or pepper.
Adam and Joanne’s tips
- Storage: Transfer the vinaigrette to an airtight container or jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week. The olive oil can cause it to thicken or solidify when it freezes. If this happens, leave it at room temperature for about 20 minutes before using it. If it looks separated, give the jar a good shake or whisk to bring everything back together.
- Nutritional information provided is an estimate. We did not include the preserved lemon.
Nutrition per serving
Serving size
2 tablespoons
/
Calories
114
/
Total fat
12.5 g
/
Saturated fat
1.8 g
/
Cholesterol
0 mg
/
Sodium
140.5 mg
/
Carbohydrate
1.6 g
/
Dietary fiber
0.1 g
/
Total sugar
0.9g
/
Protein
0.1 g
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