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Looking for a delicious Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe? This homemade dressing is perfect for all of your favorite salad recipes. It's simple to make, with so much flavor, and a great way to dress up a simple green salad. Made with staple ingredients, and ready in no time!
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (1) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (1)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-12.jpg)
Please note: This recipe was originally published in April of 2018, but it has been re-photographed with better instructions and updated in May 2022. We hope you enjoy it!
Does it get better than homemade salad dressings? In our opinion, making your own salad dressing is one of the simple ways of taking your salad to the next level.
Green salads are no longer boring with delicious homemade vinaigrette dressing! You only need a few minutes and ingredients to make this simple recipe.
Try this easy lemon vinaigrette on this simple arugula spinach salad, strawberry goat cheese salad, this steak salad, or even on this keto shrimp salad. The options are endless!
"Best lemon vinaigrette I’ve made! I’ve swapped this for all others. Thanks so much!" -Dina ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
Jump to:
- ❤️Why we love this recipe
- 🍯Ingredients
- ✨Substitutions
- ✨Variations
- 📖Instructions
- 🔪Prep Work
- ✨Tips and Tricks
- 🍋What to Serve with this Dressing
- More Ideas
- 💭Frequently asked questions
- More Salad Dressings Recipes to Consider
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Community
❤️Why we love this recipe
- Made with simple ingredients. You most likely have everything you need for this lemon vinaigrette dressing at home already. Anything you don't already have can be picked up at any grocery store!
- Quick and easy. This dressing is ready in under 15 minutes, and that's including the prep time!
- Super-versatile. The options are endless with this recipe. Use it on nearly any salad you can think of for a great pop of flavor. Make perfect spring and summer salads, or everyday salads any time of the year.
- No special equipment needed. While our preferred method for making this dressing is a food processor or a high-powered blender, it can also be made by hand with a whisk, or shaken up in a mason jar!
- Wholesome recipe that suits multiple diets. This recipe is made with just a few simple, wholesome ingredients. It's naturally free of refined sugars, since it's sweetened with honey. It's also naturally gluten free, low carb, and dairy free. It can also easily be made vegan.
🍯Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions and variations below.
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (2) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (2)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Ingredients-Graphic.png)
- Apple cider vinegar. You could also substitute for some red wine vinegar.
- Dijon mustard. Adds a nice zing flavor to the dressing.
- Dried oregano. We like using oregano in this dressing because it's subtle and versatile. This helps the dressing pair well with a lot of different salads.
- Honey or honey substitute. Honey is what we use to make this dressing, and it adds such a lovely flavor and natural sweetness.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Use something high quality here. Again, this is the base of your dressing and will add a lot of flavor.
- Fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice is obviously the base flavor of this dressing. Feel free to add in lemon zest, too!
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- No fresh garlic. Swap fresh garlic for garlic powder if you prefer!
- Swap the olive oil. Avocado oil or another neutral oil would so make a great choice for the dressing.
- Different vinegar. You could use white or red wine vinegar, white balsamic, or even regular balsamic.
- No Dijon. If you don't have Dijon, swap it for stone ground mustard. We don't recommend using regular yellow mustard, however. The flavor would be altered too much.
- Swap the herbs. You could also add in some other herbs like dried thyme, basil, rosemary, or whatever you'd like if you don't have oregano.
✨Variations
- Vegan. Swap the honey for a vegan alternative, or use agave or maple syrup.
- Sugar free. Use your favorite sweetener instead of honey. You can use a sugar free honey variety if you'd like.
- Add a bit of heat. Love a hint of spice? Try adding a bit of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Adjust the sweetness. Add more or less honey to taste to suit your preference.
📖Instructions
🔪Prep Work
- Mince the garlic.
- Juice the lemon.
- Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
Add olive oil (Image 1) and apple cider vinegar to a food processor (Image 2).
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (3) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (3)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-1.jpg)
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (4) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (4)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-2.jpg)
If whisking by hand, we'd recommend adding all ingredients to a bowl except for the olive oil. Whisk vigorously while slowly streaming in the olive oil in a thin stream. This will help emulsify the mixture better.
Now add the oregano, black pepper, salt (Image 3), dijon mustard, honey, garlic (Image 4) and lemon juice (Image 5).
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (5) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (5)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-3.jpg)
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (6) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (6)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-4.jpg)
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (7) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (7)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-5.jpg)
Food process until smooth and completely emulsified. (Image 6)
Allow the dressing to chill in the fridge for a moment before using it if possible. This helps the flavors develop, plus it may be a bit warm after whisking or blending.
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (8) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (8)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-6.jpg)
Serve and enjoy! (Image 7)
Try it with this , a simple spinach arugula salad, this blackberry salad, or this grilled peach salad, and more!
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (9) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (9)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-Process-Shots-7.jpg)
✨Tips and Tricks
- Use fresh ingredients. Using fresh garlic and lemon juice will make a huge difference in the flavor. Go for fresh whenever possible!
- If making the dressing without a blender or food processor, it may help to heat the honey for a few seconds so that it emulsifies quickly and easily. Finely mincing the garlic helps it become well dispersed in the dressing.
- Adjust the sweetness to taste. The sweetness level of the dressing can be adjusted according to personal preference. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, you can add a bit more honey. Conversely, if you prefer it less sweet, reduce the amount of honey slightly.
- Emulsify thoroughly. This is key to achieving a smooth and creamy texture to the dressing. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking or blending to help the ingredients emulsify properly.
![Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (10) Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe — A Full Living (10)](https://i0.wp.com/afullliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Honey-Lemon-Vinaigrette-10.jpg)
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🍋What to Serve with this Dressing
- This dressing would be perfect to dress a pasta salad, check out our Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe.
