Lemon Vinaigrette
132 Comments
Updated Aug 25, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Lemon vinaigrette is a staple dressing recipe and instantly brightens any salad or plate of veggies. Made from just a handful of ingredients including fresh lemons, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and garlic it’s incredibly easy to make, and tastes much better than store-bought!
When it comes to dressing recipes I have two favorites – this lemon vinaigrette and a balsamic vinaigrette.
I much prefer simple vinaigrettes over creamy dressings and find that their flavors enhance and elevate the fresh vegetables or ingredients your pairing with them. And did I mention how easy they are to make?
After you make this lemon vinaigrette at home I promise you’ll never buy it from the store again. Because when you make it at home you can tweak the flavor profile to make it a little more tart and citrusy or a little more garlicky or herby. You could even make it a little sweeter with just a smidge more honey. And let’s be honest, fresh is always best.
Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients
There’s just 5 main ingredients in this easy, homemade lemon vinaigrette, including:
- Lemons: Definitely use freshly squeezed lemon juice, and not lemon juice from a jar.
- Olive Oil: Grab a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Dijon Mustard: This helps to emulsify the dressing and adds a hint of spice.
- Honey: Just a smidge of sweetness to help balance the tartness of the lemons. You could also use maple syrup.
- Garlic: Just a couple of minced garlic cloves makes any dressing zing with flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: Season it to you liking.
Tips for Making This Recipe
This dressing is simple to make (it only takes two minutes!), but here are a few tips to make it perfect:
- Always use fresh lemons over a store-bought jar of lemon juice. Fresh lemons will always have a stronger, more vibrant flavor. Jarred lemon juice will fall flat.
- Many vinaigrettes call for a 3:1 ratio of oil to acid. I much prefer a 3:2 ratio, or something closer to that, as I’ve used in the recipe below. It’s a little less oily and far more flavorful. But feel free to adjust to your preference.
- The Dijon mustard adds that hint of spice and helps to emulsify the dressing. If you’d like it a bit creamier you can definitely add more, which would be closer to a Dijon vinaigrette.
- If you’re not a fan of raw garlic, you can swap in finely diced shallot for a milder flavor.
Two Minute Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe
Once you’ve got all your ingredients out, it’s as simple as adding them to a small mixing bowl and whisking them together. That’s it!
You can use this lemon vinaigrette on a variety of salad, including my Lentil Salad, Shrimp, Asparagus and Avocado Salad, Wild Rice and Arugula Salad and Watermelon Radish and Cucumber Salad. But really, it’s wonderful on just about anything.
For More Dressing Recipes and Vinaigrettes
If you love homemade dressings and vinaigrettes as much as I do, make sure to check out these other recipes:
- Champagne Vinaigrette
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Avocado Dressing
- Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
If you make this lemon vinaigrette, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey, or maple syrup
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl.
- Whisk together until fully emulsified.
Lisa's Tips
- This lemon vinaigrette will last for up to one week in the fridge in a sealed container (though it may lose some of it's bright flavor over time). Here are some of my favorite storage containers.
- Watch me make this lemon vinaigrette as part of my Meal Prep for Spring recipe video.
- If you do prefer a creamier dressing, give my lemon tahini dressing a try. And if you'd like to make this dressing Whole30 compliant, just omit the honey.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted May 2018, but updated to include new photos and info.
YUM! My new fav!!!
I’m so glad you love this lemon vinaigrette, Nikki!
Refreshing summer salad full of fresh produce from the garden. Lisa’s dressing is exceptional. Using Dijon mustard and minced garlic set it apart. I did add a serrano pepper bc I like it when my food bites me back, lol!
Love that you added a little spice to it, Cynthia!
I am sensitive to vinegars. The only one that I know I can tolerate is Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar. Can you recommend a replacement for the Dijon mustard? Thanks!
First time I made it was for a party at work. Now I am not the cook in the family but people were coming up to me and asking for the recipe. I did share it. Also my daughter who vegaratarian love it. I said I would be making more with your website
Thanks, Johanna! I’m glad you’re enjoying my recipes. :)
Yummy! I love this dressing. The flavors are on point, and it’s so easy and refreshing!! Thank you. Appreciate you sharing.
Hi Angela – I’m so glad you love this lemon vinaigrette!
Does it really need the honey/maple syrup? Trying to avoid sugars. Thanks!
Hi Dina – You can omit it, but I think it tastes a bit better with it :)
I like this dressing very much. It’s so versatile. It adds flavor but not a lot of taste that interferes with the taste of the salad. Just refreshing and good!
Hi Jena – I’m so glad you love this lemon vinaigrette!
I made the lemon dressing as written. I thought it my tasted a little too lemony for my taste buds. What can I add to rectify it? Thanks.
Hi Lena – you can add a bit more oil to adjust the ratios again.
Made the LEMON VINAIGRETTE RECIPE (but did not have garlic).
Soooo amazing!!!
In the words of Lorelai Gilmore to Suki’s peach sauce, “I wanna take a bath in that sauce…”
Hi Joann – Happy to hear you love this lemon vinaigrette!
I love your meal preps, thank you for teaching us :) LOOOOOOOVE <3 your recipes!!
Thank you :)
Hi Nora – Glad you’re learning a lot from my recipes!
The lemon vinaigrette is my go to recipe. This is terrific and easy. It tastes so fresh and light. I like the.3:2 ratio the best. I use either one clove of garlic through a garlic press, or a shallot minced. Everyone loves this recipe.
Hi Evelyn – Happy to hear you’ve been loving this lemon vinaigrette!
How long will the dressing keep in the fridge? I love it❤️
Hi Armine – This will last for up to one week in the fridge!
This dressing is sooo good, I sometimes add a little bit of red wine vineger for a little more tang.
Hi Katie – I’m glad you love this lemon vinaigrette!
Thank you … best recipes I have seen for good healthy keto!
Wow – this dressing is SO good! I added a little more lemon juice, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Simple and delicious!
Thanks, Carly! Happy you loved it!
This was good, found the recipe in your lentil salad with cucumber recipe, added a splash of fish sauce and sesame oil, and seasoned dried seaweed to the salad, along with fresh parsley and dill. Also subbed regular Dijon with whole grain Dijon for the little pop it gives. Marinating now! Thanks for the recipe.
Thrilled to hear you love this lemon vinaigrette, along with some additional pops of flavor!
Yum . So fresh and delicious . Thank you
You’re welcome! I’m happy you loved it.
Just not for my taste. Too much olive oil. No vinegar or tang.
Hi Brittany – you can always increase the ratio of lemon juice for more tang. But lemon vinaigrettes don’t usually have vinegar, as the lemon juice provides the acid. Perhaps you’d like my apple cider vinaigrette recipe more. :)
Loved this, I do not like super tart so I added more honey.
Glad you enjoyed this vinaigrette!
I made this dressing yesterday for lunch with my mother. It was so good so I served it again at dinner. Everyone went crazy for it! So sweet, lemony and delicious! I plan on using it on my chicken Milanese tomorrow.
So happy you loved it, Dawn!
Great recipe, love it! Add herbs for a fresh Italian flavor or a dash of Tabasco for a zesty dressing. I make this vinaigrette every week.
Love this recipe, great for salads and veggies on the side.
Can you use avocado oil in place of the olive oil?
Sure!
I’ve been making this dressing for 30 years, it’s our go to dressing for salads and grilled vegetables. But also we use it for grilling fish fillets.
delicious
Sooo simple! I whisked this up and added it to a green leafy salad, chicken, and a couple of Lisa’s veggie sides that use this. Fabulous go to dressing! Super handy to have all of these ingredients in my kitchen already.