How to make Lemon Vinaigrette? (Better than Store-bought)

• Food: Lemon Vinaigrette
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

This recipe for lemon vinaigrette is quite simple to prepare. It will blast any store-bought dressing out of the water with its zingy, vibrant lemon flavor.

How come I haven’t posted a basic lemon vinaigrette recipe in all the years I’ve been writing Love and Lemons?

! I frequently provide salad recipes that involve a dressing, such as a kale salad with carrot ginger vinaigrette or a watermelon salad with lime juice.

But, as I was making this lemon vinaigrette a few weeks ago, I noticed that linking a dressing to a certain salad dish might often be misleading.

One of my favorite salad dressings is this lemon vinaigrette. It’s zesty, light, and bright, and it comes together quickly. It also stays well in the fridge.

It’s a dressing you’ll use for so much more than salad, thanks to its bright lemon flavor. Sure, it brightens up greens, but it also adds flavor to roasted vegetables, grain bowls, and more.

So mix it together, chill it, and start dripping it over everything. This lemon vinaigrette recipe is simple, adaptable, and delicious, and you’ll want to make it again and again.

Ingredients for Lemon Vinaigrette

This recipe for lemon vinaigrette dressing is incredibly easy to make. What you’ll need is the following:

• To make it snappy and vibrant, use fresh lemon juice!
• Extra-virgin olive oil — It adds body and richness to the dressing.
• Garlic — It gives the dish a wonderful kick.
• Dijon mustard — For a tangy, flavorful depth.
• Honey or maple syrup — I include it as an optional ingredient, but its sweetness balances out the sharpness of the garlic, lemon, and Dijon mustard perfectly.
• Fresh or dried thyme — This is an optional ingredient, but herbs, in my opinion, make everything better. It adds something distinctive to our lemon vinaigrette with its fresh, aromatic flavor.
• And a pinch of salt and pepper to bring out the flavors!

When ready to create the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Then drizzle with the olive oil.

I prepare my lemon vinaigrette with variable amounts of oil, as you’ll see in the recipe below. I want it to have a mellower flavor if I’m tossing it with raw greens and vegetables.

Then I mix three parts acid with four parts oil. I use a 1:1 ratio when dressing heartier ingredients like roasted veggies or potatoes because I want it to taste crisper. I recommend starting with a 1:1 ratio and gradually increasing the amount of oil used.

Whisk continuously as you pour in the oil until the dressing is emulsified. Season with extra oil, salt, and/or pepper to taste after adding the thyme. Enjoy!

How to Use It?

This lemon vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container or jar. Of course, it’s a delightful way to dress up a simple green salad, but it can also be used in a variety of different dishes. To get you started, here are a few suggestions:

To make a hearty side dish, toss it with a cooked grain like farro, couscous, or quinoa and fresh herbs.

Serve it with cooked white beans, chickpeas, or French green lentils as a marinade.

Drizzle it over potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, fennel, or cauliflower that have been roasted.

Alternatively, you can use it in place of the dressing in any of the following salad recipes:

• Tomatoes, Cherry Salad with Couscous
• Heirloom Tomatoes with Burrata
• Salad de Primavera
• Salad with Shredded Brussels Sprouts
• Fennel and Avocado Salad with Citrus
• Salad with Roasted Beets
• Salad Chopped in Italy

Lemon Vinaigrette

This simple lemon vinaigrette recipe is an excellent one to keep on hand. It’s tasty and flexible, and it’s great with salads, roasted vegetables, and more!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional

Instructions

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey, if using, in a small bowl.
2. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, mix all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting cover and shake well to blend.
3. Add extra olive oil to taste if the dressing is too acidic.
4. Season to taste with the thyme, if using. Keep refrigerated for up to a week. In the fridge, the olive oil will harden slightly. Allow the dressing to soften for a few minutes at room temperature before using.