A dressing can really make or break a salad and this easy Lemon Vinaigrette will bring any salad to life with its light and fresh flavours. It's zingy, vibrant and zesty, and really everything that you could want from a dressing. Store bought dressing just doesn't compare to this.
If you are looking for a light and fresh vinaigrette recipe that will liven up any dish, then this Lemon Vinaigrette is it. A careful blend of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey and garlic, you are going to want to put it on everything.
Our lemon salad dressing is perfect with a hot or cold salad, or even just to dip bread into. It is super versatile, and most importantly tastes amazing.
If you are looking for more lemon recipes, then why not try our Lemon and Herb Chicken, Roasted Lemon Asparagus, Creamy Lemon Pasta or our zingy Lemon Posset.
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Why You Will Love It
- A light and fresh summer salad dressing - Add this lemon salad dressing to a big green salad for a light and fresh meal.
- Delicious on hot or cold salads - Anything with lemon is good for a hot day.
- Just 5 ingredients - You probably already have the ingredients you need to make this homemade vinaigrette.
- Only takes a couple of minutes to make - So quick and simple.
- Can be made in advance - Make a double batch and keep it in the fridge to use on salads throughout the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Olive oil - This is what thickens the lemon dressing recipe up and gives it that rich flavour. Use the best quality that you can afford, as honestly you will be able to taste the difference, because it is a lemon olive oil dressing.
- Lemon - The star of this dressing - we used just the juice. Make sure it is a nice juicy lemon, otherwise you might have to use more in this citrus vinaigrette recipe.
- Garlic - This adds a nice kick to the easy vinaigrette. If you aren't a fan of garlic, then you could leave it out.
- Mustard - This adds another layer or flavour to the lemon salad dressing and adds some colour too. We used Dijon, but you could use wholegrain instead.
- Honey - You don't have to add this if you don't like sweet dressings, but we find that it balances out the tartness of the lemon.
- Salt and pepper - Finish the lemon salad dressing off by seasoning it to perfection. It really just brings all the flavours together.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Lemon Vinaigrette - Step by Step
- Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a bowl.
- Step 2: Mix well.
How to Use Lemon Salad Dressing
As well as being a salad dressing, this lemon vinaigrette recipe is the perfect way to make vegetables more exciting.
We love it drizzled on greens, or even poured over roasted vegetables. If you are going to use it on a salad, here are some of our favourites that would be perfect with it:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Couscous Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Chicken Pasta Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Spicy Steak Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Warm Lamb Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Salad
Extra Tips
- If we are serving this on a green salad, then we will make it heavy on the lemon. However, if it is a dressing for a salad that has quite strong flavours already, then we balance it out with a higher olive oil to lemon ratio.
- Always use fresh lemons to make this dressing, rather than squeezed lemon juice in a bottle. Fresh lemons will always give you a stronger flavour.
- If raw garlic is too much of a strong flavour for you, you could add some finely chopped shallot instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dressing will store in an air tight container for up to a week in the fridge. Make sure you shake it well before pouring.
Yes, as long as you make sure there is no cross contamination, then this can be a gluten free salad dressing.
More Dressing Recipes
If you’ve tried this vinaigrette recipe, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 Lemon - juice and zest only
- 5 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Garlic clove - crushed
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Put everything in a bowl.
- Mix well.
Recipe Tips
- If we are serving this on a green salad, then we will make it heavy on the lemon. However, if it is a dressing for a salad that has quite strong flavours already, then we balance it out with a higher olive oil to lemon ratio.
- Always use fresh lemons to make this dressing, rather than squeezed lemon juice in a bottle. Fresh lemons will always give you a stronger flavour.
- If raw garlic is too much of a strong flavour for you, you could add some finely chopped shallot instead.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Mary says
Oh I love salads and they are most definitely NOT boring! The more ingredients in them the better!
Tina @ The Spicy Pear says
I like the zingly lemony flavours in this vinaigrette. Great way to liven up salads.
Janie says
Perfect! And would perk up any salad beautifully :)
Janie x
Laura Agar Wilson (@lauraagarwilson) says
I love how salad dressings can change the flavour up so much, that sounds like a great flavour combo. I love making a dressing with tahini
Karen says
I am a BIG fan of lemon in vinaigrettes and this one looks lovely and zingy!
Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade says
My favourite is balsamico ;) But vinaigrette often shows up on my salad ;)
Heidi Roberts says
French vinaigrette is my favourite salad dressing, so simple and I tend to use it 3-4 times per week.