Easy Lemon Vinaigrette

This 5-minute lemon vinaigrette recipe is the easy salad dressing I keep coming back to. It’s bright, fresh, and it always makes my salads taste better.

I’ve made this simple lemon vinaigrette more times than I can count. I use it for my own salads at home, in recipes here on Inspired Taste, and even as the base for marinades. It’s quick, foolproof, and made with ingredients I always have on hand.

Use this easy vinaigrette to toss with greens, drizzle over grain bowls, or mix with beans and roasted vegetables. It’s endlessly useful, and always delicious.

Key Ingredients

• Lemon: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is best, and is what makes this dressing so delicious.
• Mustard: Dijon mustard is classic in this vinaigrette, but a coarse-ground mustard would be lovely.
• Honey: You need a little sweetness to balance the tart lemon juice. I usually stick with honey, but maple syrup or agave nectar work beautifully, too.
• Garlic (optional): Fresh garlic adds a little kick, but a small amount goes a long way. I grate about half a small clove on a microplane. It melts right into the dressing without overpowering it.
• Olive Oil: Use a good extra-virgin olive oil, and make sure it’s one you enjoy the flavor of. I prefer light and fruity olive oil for my salad dressings.
• Preserved Lemon (optional): This takes the dressing to another level. I usually buy mine (you’ll find them near olives or pickles), but you can also make your own. We also use them when making this arugula couscous salad with feta.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make My Favorite Lemon Vinaigrette

Tip 1: Whisk in the olive oil slowly. The sign of a great vinaigrette is that it looks creamy and emulsified, not spotty or separated. Slowly whisking the olive oil into the lemon juice and mustard helps everything come together beautifully.

Tip 2: Storing it. This lemon vinaigrette keeps for up to a week in the fridge (yay!). As it chills, two things might happen: it can separate or the olive oil can solidify. If it separates, just shake or whisk it before using. If the oil solidifies on you, let the dressing sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then shake or whisk until smooth again.

My Favorite Ways to Use It

I’m not exageratting when I say that we use this lemon salad dressing all the time! Here are my very favorite ways to use it:

• Toss with tender salad greens, sliced cucumber, and halved cherry tomatoes for my basic everyday salad!
• Toss with warm cooked quinoa, farro, or other grains then add some sautéed veggies for a quick, healthy bowl. I do something similar for this couscous salad.
• Use it as the base for chicken marinade.
• Make this easy bean salad, but swap the dressing for this lemony version. Or use it for our chickpea salad, and I love it for this fennel salad!
• Drizzle over roasted vegetables, I especially love it with these roasted potatoes!

More Lemon Salad Dressing Recipes

• Lemon Tahini Dressing – creamier and really delicious!
• Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing
• Italian Dressing – made with lemon and red wine vinegar