4.9 stars (37 ratings)
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Here's an easy-to-make lemon salad dressing that's bright and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Use it to dress up a simple green salad, as a marinade for chicken or fish, or drizzled over your favorite roasted veggies. This versatile lemon vinaigrette uses mostly pantry ingredients, and is ready in just a few shakes!
If you love the bright, fresh taste of lemon, also try our lemon chicken orzo soup or lemon poppyseed banana bread.
Table of Contents hide
How to make lemon salad dressing
Ingredients
Recipe FAQs
When to use this lemon vinaigrette
Popular salad dressing recipes
Lemon Salad Dressing Recipe (Lemon Vinaigrette)
This recipe was originally published in 2015. We've updated the post with some new photos and more information, but we've left the delicious recipe the same.
This is one of our favorite homemade dressings because it's tasty, versatile, easy to make, and leftovers store well in the fridge. It will brighten up anything you drizzle it on from green or grain salads, to roasted veggies, chicken and fish dishes, and more.
You'll find this zippy lemon vinaigrette is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of honey and bold depth of flavor from dijon mustard and garlic. Shake it up and store it in your fridge for a delicious dressing you can use all week long!
How to make lemon salad dressing
This versatile lemon vinaigrette recipe is easy to make by following just two simple steps:
- Add all the ingredients to a 2-cup mason jar. Make sure to tighten the lid.
- Shake it vigorously for about a minute until it looks creamy. That's it!
Any unused dressing will store well in the fridge for up to 10 days. Give it another good shake before using.
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Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this delicious homemade lemon vinaigrette:
- Lemons – fresh is best for all the bright flavor!
- Avocado oil – this neutral-tasting oil makes a great base for dressings. Bonus that it doesn't harden in the fridge like olive oil!
- White vinegar – adds some slightly sweet acidity to balance the lemon.
- Honey – rounds out the tart flavors with a mild sweetness.
- Dijon mustard – for a bold depth of flavor.
- Garlic – the garlic adds its kick.
- Minced chives – herbs make everything better, and here they add a bit of complexity.
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Recipe FAQs
How long does it keep in the fridge?
Store this lemon salad dressing in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week!
Can I use a different type of vinegar?
Yes, apple cider vinegar works especially well in its place, or just more lemon juice.
Can I use a different type of sweetener?
We recommend pure maple syrup as an alternative to honey.
When to use this lemon vinaigrette
This lemon salad dressing will brighten up simple greens (like our spring mix salad), but there are so many delicious ways to use up this lemon salad dressing. Here are our favorites:
- Drizzled over roasted veggies like asparagus, broccoli, green beans, or brussels sprouts.
- As a marinade for chicken or fish. Try it in place of the Italian dressing in our Italian dressing chicken!
- Use it in place of any of the salad dressings in these recipes:
- Wheat Berry Salad
- Spring Mix Salad
- Italian Potato Salad
- Grilled Potato Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Healthy Breakfast Salad
- Salads with tender leaves like spring mix or arugula, or massaged into heartier greens like kale.
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4.87 stars (37 ratings)
Lemon Salad Dressing Recipe (Lemon Vinaigrette)
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 0 minutes mins
Total: 5 minutes mins
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Here's an easy-to-make lemon salad dressing that's bright and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Use it to dress up a simple green salad, as a marinade for chicken or fish, or drizzled over your favorite roasted veggies. This versatile lemon vinaigrette uses mostly pantry ingredients, and is ready in just a few shakes!
1 cup
Ingredients
- 2 lemons (about ½ cup lemon juice )
- ½ cup avocado oil (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon minced chives (optional)
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a 2-cup mason jar.
2 lemons, ½ cup avocado oil, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon minced chives
Shake it until the dressing begins to look creamy, about 1 minute. Store the dressing in the jar in your fridge for up to 10 days.
Notes
We like to use avocado oil in this recipe as it doesn't harden in the fridge. If you choose to use olive oil, you'll need to let the dressing warm to room temperature then shake it well before you use it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 tablespoon, Calories: 66kcal (3%), Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 7g (11%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 7mg, Potassium: 4mg, Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 1mg (6%)
© Author Kristen Stevens
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our salad dressing recipes!
Kristen Stevens
Hi, I'm Kristen! I LOVE everything to do with food: making it, taking pictures of it, and (the best part) eating it. ♡♡♡
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Posted: 06/13/2022 Updated: 10/13/2023
28 Comments
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Carol K
Posted: 10/10/23
Really like this dressing. Definite keeper!!
