This Homemade Lemon Vinaigrette is one of my favorite salad dressings. Filled with freshly squeezed lemon, minced garlic, and seasoning, this olive oil-based dressing adds a zesty brightness to any salad.
This vibrant vinaigrette does not actually have vinegar in it. Instead, lemon acts as the acidic and gives this salad dressing a tasty citrus bite.
The recipe has just 5 ingredients, takes about 3 minutes to make, and is perfect on a green salad full of tomatoes, cucumber and other fresh vegetables.
If you’re looking for a healthy and flavorful salad dressing, you definitely should make this lemon garlic vinaigrette. It’s perfect for lighter spring and summer meals.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Light and bright flavor – This lemon garlic dressing doesn’t weigh your salad down and gives it a fresh citrus flavor with a little zip.
Versatile – Use it as a salad dressing or marinade. Add in your favorite spices, adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Healthy – This lemon dressing is made with healthy olive oil and fresh produce. You can add in a touch of honey or sugar to taste, but it’s not really necessary. I love that this homemade dressing doesn’t contain unhealthy oils, gums and preservatives like many store-bought bottled dressings.
Quick and easy – In about 3 minutes this delicious lemon dressing is ready to serve. (The hardest part is peeling the garlic cloves.)
Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe
Once you see how simple it is to make your own homemade lemon salad dressing and how much better it tastes than bottled, you may never go back to store-bought.
Ingredients Needed
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- freshly minced garlic
- dried or fresh herb like oregano or thyme
- salt & pepper
Lemon Juice – Use the juice from real lemons, not the bottled kind.
Here’s how to pick out the juiciest lemons. Look for lemons with smooth skin that’s dark yellow. The lemon should also feel hefty for its size.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – EVOO is my oil of choice for vinaigrettes.
Compared to regular olive oil, EVOO retains more of its natural fruity notes and nutrients since it’s first cold-pressed (less processed). Additionally, olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats (the good kind).
Minced Garlic – Mince your own garlic cloves and skip the kind in the jar. The flavor is so much better.
For a milder flavor, substitute garlic with shallots.
Oregano or Thyme – Add fresh or dried herbs for another layer of flavor.
I use oregano when making this dressing for my Mediterranean salad in a jar recipe. I choose thyme in this vinaigrette when using it for salads like strawberry spinach salad.
Salt & Pepper – For enhancing the vinaigrette. Salt just sort of brings everything to life.
Optional Ingredients
Honey or sweetener – If you would like to balance the tart with a touch of sweetness, add a small amount of sugar or honey. Begin with about 1/2 teaspoon, give it a taste, and add more if desired.
Dijon mustard – Mustard acts as an emulsifier in vinaigrettes and keeps them from separating as much. It will change the flavor profile of the vinaigrette, however.
Fresh herbs – I used dried oregano in this recipe since it’s what I had on hand. In the summer, when I have herb plants, I use fresh.
Fresh herbs have a milder flavor than dried herbs. When substituting fresh for dried, use triple the amount.
White wine vinegar – You may have noticed, this vinaigrette doesn’t contain vinegar, since lemon juice is acting as the acidic. If you would like to add in vinegar, I suggest using a 50/50 combination of white wine vinegar and lemon juice.
Instructions
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
- Alternately, to help emulsify the vinaigrette and keep it from separating, whisk everything together except the olive oil. Then, slowly drizzle olive oil into the lemon mixture, while whisking continuously.
- Store in refrigerator up to a week. You may need to whisk again before use. If it has solidified, let it first come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Use on salads and vegetables, and fish and chicken.
How to Emulsify Homemade Lemon Dressing
Oil and lemon juice don’t mix, just like oil and vinegar.
One simple way to form an emulsion is to whisk in dijon mustard. However, it changes the flavor of the dressing.
The best way (and proper way) to emulsify a vinaigrette is to start by mixing together all the ingredients in a wide bowl except olive oil. Then slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture in a small stream while whisking back and forth continuously.
This whisking process creates an emulsion by breaking the olive oil into small droplets which are suspended in the lemon juice or vinegar.
Of course, if you plan to use the dressing right away, you can always just shake it up in a sealed jar and pour over your salad immediately.
Do I need to keep homemade lemon vinaigrette in the fridge?
In general, vinaigrettes that only contain oil and vinegar do not need to be refrigerated.
This homemade vinaigrette, with fresh lemon juice and garlic in it, must be refrigerated. Use within 7 days.
If it solidifies from the cold, let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to return to a liquid state. Whisk again if needed.
Ways to Use Lemon Vinaigrette
This lemon vinaigrette is light and flavorful and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Here are a few.
- salad dressing – Lemon garlic vinaigrette is my dressing of choice for this delicious Mediterranean salad recipe.
- tossed with grains – A nice way to add a zesty flavor to plain quinoa, couscous or brown rice.
- marinade – Perfect for fish or chicken, like these pan-seared chicken tenders.
- on roasted vegetables – I love a squeeze of fresh lemon on broccoli and asparagus. This vinaigrette is a great option, too.
Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
This 5-ingredient homemade lemon vinaigrette recipe only takes a few minutes to make, and adds a light and refreshing flavor to salads. The dressing features freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and garlic for a super tasty, guilt-free dressing.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4-1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 2 lemons)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
- Alternately, to help emulsify the vinaigrette and keep it from separating, whisk everything together except the olive oil. Then, slowly drizzle olive oil into the lemon mixture, while whisking continuously.
- Store in refrigerator up to a week. You may need to whisk again before use. If it has solidified, let it first come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Use on salads and vegetables, and fish and chicken.
Notes
Optional Ingredients
- Honey or sweetener - If you would like to add a touch of sweetness to balance the lemon, add a small amount of sugar or honey. Begin with about 1 tablespoon, give it a taste, and add more if desired.
- Dijon mustard - Mustard acts as an emulsifier in vinaigrettes and keeps them from separating as much. It will change the flavor profile of the vinaigrette, however.
- Fresh herbs - Fresh herbs have a milder flavor compared to dried herbs. When substituting fresh for dried, use triple the amount.
- White wine vinegar - To make this dressing a true vinaigrette and add some zippiness of vinegar, I suggest using a 50/50 combination of white wine vinegar and lemon juice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 104Total Fat: 11gSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 1.3g
Nutrition information isn't always accurate. This nutrition data does not include optional honey or sugar.