This Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette is fresh, lemony, savory, and a little spicy. It comes together in less than 10 minutes and calls for just a few simple ingredients! It's delicious on salads but you can also drizzle it over roasted or grilled veggies or meat. This is one of the easiest dressings you can make and it's totally foolproof!
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Why You'll Love This Vinaigrette
Easy and foolproof - This vinaigrette takes less than 10 minutes to make, it calls for just a few very simple ingredients, and it's very hard to mess up! Mustard acts as an emulsifier and it's what makes any vinaigrette super smooth and creamy without separating. There's a lot of it in this recipe which helps the oil and lemon juice blend together really easily.
Delicious flavor - The spiciness of dijon mustard gets balanced out by fresh lemon juice and smooth olive oil. The three make an amazing combo that goes with practically any salad and it's everyone's favorite!
Lots of uses - Vinaigrettes are most commonly served with salads but it doesn't have to stop there! This vinaigrette can be used for so much more! Add it to rice bowls, grain bowls, or even just plain quinoa or rice! It's delicious on roasted veggies, drizzled on finger food, burgers, and roasted or grilled veggies.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil - Use a quality olive oil you like. The better the olive oil, the better the vinaigrette!
- Lemon juice - I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice, it yields the best flavor.
- Dijon mustard - The star of this recipe! I usually use classic smooth Dijon mustard but any Dijon mustard you like works. The mustard is what helps emulsify the olive oil and lemon juice together.
- Honey - Adding a little bit of sweetener balances out the spicy Dijon mustard and the olive oil. It rounds out all the flavors without changing the flavor or making the vinaigrette sweet. You can also use maple syrup or agave.
- Garlic - Grated garlic adds lots of flavor (you only need one small clove) but if you don't like the flavor of raw garlic, you can use garlic powder instead.
- Fresh parsley - Fresh herbs are optional but they give the vinaigrette
- Sea salt and pepper - Use sea salt or Himalayan pink salt instead of table salt whenever possible. I also like using freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different mustard - This vinaigrette can be made with a variety of other mustards if you don't have Dijon. I really like using honey garlic mustard in my dressings or whole-grain mustard.
- Fresh herbs - If you don't have parsley, fresh chives, thyme, or chopped rosemary are all great choices as well. Alternatively, you can also use dried herbs, they just won't have the same bright flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add everything except the olive oil to a medium bowl.
- Whisk it all together until well mixed.
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- While whisking constantly, slowly, stream in the olive oil.
- Keep whisking until emulsified (no olive oil sitting on top separated).
- Serve the vinaigrette immediately or store it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Serving Suggestions
- Salads - You can add this vinaigrette to green salads, pasta salads, grain salads like quinoa, or even rice bowls with roasted veggies and protein like chicken, fish, or tofu. Try it on this Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lentils!
- Roasted veggies - This vinaigrette would be delicious on roasted veggies like zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onions, brussels sprouts, and more!
- Sandwiches - Brush this vinaigrette on sandwiches or burgers for extra flavor. You can just drizzle over the sandwich fillings before you top it with the other slice.
- Dip and a sauce - This vinaigrette can be served as a dip for crusty bread or as sauce drizzled over finger food or appetizers.
Storing and Make Ahead Options
Fridge: Store any leftover vinaigrette in an airtight jar or a container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Because of the high amount of Dijon mustard (an emulsifier), the vinaigrette should stay emulsified even as it sits in the fridge if whisked properly. If it separates, all you need to do is shake it up briefly to make it smooth again!
Freezer: Most recipes recommend not to freeze vinaigrettes. The emulsification breaks in the freezer and once it's defrosted, the vinaigrette separates. I've found though that once it's defrosted, you can just shake up the vinaigrette and it's smooth again. Vinaigrettes are best eaten within a week but unless you added mayonnaise, eggs, cheese, or butter, it's ok to freeze to freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Make ahead: This vinaigrette keeps well in the fridge for 5-7 days so it's great for making ahead and meal prep!
FAQs
You can use a high-speed blender, a food processor, or an immersion blender if you like but I don't think it's necessary. You can make this vinaigrette by shaking it up in the jar you'll store it in which makes the process much faster with less clean up.
It's said that blending olive oil too aggressively for long turns it bitter. Although I don't taste much difference in blended dressings compared to whisked, it could be another reason why you should avoid blending this one.
Either you didn't add mustard, added too much oil, or you didn't whisk or shake it properly.
Other Vinaigrettes and Dressings
If you like this dijon vinaigrette, I highly recommend giving one of the four below a try! Especially the preserved lemon one, it's so good! I also added the miso sesame dressing, it's one of my all-time favorites. To see all the latest ones, head over to Dips, Dressings, and Spreads.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Dressing
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette is fresh, lemony, savory, and a little spicy. Add it to salads, bowls, grilled veggies, meat, and more!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1 ½ lemon)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add everything except the olive oil to a medium bowl.
- Whisk it all together until well mixed.
- While whisking constantly, slowly, stream in the olive oil. Keep whisking until emulsified (no olive oil sitting on top separated).
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Easy jar method: You can add all ingredients to a jar, instead of a bowl, and shake it vigorously until everything is mixed. The vinaigrette is more likely to separate with this method but it’s the easiest.
Oil not mixing in properly: Add more Dijon mustard or ½ teaspoon mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is a great emulsifier that works like magic to fix broken vinaigrettes!
Storing: Store in the fridge for up to a week. Always use a clean spoon. The vinaigrette might need a little shake after sitting in the fridge for a few days.
Freezing: It’s often recommended not to freeze vinaigrettes but I find they freeze fine, you just need to whisk them or shake them up in a jar again before using. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
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