- Serve it with a quick salad and some protein like chicken or fish. You may like our Lemon Herb Chicken or our Pesto Butter Salmon Recipe.
- Pair with our Green Bean Feta Salad or our refreshing Cold Asparagus Salad!
More Ideas
- Arugula Spinach Salad
- Lemon Garlic Green Beans
- Burrata Caprese Salad
- Burrata and Prosciutto Arugula Salad
💭Frequently asked questions
Can I make this dressing with a whisk or mason jar?
Yes, you can definitely make this dressing with a whisk or in a mason jar, but you will just need a bit more elbow grease. A dressing made with this method will probably separate in the fridge, and you will likely need to re-shake or whisk it each time before using.
How do I store the dressing?
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Do not freeze.
What should I do if the dressing breaks?
To emulsify the dressing properly, whisk the dressing vigorously, shake well, or blend/process thoroughly to combine the ingredients until smooth.
After the dressing sits in the fridge for a while, it may separate. You can shake or whisk again quickly until the ingredients combine again.
If you're still struggling to get the dressing to come together, you can
add a small amount of mustard or honey to the broken dressing can help re-emulsify the mixture. Whisk in the emulsifier slowly until the dressing starts to come back together.
More Salad Dressings Recipes to Consider
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- Big Mac Dressing
- Pesto Vinaigrette Recipe
- Wingstop Ranch Recipe
Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a 5-star review below!🌟 This helps other readers find our recipes and encourages them to try them. Also, be sure to leave a comment with your experience. Follow along, and tag@AFullLivingon Instagram with your photos!
📖 Recipe
Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Briana
Looking for a delicious salad dressing? This homemade dressing is perfect for all of your favorite salads. It's simple to make, with so much flavor, and a great way to dress up a simple green salad. Made with staple ingredients, and ready in no time!
5 from 30 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 98 kcal
Equipment
food processor (or a blender, mason jar, or just a whisk!)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey (or to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
If using a food processer, blender, or in a jar:
Add 4 ounces of olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, to a food processor or blender.
Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1teaspoon ofdried oregano, ½teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼teaspoonground black pepper. Blend, shake vigorously, or process until completely smooth and emulsified.
To use a whisk:
Add the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, to a food processor or blender.
Slowly stream in 4 ounces of olive oil while whisking vigorously until the dressing comes together into a smooth, totally emulsified mixture.
To serve:
Chill in the fridge before serving for about 30 minutes if possible. Serve with your favorite salad and enjoy!
You can store this dressing in the fridge for about 7 days in an airtight container. Do not freeze.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients. Using fresh garlic and lemon juice will make a huge difference in the flavor. Go for fresh whenever possible!
- Adjust the sweetness to taste. The sweetness level of the dressing can be adjusted according to personal preference. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, you can add a bit more honey. Conversely, if you prefer it less sweet, reduce the amount of honey slightly.
- Emulsify thoroughly. This is key to achieving a smooth and creamy texture to the dressing. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking or blending to help the ingredients emulsify properly.
- If the dressing separates. After the dressing sits in the fridge for a while, it may separate. You can shake or whisk again quickly until the ingredients combine again.
If you're still struggling to get the dressing to come together, you can
add a small amount of mustard or honey to the broken dressing can help re-emulsify the mixture. Whisk in the emulsifier slowly until the dressing starts to come back together.
Nutrition
Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 125mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @AFullLiving on social!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Mary Ellen says
What type of greens and toppings are suggested with this dressing?
Reply
Jennifer says
This is amazing!! I will be making this again and again. Yum!Reply
Briana says
Thanks so much for your review, Jennifer! We're so glad you enjoy it so much! 🙂
Reply
April says
A flavorful dressing that I have made over and over again since I found this recipe!Reply
Briana says
That is so awesome to hear, April! Thanks so much for your review! 🙂
Reply
Tan says
It’s very tasty dressing. I like spicy so I put in 5 big cloves of garlic and 1 tablespoon of spicy vinegar with 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. It turned out great for me. Thank you!Reply
Briana says
That sounds delicious Tan, thanks so much for your review! 🙂
Reply
Veronica says
This is a fabulous recipe. The only thing I do different is add fresh basil instead of oregano. It’s so fresh and everyone asks for the recipe.Reply
Briana says
Fresh basil sounds so good in this! We're so happy you enjoy it so much, thank you so much for the awesome comment! 🙂
Reply
Chellie Lynn says
Absolutely delightful! I am on a keto diet so this is perfect for a healthy diet, PLUS it's truly delishous!Reply
Briana says
Aww yay!! We're so glad to hear this, Chellie! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Reply
Heather B says
This is absolutely delicious and my go to dressing for pasta salad…. well any salad!Reply
Briana says
This is so great to hear Heather! Thanks so much!! 🙂
Reply
Dina Alley says
Best lemon vinaigrette I’ve made! I’ve swapped this for all others. Thanks so much!Reply
Briana says
You made our day, Dina! So glad you enjoy it and thank you so much for the kind review! 🙂
Reply
Elena Murphy says
I wanted a special dressing for my homegrown lettuce and this was perfect! It will be my new favorite!Reply
Jaime says
How big is a serving if it makes 12 servings? Looks so good!
Reply
Briana says
Hey Jamie, We're not exactly sure, but to find out, you could weigh the entire amount of dressing with a food scale, and then divide by 12. We didn't actually do it ourselves, but we feel like it's a very solid amount of dressing when we make it!
Reply
Penny says
Love it!
Reply
Briana says
Thank you so much Penny!
Reply
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