This Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette is extra delicious, bright yellow, and easier to make than you might think! Preserved lemons are savory, salty, zesty, and a little sweet. They give this dressing an amazing bright flavor that's perfect for salads, roasted veggies, and more. It's different, simple, and everyone's favorite!
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Preserved lemons are fresh whole lemons that have been cured in salt. The lemons are packed into a jar with salt that draws out their juices and allows them to ferment as the lemons sit. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
When the preserved lemons are stored properly, they can last for years.
Preserved lemons are most often used in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. You can add them to salads, dressings, sauces, stews, and more!
They have a strong flavor so a little goes a long way. The pulp of the lemons is often discarded and only the peel is used (this vinaigrette uses both).
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Double lemon flavor - This vinaigrette has both preserved lemon and fresh lemon juice. The preserved lemon is very salty, savory, zesty, and a little sweet, while the fresh lemon brings in freshness and that classic tart lemon flavor. This vinaigrette is packed with flavor and takes any salad or bowl from great to amazing!
Easy and simple - Preserved lemon is an ingredient that might be harder for you to get but besides that, this vinaigrette is really easy to make. All you have to do is blend everything together using an immersion blender and you're done!
Lots of uses - You can add this vinaigrette to salads, quinoa, rice or grain bowls, roasted veggies, or brush it on roasted or grilled meat, chicken, or fish. Add it to wraps, sandwiches, or burgers.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil - Olive oil is the base of this vinaigrette and adds a lot of flavor so use one you like!
- Preserved lemon - Preserved lemons are made by combining lemons and a lot of salt. That's it! They sit together for a long time and after a while the lemons start releasing juice which together with the salt "pickles" them in a way. They're very salty and have to be washed before using. You can find them at Middle Eastern grocery stores or online.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice balances out the saltiness of the preserved lemon and adds freshness and flavor.
- Fresh herbs - Fresh parsley adds color and flavor, I highly recommend adding some! If you don't have parsley, fresh chives also work. You can use dried herbs in a pinch.
- Dijon mustard - Mustard helps to emulsify the dressing and adds a little flavor.
- Honey - A little bit of sweetener balances out all the flavors of the vinaigrette and ties it all together. You can also use maple syrup or agave to keep the recipe vegan-friendly.
- Black pepper - Freshly ground black pepper yields the best flavor. There is no salt added to this vinaigrette.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different sweetener - I don't recommend skipping the sweetener but if you don't have honey, you can use a different liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave. Granulated sugar also works, it just takes a few minutes to dissolve in the vinaigrette.
- Dried herbs - They don't provide the same amount of flavor and freshness as fresh herbs but can be used in a pinch.
- Double or half the recipe - This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled by clicking the little 2x or 3x buttons in the recipe card. Alternatively, you can also half the recipe! It might just be harder to blend it all together with the immersion blender.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add preserved lemon, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and black pepper to a jar.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Alternatively, you can also do this in a food processor or a blender.
- Stream in the olive oil while blending.
- Keep blending until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified.
- Taste and add more pepper, Dijon, or honey if needed.
- Stir in fresh parsley or chives.
- Serve right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Expert Tips
- Don't add salt and always rinse your preserved lemons! The liquid preserved lemons are in is mainly just water and salt. This makes them super salty (similar to feta). Always rinse them with water before adding to anything. Some people even like to simmer them for a minute or two to remove even more salt but I don't find that necessary here.
Serving Suggestions
- Salads and bowls - You can add this vinaigrette to practically any salad but it's also delicious on grain and rice bowls with tofu, shrimp, salmon, or chicken. Try it on this Asparagus Quinoa Salad or this Greek Orzo Salad.
- Roasted veggies - Drizzle it over roasted or grilled veggies like asparagus, broccoli, peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant, or even potatoes! It would be amazing on this Sheet Pan Asparagus Gnocchi as well!
- Protein - Brush it on grilled or roasted chicken, fish, or seafood. You could also toss some crispy tofu on it and add it to your salads!
Storing
This vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. This makes it perfect for meal prep. I like to make it on Sundays when I'm getting ready for the week ahead and use it in my salads and bowls during the week. It's such a time-saver!
I don't recommend freezing the vinaigrette.
FAQs
While it is true that certain olive oils might release a bitter flavor when blended, I haven't found much difference in flavor between blended and whisked olive oil. I wouldn't blend it in a high-speed blender for too long but I also wouldn't worry about it too much.
You can just blend the rest of the ingredients until smooth and whisk the olive oil in my hand if you prefer.
You can blend the vinaigrette in a food processor or in a high-speed blender. An immersion blender is just easier because it's not a large amount of ingredients which might make it tricky to blend in a big blender.
No, preserved lemons have a very unique flavor that's hard to achieve with other ingredients.
Similar Recipes
If you're looking for other fun new dressing flavors to try, check out the four recipes below! To see all the latest ones, head over to Dips, Dressings, and Spreads.
📖 Recipe
Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Dressing
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette is extra delicious, bright yellow, and easy to make! Preserved lemons are savory, salty, zesty, and a little sweet. Perfect for salads, roasted veggies, and more.
Ingredients
- ½ - 1 preserved lemon, rinsed and cut into quarters (mine was really small (2 tbsp) so I used a whole lemon but ½ is often enough)
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. ½ lemon)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
- ¼-½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or chives
Instructions
- Add preserved lemon, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and black pepper to a jar.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Alternatively, you can also do this in a food processor or a blender.
- Stream in the olive oil while blending. Keep blending until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Taste and add more pepper, Dijon, or honey if needed.
- Stir in fresh parsley or chives and enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Oil not blending in properly: The blended preserved lemon should help emulsify this vinaigrette really easily but if you have trouble, 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.
Freezing: It’s often recommended not to freeze vinaigrettes but I find they freeze fine, you may just need to whisk it or shake it up in a jar again before using. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Gloria says
Homemade dressings are the best. Preserved lemons add so much flavour to any recipe. They make a great food gift.
Angela Campos says
This was so delicious! It was easy to prepare and turned out perfect. I can't wait to make it again.