This homemade Lemon Vinaigrette is bright and refreshing with lots of flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice. You can even make it ahead and store it in the fridge for a few days for easy meal prep!
I firmly believe the dressing makes or breaks a salad – and this vinaigrette is a good one! It’s tangy, lemony and full of flavor. It’s my dressing of choice whenever I make a Mediterranean Couscous Salad.
Homemade dressing is so quick and easy to whip up, and it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. It’s one of my favorite things to keep on hand!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes and variations
- Red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar adds a distinctive flavor to this recipe, which I especially love used in combination with Mediterranean-inspired salads. But white wine vinegar is a great substitute if you don’t have the red.
- Garlic powder: I prefer using this over fresh garlic in dressings – it’s much easier to accurately gauge, as fresh garlic can greatly vary in sharpness and taste. Especially if you’re planning to store the dressing in the fridge for any length of time, I very strongly recommend to stick to garlic powder as the intensity of fresh garlic can increase in a salad dressing over time.
- Honey: I highly recommend using a mild, clear, runny honey here for best results.
- Dried oregano: This is my favorite herb to use with lemon flavors, but dried thyme is a close second!
How to make a Lemon Vinaigrette
Making your own vinaigrette couldn’t be any easier – just add everything to a measuring jug, a jar (or even straight to your salad bowl!) and whisk until smoothly combined. Done!
Then either store it in the fridge, or use it on your favorite salad!
Recipe tips
- Make sure to fully whisk the mustard and honey into the other ingredients, they are what help to bring the oil, vinegar and lemon juice together to form a smooth dressing.
- Taste the dressing once finished and adjust vinegar/oil/salt to your personal taste. I do love a tart, salty vinaigrette but I left the recipe balanced so you can make your own choices here.
- When I make the dressing for storing in the fridge, I like using an old (clean) jam jar. The lid seals tightly and the jar is easy to store!
Storage tips
Store the dressing in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ideas for using
This is a wonderfully bright dressing that’s great for spring and summer salads. We love it on a Mediterranean couscous salad or as an alternative to Greek salad dressing in Greek Orzo Salad or Greek Pasta Salad. It’s also wonderful with a Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Salad!
If you use dried thyme instead of dried oregano it goes wonderfully with a strawberry spinach salad, or with a grilled chicken salad!
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Recipe details
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 4-6 tablespoons lemon juice start with 4tbsp, add more to taste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar OR white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon runny honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or more to taste; OR use your favorite fresh or dried herb
- salt & pepper; to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl or in a small jar.
- Immediately use on your favorite salad, or store the dressing in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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