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A tangy, herby salad dressing perfect for just about anything. It’s great on leafy greens, drizzled on roasted vegetables, stirred into grains, and tossed with pasta.
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This zesty vinaigrette brings life to whatever you throw it’s way.
Fresh lemon juice is stepping in for vinegar, so I guess technically, it’s not a vinaigrette, but it’s basically the same thing.
It’s so easy to make homemade dressing, there is no reason to grab a bottle of store-bought. Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. All things you likely already have in your house.
Whisk up a batch today!
Tips and tricks
- Be sure to zest one of the lemons before squeezing it for the juice. A microplane grater is my favorite tool for the job.
You can also use the microplane to grate the garlic into the dressing if you prefer not to have small bits of garlic in there.
- I like a very lemony dressing, using equal amounts of oil and lemon juice. If you prefer a milder lemon flavor, add a bit more oil, or cut back to just 1 lemon.
- Pure maple syrup is an optional ingredient. I almost never use it as I like the bright tartness of the dressing without, but you may want a teaspoon to balance the tangy lemon.
- This dressing should keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for about 4-5 days.
- This recipe can easily be doubled.
I first developed this recipe for my Lemon Artichoke Pasta Salad. If you are making this dressing to go over noodles, like in that pasta salad, I suggest making it as written with both lemons. You want a strong flavored dressing to stand up to the bland noodles.
If you are making it just for salad, as I stated in my tips above, you can cut back on the lemon if you prefer a milder flavor. Or for a slightly different version of lemon vinaigrette, try this Lebanese Salad Dressing.
Don’t forget to try these other delicious dairy free salad dressings:
- Citrus Tahini Dressing (Oil-Free)
- Tahini Goddess Dressing (Oil-Free)
- Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing (Oil-Free)
- Sesame Soy Asian Dressing
- Hemp Seed Dressing (Oil-Free, Nut Free)
- Easy Hummus Dressing (Oil-Free, Nut-Free)
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more, as desired
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 2 lemons about ¼ cup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup optional (or to taste)
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until fully combined. Alternately, you can place the ingredients in a jar with a fitted lid and shake vigorously until combined.
- Add additional olive oil, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Jessie
Amazing!
This was my first attempt at making a homemade dressing and I am in love
Jenn Sebestyen
Yay! I’m so happy you love it. Thank you, Jessie!
Di-Di | The Foxy Flexitarian
Great recipe. Thank you, Jenn. The maple syrup makes a big difference.
Jenn Sebestyen
Wonderful! So glad you love it, DiDi!