Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

I eat salads every day, so I change them up often to keep things interesting. While I could use my balsamic vinaigrette dressing and Greek salad dressing every day, it’s fun to create new ways to dress my salads.

This Lemon Vinaigrette recipe was inspired by the salad dressings that I experienced in Paris many years ago. It’s bursting with the flavors of bright, tangy lemon and savory dijon mustard.

This dressing transports me to the corner French bistros with the freshest, most delicious salads I’ve ever tasted.

Whether you’ve been to Paris or not, if you love lemons, this dressing will be a staple for you. 🙂

Love homemade salad dressings? Be sure to see my entire collection of salad dressing recipes for inspiration!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• This lemon vinaigrette is fresh, tangy and bursting with bright lemon flavor.
• It includes 4 simple ingredients, and it comes together in minutes.
• It may be made in advance and stored for up to 2 weeks, so it’s great for salad prep.
• There’s no added sugar, and it’s vegan, dairy and gluten-free.

Recipe ingredients

There are just 5 ingredients in this lemon salad dressing as outlined below.

• Olive oil. The olive oil adds great flavor to this lemon dressing, but you may use your favorite type. Keep in mind that type of oil that you use will change the flavor of the dressing.
• Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice should be used in this recipe as bottled just doesn’t have that fresh, bright flavor. Any type of lemons will work well!
• Dijon mustard. The dijon mustard adds a delicious savory flavor and acts as an emulsifier as well. It adds body and creaminess to the dressing, and there’s really nothing I would substitute it with.
• Garlic. Fresh minced garlic is best in this recipe for it’s flavor. If fresh garlic is too pungent for you or you’re following a Low FODMAP diet, it may be omitted altogether.
• Honey. This is not pictured above, but just 1-2 teaspoons of honey really balance out the tanginess of the lemon if it’s too much for you.

How to make lemon salad dressing

This lemon vinaigrette recipe is so easy to make and comes together in a matter of minutes!

Pro tip: Juice the lemons in advance and store in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months.

1. Place olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Whisk well until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
3. To make lemon vinaigrette in a jar, place all ingredients in a jar, secure the lid and shake well until emulsified.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

There are so many ways to use this lemon vinaigrette! It’s so versatile — there’s really no wrong answer.

• Serve it with my salmon nicoise salad and you’ll be transported to a French bistro.
• Toss into my orzo pasta salad for a side dish that will be the hit of any gathering.
• It’s the perfect compliment to my kale and brussels sprout salad and massaged kale salad.

Recipe notes

• Pro tip: Juice the lemons in advance and store in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend using bottled lemon juice as it just doesn’t have that fresh flavor. 
• This dressing is very tangy, so add 1-2 more tablespoons of oil to tone down the tartness if desired.
• Add chopped fresh herbs or chives for even more flavor!
• Lemon vinaigrette keeps for up to 2 weeks in an air tight container in the refrigerator.  When it’s cold it will solidify, so let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before serving, then shake vigorously to emulsify.