This lemon vinaigrette dressing is bright, balanced, and endlessly useful—fresh citrus, clean flavors, and a mix you’ll want on everything!

A good lemon vinaigrette dressing doesn’t shout. It lifts. It wakes up a bowl of greens, pulls roasted vegetables back into focus, and makes even the simplest salad feel like someone cared while making it. This is the kind of dressing experienced cooks keep in their heads, not on a recipe card—balanced, sharp but not aggressive, smooth enough to cling, and bright enough to make you want another bite immediately.

This version is classic, reliable, and endlessly useful. Once you make it this way, bottled dressing starts to feel unnecessary.

Ingredients

• Fresh lemon juice — ¼ cup (from 1 to 2 lemons, strained of seeds)
• Lemon zest — 1 teaspoon, finely grated
• Extra-virgin olive oil — ½ cup
• Dijon mustard — 1 teaspoon
• Honey — 1½ teaspoons (balances acidity without turning it sweet)
• Garlic — 1 small clove, finely grated or minced
• Fine sea salt — ½ teaspoon
• Black pepper — ¼ teaspoon
• Optional but excellent additions (choose one, not all):
• Shallot — 1 tablespoon, very finely minced
• Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or thyme) — 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
• Parmesan — 1 tablespoon, finely grated (for a more savory vinaigrette)

How to Make Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Start by adding the lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a small bowl or jar. Whisk everything together until the mixture looks unified and slightly thickened—this step matters because it gives the dressing a stable base before the oil goes in.

Take a moment to smell it. It should already smell bright and clean, not harsh.

Now, while whisking steadily, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Don’t rush this. Pouring too fast breaks the emulsion and leaves you with oil sitting on top instead of a smooth, cohesive dressing.

As you whisk, you’ll see the vinaigrette turn glossy and lightly thick, the kind that clings to lettuce instead of sliding straight to the bottom of the bowl.

Once all the oil is incorporated, taste it. This is where you adjust with intention. If it feels too sharp, add another ½ teaspoon of honey. If it feels flat, add a small pinch more salt. If you want more bite, a few extra drops of lemon juice do the job. Stir in any optional additions now, keeping them subtle so the lemon stays the star.

Let the vinaigrette sit for 5 minutes before using. That short rest allows the garlic to mellow and the flavors to settle into each other instead of competing.

How to Use This Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

This dressing shines on simple green salads, grain bowls, roasted asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower, and it’s especially good tossed with arugula, spinach, or shaved Brussels sprouts. It also works beautifully as a light drizzle over grilled chicken or fish when you want something fresh instead of heavy.

Once you have a solid lemon vinaigrette dressing recipe in your rhythm, salads stop feeling like an afterthought and start feeling like part of the meal you actually look forward to. Keep this one close, tweak it to your taste, and come back when you’re ready to build the next quiet staple that makes everyday food feel finished.