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Honey lemon vinaigrette pairs tangy citrus with sweet floral honey, a hint of savory garlic, peppery olive oil, and a bit of Dijon mustard for a simple salad dressing.
What’s your favorite way to dress a salad? Do you like a creamy dressing, fruity vinaigrette, punchy sauce, or maybe just the classic fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil?
Back in high school, one of my friend’s families owned a Greek diner. She used to share stories of some of their strangest customers. One story that stands out is a gentleman who would order a bowl of lettuce along with a glass of orange juice. When his order arrived, he’d douse the greens in the juice and dig in! At the time, we all got such a kick out of that story, but maybe he was onto something. After all, a fresh, citrusy dressing is delicious on salad.
In this simple homemade vinaigrette, we pair the flavor of fresh lemon with honey for sweetness and garlic for savory flavor. It’s well-balanced in its simplicity; it adds just enough oomph to make ordinary salad a lot more interesting. It whips up in 5 minutes with ingredients you probably already have on hand, and it keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week so it’s perfect for meal prep. Store-bought dressings will be a thing of the past!
What is Vinaigrette?
At its core, vinaigrette is a mixture of oil and vinegar.
Of course you can experiment with the type of oil (go for a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil if possible), and play with the vinegar (use raw unfiltered vinegar with “the mother” for the health benefits if you like). Salt and pepper are classic seasonings. Depending on the recipe, it might include other spices, seasonings, or herbs, and frequently Dijon mustard. But at the end of the day, a vinaigrette is meant to be a simple salad dressing that lets the flavor of the vegetables shine.
Why This Recipe Works
- Minimal ingredients. We only use a handful of simple ingredients, and you probably have everything in your kitchen right now!
- Fresh flavor. Fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, and fresh garlic pack a ton of flavor. When you use intense, bold, fresh flavors, you don’t need a ton of different ingredients.
- Versatile. You can use lemon vinaigrette with honey and Dijon mustard in a variety of ways. It works well on everything from dressing salad greens, to adding flavor to a cold cut sandwich or wrap, to marinating chicken. (TIP: Try it tossed it with cooked, cooled pasta for an easy pasta salad.)
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Use good quality olive oil for richness and lovely peppery notes.
- Lemon – Use fresh lemon; we need both the juice and zest for this recipe.
- White vinegar – This crisp vinegar adds tanginess for balance. You can use white wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or distilled white vinegar here.
- Honey – Honey and lemon go together like peanut butter and jelly. Here they balance each other beautifully. I really like the floral sweetness that honey lends to this dressing. However, if you want to keep this vinaigrette vegan, feel free to use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Dijon mustard – Dijon is a classic ingredient in a lot of salad dressing recipes. Here we add a little bit, which lends a subtle sharp tanginess and contributes to the balanced flavor profile. Dijon also acts as an emulsifier in vinaigrettes and dressings like this, and helps the ingredients blend better and stay blended for a creamy texture without the need for cream.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic adds savory depth to the dressing. As the dressing sits, the flavor of garlic mellows.
- Coarse kosher salt – Salt enhances the flavor of everything else. You can use fine (table) salt instead of coarse kosher salt, just use less.
- Coarsely ground black pepper – Adds a touch of piquant flavor to create balance.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl.
- Whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate until using.
Storage
Store this dressing in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then give it a good shake before serving.
Pro Tips For the Best Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- Go herby. Minced fresh thyme, rosemary, tarragon, or basil would all be wonderful here. Feel free to experiment!
- Swap out the lemon for another type of citrus. If you don’t have lemons on hand, you can use the same amount of lime juice and zest. If you use a sweeter citrus fruit (such as orange) use the same amount of zest, but reduce the juice to 2 tablespoons and increase the white vinegar to 2 tablespoons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This vinaigrette will still be delicious without Dijon mustard. Just note that it will separate faster and need to be vigorously shaken or whisked.
If you don’t have Dijon mustard on hand, you can whisk in 1/2 tablespoon mayo instead for a similar emulsifying effect.
Here we use a 1:2 ratio of fresh lemon juice to olive oil. We also add white vinegar and honey to create a well-balanced flavor profile.
This dressing has a creamy texture without any creamy ingredients. The secret is a touch of Dijon mustard! It acts as an emulsifier, thickening the dressing and helping it stay blended.
Salads to Try This Dressing On
- Pear and Rocket (Arugula) Salad
- Mediterranean Bean Salad with Feta
- Chopped Asparagus Salad with Basil and Pine Nuts
Let’s Connect
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Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe
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Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (see Notes)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey (see Notes)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves fresh garlic (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until using.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store this dressing in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then give it a good shake before serving.
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of dressing, or 6 (2-tablespoon) servings.
- White Wine Vinegar: In this recipe, you can use white wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
- Honey: Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup or agave nectar for the vegan version. Or swap out the regular honey for keto honey to make this dressing low-carb.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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