Reply
Merry B
Posted: 10/31/21
Best and most delicious dressing I have ever tasted!
It also marinates and cooks into a sauce great with salmon! I have diabetes too and this is my new favorite over veggies too. Lemony magic!
Reply
Sheryl
Posted: 03/16/19
I only use one table spoon of the mustard, a really quick, simple yummy dressing!
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Sheryl
Posted: 03/22/19
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
Reply
Madelyn
Posted: 12/30/18
I love all salad dressings especially vinaigrettes. I made this one and used it for a Cobb salad but I really didn’t like it. I was really disappointed after looking at the reviews and it definitely wasn’t what I expected. I would not make this dressing again. It would probably be good as a chicken marinade though. I just was very disappointed and didn’t like it on my salad.
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Madelyn
Posted: 01/04/19
I’m sorry to hear you’re not a fan.
Reply
Kay
Posted: 11/04/18
This is so delicious and fresh. It is my new favorite dressing.!
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Kay
Posted: 11/04/18
That makes me so happy to hear!
Reply
Tracy
Posted: 08/13/18
Made this dressing it’s my go to dressing all the time I even use it on chicken yum.
Reply
Reply to Tracy
Posted: 08/14/18
Such a great idea to use it on chicken!!
Reply
Nansea
Posted: 03/11/18
Can you use lemon juice from a container instead of juicing lemons? That’s all I have on hand and it looks so good I want it NOW!
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Nansea
Posted: 03/11/18
Technically you could, but I’d worry it wouldn’t be as delicious as if you squeezed your own. I find that bottled lemon juice has a slightly off flavor. Since there’s so much in this recipe, you’d probably taste it. Maybe just make a really small amount now using what you have on hand, then pick up some lemons when you’re at the store next. 🙂
Reply
Sarah
Posted: 02/24/18
This is now one of our favourite dressings!! I like to use apple cider vinegar instead of white — but otherwise leave the rest the same. It’s an excellent go to. Thanks for posting 🙂
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Sarah
Posted: 02/27/18
I’m so happy to hear you like it! It really is lifesaving, isn’t it?!!
Reply
Audrey
Posted: 02/20/18
Oh my god…this is absolutely delicious. New go-to dressing….I can’t wait to try it on everything!!! Thank you!
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Audrey
Posted: 02/27/18
I’m so happy you love it as much as I do!
Reply
JennyP
Posted: 08/05/17
I just love this dressing! So far, I have used it on some roasted chicken & vegetables and a chopped cabbage, fruit & nut salad and it was fantastic on both. This will be my go-to homemade dressing from now on. So good! Thank you!
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to JennyP
Posted: 08/05/17
I absolutely LOVE that you used this on roast chicken. I’m going to try that!
Reply
Gina
Posted: 08/04/17
Do you just leave the garlic clove whole? It never says to mince….
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Gina
Posted: 08/05/17
Yikes, I forgot to write that in. I’ll change it now. You’ll want to finely mince the garlic. 🙂
Reply
Trish
Reply to Kristen Stevens
Posted: 05/04/18
Ooopsie! Still not changed to minced in the recipe above. Glad this question was already in the comments, will be making this dressing this weekend. 🙂
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Trish
Posted: 05/04/18
Oops is right! I must have gotten distracted then forgot to change that. It’ll all good now. Thank you for the reminder!
Reply
Alida | Simply Delicious
Posted: 05/21/17
I love a good salad dressing and anything lemon is a personal favorite. This was the perfect lemon dressing!
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Alida | Simply Delicious
Posted: 05/23/17
Thanks, Alida! Lemon is my fav, too!!
Reply
Sandra Breshears
Reply to Alida | Simply Delicious
Posted: 06/28/17
It looks so yummy. I am definitely going to try it.
Thank you.
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to Sandra Breshears
Posted: 06/29/17
Thank you so much! I hope you love it as much as we do. 🙂
Reply
JoeyMan
Posted: 05/20/17
Love you blog, fun recipes. This dressing looks great, simple and flavorful. One question, what is Dijon Vinegar? Possible typo?
Reply
Kristen Stevens
Author
Reply to JoeyMan
Posted: 05/23/17
Ahhh … yep, that sure was a typo. Thank you for pointing that out. 🙂
Reply