If there's one dressing I'll never stop making, it's this one.
This classic lemon vinaigrette is the reason I never buy bottled dressings. It's made with real ingredients I always have on hand, and it takes less than 5 minutes to throw together.
As someone who develops Mediterranean-inspired recipes for a living and cooks for a real-life family every day, this is the kind of thing I reach for when dinner needs something fresh and crave-worthy without much effort.
Whether I'm tossing it with arugula or using it to marinate grilled chicken, this dressing delivers flavor without any fuss.
And once you taste how good it is? You’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff.
Let’s get into what makes this homemade salad dressing a total staple—and how you can have it ready to go in 5 minutes flat.
How to Make Lemon Vinaigrette
Start by adding the ground mustard, garlic, lemon juice, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl. Whisk to dissolve the salt.
Slowly drizzle extra virgin olive oil into the mixture.
Once I whisk everything together, I always dip a finger in to taste. I'm looking for a bright, lemony tartness—but not so sour it takes over.
Top Tip
If it's too sharp for you, just add a little more honey or pure maple syrup to round it out. Start with a teaspoon and adjust from there.
Once you've mastered this classic lemon vinaigrette, there's a whole world of flavor out there. Try my lemon dill vinaigrette for a herby twist, or go fruity with my blackberry balsamic vinaigrette.
Because there's no going back to store-bought, now you can whisk, drizzle, repeat—you're officially in your vinaigrette era!
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Lemon Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: ½ cup 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
No need to buy bottled dressing. This quick lemon vinaigrette is fresh, zesty, and made in 5 minutes with real lemon, garlic, and olive oil.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon honey or pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon sea salt
cracked black pepper, to taste
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, honey, oregano, ground mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until the salt dissolves.
While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify the dressing.
Taste and adjust. You're looking for bright, lemony tartness that's balanced—not harsh.
Notes
If the dressing tastes too sharp or sour, stir in a little extra honey or pure maple syrup. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to your liking.
Recipe adapted from my Greek dressing recipe.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Vinaigrettes
- Method: Whisked (hand-mixed)
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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