This Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette is bright, flavorful, and so easy to make! All you need is a jar or a bowl and you can have this delicious vinaigrette ready in as little as 5 minutes! It's great on salads, bowls, roasted veggies, fish, seafood, and more! It's fool-proof, always a hit, and sure to become your new go-to vinaigrette!
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Why You'll Love This Vinaigrette
Easy and quick - Vinaigrettes are some of the easiest salad dressings you can make and this one is no different! It comes together in just 5 minutes and all you need is a bowl and a whisk or a jar to shake everything up.
Packed with flavor - The addition of finely chopped shallot is different from your classic lemon vinaigrette and it really makes it shine! It adds flavor and a little bit of a bite. This vinaigrette has 9 very simple ingredients but it packs a ton of flavor.
Delicious on more than just salads - This vinaigrette is amazing on salads but you don't have to stop there! Drizzle it on roasted veggies, sandwiches, burgers, or roasted fish and seafood. It's delicious drizzled over grilled shrimp or salmon!
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil - A staple we all have in our kitchens. Pick olive oil you like the best! The better the olive oil, the better the vinaigrette.
- Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice whenever possible.
- Shallot - Finely chopped shallot adds a delicious onion flavor that's not as strong as yellow or red onion. It mellows out a little bit as it sits in the lemon juice but it stays crisp.
- Fresh herbs - The recipe calls for both fresh parsley and fresh chives. You can add both or whichever one you have on hand. Cilantro would also be delicious if you want to change up the flavor.
- Dijon mustard - This helps to emulsify the vinaigrette and adds a little flavor and heat.
- Honey - Sweetener balances out all the flavors without making the vinaigrette sweet or changing the flavors. You can use maple syrup or agave to keep the recipe vegan.
- Sea salt and black pepper - Use sea salt or Himalayan pink salt whenever possible. Table salt is stripped of all minerals. Freshly ground black pepper yields the best flavor. If you have pre-ground black pepper, use less because it's very fine.
Variations and Substitutions
- Red onion - If you don't have shallots, you can add finely diced red onion instead. It has more of a bite and stronger flavor but it works really well. Spring onion is also a great option.
- Different herbs - You can use just chives or just parsley if you don't have both. You can also use dried herbs in a pinch but they won't have as much flavor. Fresh cilantro is also a great herb to add, especially in combination with red onion!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a medium bowl.
- Whisk until everything is well mixed.
- Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly.
- Keep whisking vigorously until emulsified (the olive oil isn’t visibly separated).
- Serve the vinaigrette immediately or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Expert Tips
- Add your oil slowly while whisking constantly. This is the best way to get your vinaigrette to emulsify properly and not separate in the fridge.
- A tiny bit of mayonnaise goes a long way in a broken vinaigrette that doesn't wanna mix properly. Just add ½ teaspoon to 1 cup of vinaigrette and it's magically fixed!
Serving Suggestions
Salads and bowls - You can add this vinaigrette to practically any type of salad, grain bowl, or rice bowl! The options are endless. Try it in this Greek Orzo Salad, this Roasted Cauliflower Salad, or even this Persimmon Salad with Goat Brie.
Roasted vegetables - Roasted or grilled veggies are amazing tossed with this vinaigrette right after you take them out of the oven or off the grill and they're still steaming hot. They absorb all the delicious flavor instantly and the fresh lemon juice really makes them shine! Some examples of roasted veggies you can try it on are asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, peppers, eggplant, or cauliflower.
Fish and seafood - Brush it on hot roasted or grilled salmon or shrimp to give them extra flavor. Serve the shrimp in a bowl with rice, roasted and fresh veggies, and drizzle more of the vinaigrette on top. So good!
Storing
Store any leftover vinaigrette in an airtight container or a jar in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Always use a clean spoon for the vinaigrette and discard it if it develops a weird smell, an off-color, or any mold. If the vinaigrette separates as it sits in the fridge, simple shake the jar until it's smooth again.
It's generally not recommended to freeze any vinaigrette.
FAQs
Red onion is a great substitute if you don't have shallots. Their flavor is a little stronger but it makes a delicious vinaigrette. Spring onions would be my next choice and white or yellow onion only if you don't have anything else on hand.
Some common mistakes when your vinaigrette isn't emulsifying properly are not adding enough mustard (an emulsifier), skipping it altogether, adding the oil all at once when using a whisk, or not whisking for long enough.
Add some mayonnaise. I add about ½-1 teaspoon per 1 cup of vinaigrette. You can't really taste it but it acts as a great emulsifier and helps to emulsify any vinaigrette within seconds in most cases.
Similar Recipes
I don't have any other vinaigrettes on the blog at the moment but I'll be publishing more soon so keep your eyes peeled on the Dips, Dressings, and Spreads category for more variations! In the meantime, if you're looking for other dressings, check out the four salads with fun dressings below!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Dressing
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette is bright, flavorful, and so easy to make! It's great on salads, bowls, roasted veggies, fish, seafood, and more!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1 ½ lemon)
- 2 heaping tablespoon finely diced shallot (1 small shallot)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a medium bowl.
- Whisk until everything is well mixed.
- Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly. Keep whisking vigorously until emulsified (the olive oil isn’t visibly separated).
- Serve the vinaigrette immediately or store it in an airtight container 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.
Vinaigrette didn't emulsify: 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.
Ana
This adds a zesty kick to any salad. It's light, tangy, and totally elevates your greens!
Marie-Pierre Breton
I love that no vinegar is used for once! There's nothing like a fresh lemon filled with Vitamin C to boost a salad!
Meg
Hi Veronika! I just wanted to share that I love this dressing. The Dijon balances the lemon, pepper, shallots and honey and makes the dressing just perfect. I love it on pasta salad best! :)
Angela
This dressing was fabulous! It was easy to prepare and turned out so delicious. I can't wait to make it again!!