Lemon Vinaigrette
This Lemon Vinaigrette is my absolute favorite homemade salad dressing, and it’s incredibly simple to make. Store-bought dressings truly don’t compare to this fresh flavor, and it only takes 5 minutes to make!
I went back and forth for years over whether homemade salad dressing is worth making, since you can buy it so easily at the store. But my answer has undoubtedly become YES! Even after trying all the fancy, more expensive salad dressing lines, the flavor just doesn’t compare to homemade.
First, none of the store-bought salad dressings use extra virgin olive oil as the primary oil (as far as I’ve seen), and EVOO is not only the healthiest oil, but also the most spectacular in flavor.
Salad dressing is such a perfect example of how freshness can make things a million times better, and even the refrigerated store-bought salad dressings taste old and flat to me. Homemade is the way to go, with its unmatched bright flavor!
Tips for Best Results
Buy a fresh, high-quality olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil varies HUGELY in quality and flavor. Some brands are nearly flavorless, while good brands are peppery, fruity, and flavorful. Make sure you use a fresh bottle, because rancid oil will ruin your salad. I recommend some below.
Juice fresh lemons yourself – Do not buy already squeezed lemon juice in a carton. These substitutes do not compare to fresh lemon juice. It only takes a minute to squeeze yourself, and it will taste so much fresher and have no preservatives.
Press the garlic – While you can get away with minced garlic, I like to use an actual garlic press here, which more juices the garlic. It will distribute the flavor well in the dressing without any big pieces.
The beauty of this homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing is that it can be made in 5 minutes, and is versatile enough to go with just about everything.
Main Ingredients You’ll Need:
- fresh lemons
- garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- kosher salt
- black pepper
I know it seems really simple, but the flavor profile is fantastic.
Olive Oils I Recommend
Good olive oil is essential to ensure that the dressing tastes good. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some of the best extra virgin olive oils for flavor, in my opinion:
Trader Joe’s 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil – One of the more cost friendly options. Incredible flavor, but very peppery.
California Olive Ranch – The flavor and freshness is incredible. I’ve liked every variety I’ve tried.
Lucini Extra Virgin First Cold Press – Pricey, but amazing flavor and fruity notes.
I do not recommend bargain olive oils or cheaper brands like Pompeian, Mazola, Colavita, or Filippo Berio. Many extra virgin olive oils have been found to be fake, and diluted with seed oils.
Once you learn this recipe as a base, you can add different ingredients to it.
Sometimes I’ll add fresh herbs like minced rosemary, oregano, or chives, or even umami-rich ingredients like anchovy paste, to change up the flavor.
Step by Step Overview:
To make the lemon vinaigrette, combine freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, pressed garlic, mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl:
Whisk that together, until it has a milky beige appearance, then slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil:
Doing this slowly will help emulsify the lemon dressing:
Alternatively, you can place everything in a mason jar, or any container with a tight-fitting lid, and shake it together for a good 30-60 seconds, until combined.
How to Serve It
Salads are the best application for this lemon salad dressing, whether it’s a simple green salad, a leafy Kale Salad, Tomato Burrata Salad, or Zucchini Ribbon Salad.
You can also drizzle on fish like Grilled Salmon, Seared Snapper, or Grilled Lobster Tails with Sriracha Butter.
You can also brighten up vegetable sides like Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Fennel, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts by tossing it with a few tablespoons.
More Homemade Dressings
Balsamic Vinaigrette and Basil Vinaigrette are some of my other favorite homemade dressings. Cilantro Lime Dressing is also another favorite, which I pair with my Steak Salad. Or Try it on our Pear Salad!
Tips and FAQ
Yes, store in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Yes, in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Note that it will not taste as fresh upon thawing.
This recipe is Whole30 compliant, low carb, keto friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc! It’s suitable for pretty much every eating style I know of.
The olive oil may solidify in the fridge because it’s so cold. Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes, then give a good shake or a whisk, and toss into your salad.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon (1/4 tsp packed)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves minced or pressed (1 tsp)
- 1/2 tsp salt*
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Or, place all ingredients in a jar, and shake to combine.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
58 Comments on “Lemon Vinaigrette”
I loved it! I put it on some cucumbers, red onion and cherry tomatoes and made a side for supper instead making something heavy. Actually, it’s a meal for me if you add garbanzos beans😊 Hubby always has to have some kind of meat.. so he had a turkey sandwich with it or tuna whatever he wanted at the time.
Can I substitute Garlic Powder for actual Garlic?
Oh my. This is unbelievable. Definitely wanting to drink this up before even using on dinner! For Leah’s comment that it was bitter – it definitely shouldn’t be. The directions say to zest one lemon or equal to 1/4 tsp. I had a large lemon, so 1/4 tsp zest only took about 1/8 of the surface area of the lemon, so perhaps an entire (large) lemon was zested on mistake in Leah’s recipe? I can’t think of another way this would be bitter. It is silky and utterly amazing! Thanks for the recipe, this is really, really good.
My new favorite!!!! Very fresh and delicious!
Great recipe. I made it as written but it was a little too sour/sharp between the lemon and salt. I added 1/2 tsp of honey to balance the flavors.
I’ve made this so many times in the last few months! I’m obsessed and have shared with all my friends. It’s just like my fave dressing from a restaurant that recently closed. Thank you!
Ahhhhmaaazzziinnggg!!! I’ve looked for a good lemon Vinaigrette dressing for so long and I finally found it! So delish, doesn’t need any modifications. Perfect as is!
Help! I’m embarrassed to have somehow messed this up??!! Thought it was really bitter and not delectable, and I WANTED to love it! Is my trusty aldi evoo somehow to blame?? 🙁
Lovedddd it!! Just finish dinner with the family and it was a hit! Thank you!
I regret reading this and then making the dressing today. It was so good I literally DRANK teaspoons full of the dressing. I’m disgusted with myself, and I still want more. I used it on my grilled asparagus and a salad. It’s addicting and insanely good. I made one change: doubled the garlic. (No such thing as too much garlic.)
LOL thanks for the laugh. We all need more laughs right now 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Joanne. I love lemon vinagrette. This is the first one I’ve seen that doesn’t call for sugar or honey etc. So excited to whip it up tomorrow.
I’ve been making this every week for the past few months. I love how fresh and bright the lemon is!
Very easy refreshing salad dressing I love how you can have it plain or add basil both are wonderful just depends what kind of salad your making
This is great, thanks!
This is great, thanks! (Now with star rating!)
Love the flavor combination, but way too salty- dijon has plenty of salt so you could cut the salt by half.
I made this last night but didn’t scroll down far enough and see the amounts for each ingredient until today! Lol. So I winged it but it still turned out great. I did add anchovy paste because I love it. Really good and refreshing.
Where did you buy the dressing jar used in the photo? It looks to be very functional…and I like the way the lid gets attached
Weck