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If you're a fan of delicious salad dressings, you'll love this honey lemon vinaigrette recipe. It tastes great on a summer salad, and only takes a few minutes to whip up. What's not to love?
With all the added sugars, preservatives, and processed oils in store-bought dressings, it's so much healthier and simpler to whip up a batch of homemade salad dressing whenever I need some.
Tools Used to Make Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe
- Mason jar with lid or bowl - Mason jars are our go-to for preserving condiments and dipping sauces. You can keep using them over and over again, and they won't wear out.
- Spoon - For blending everything together without making a huge mess.
Ingredients to Make Lemon vinaigrette dressing
- Olive oil - Packed with Omega 3s and an abundance of health benefits. (You can use avocado oil for a substitute).
- Lemon juice - You can swap bottled lemon juice if you'd like - make sure it's only one ingredient!
- Mustard (yellow, or dijon) - Mustard is used as an emulsifier and to add flavor.
- Honey (or maple syrup) - You can use honey (or swap maple syrup for a vegan lemon vinaigrette dressing).
- Salt - A little salt enhances the sweetness and balances the flavors.
Ingredient Substitutions Ideas for Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Honey
Swapping honey and maple syrup in this recipe is totally fine. Maple syrup works for a vegan lemon vinaigrette dressing. Use what you prefer, or what you have on hand. Swap in a 1:1 ratio.
Lemon Juice
If you're out of fresh lemons, you can swap bottled lemon juice. I think swapping the lemon for lime or orange would also be tasty (although then it would be a lime vinaigrette or orange vinaigrette dressing). I’m a big proponent of using what you have, so use what you have, then let me know in the comments below what works best for you.
Olive Oil
I love using olive oil in my salad dressing because of the Omega 3s and health benefits. If you use extra virgin olive oil, you may taste the olive flavor (I like it in salad dressings). If you’d prefer not to taste that flavor, you can use a light olive oil. You could also easily substitute a different oil if you’d rather. I’d recommend avocado oil as a mild flavored oil.
How to Make Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
This lemon vinaigrette with honey recipe is my favorite kind….so simple, yet it has so much flavor. You just mix it all together in a bowl or mason jar, then pour it over your salad.
FAQ & Troubleshooting
Can you substitute lemon juice for vinegar in dressing?
Vinegar can be a great substitute for lemon juice, but because of vinegar's high acidity and strong flavor), you'll need to dilute it slightly.
Which vinegar is best for vinaigrette?
There are SO many vinegar choices, so first and foremost, use what you have. Apple cider vinegar will give a hint of sweetness. Rice vinegar would work best with asian inspired vinaigrettes. White vinegar will always work, and probably has the strongest flavor of all of them.
Do I need to refrigerate homemade lemon vinaigrette?
There is no need to refrigerate if you are using the dressing on a regular basis. The vinegar in there keeps the dressing together. However, if you use raw garlic or herbs, I recommend refrigerating the honey lemon vinaigrette because they lower the acidity and can spoil quickly.
Why is my lemon vinaigrette bitter?
If the amount of acid in your lemon vinaigrette dressing is too high, it will impart a bitter taste. For a balanced vinaigrette, use equal amounts of fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
How do you thicken lemon vinaigrette?
The vinegar and oil will emulsify a bit on its own. If your oil and vinegar have separated, whisk it for a bit (or shake the mason jar).
Is vinaigrette dressing healthy?
Vinaigrette salad dressing is typically oil and vinegar. Sometimes there are other ingredients added, too. In this case it's lemon juice, honey, oil, and mustard. This is a great simple salad dressing recipe that's extremely healthy.
Do olive oil and lemon juice dressing need to be refrigerated?
I would recommend keeping this lemon vinaigrette dressing in the refrigerator to ensure it stays fresh. However, if you leave it on the counter overnight, you don’t need to worry about it going bad like you do some dressings. If it separates in the fridge, just shake it up in the jar until it’s combined again. In theory, homemade vinaigrette dressing can go bad, but I’ve never had that happen because we use it up within a week or two of making it.
Related Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
- Quick Caesar (no raw egg)
- Traditional Caesar (with raw egg)
- Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Yield: 1 ½ cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This honey lemon vinaigrette recipe is quick and delicious! With a few simple ingredients, you have a delicious salad dressing.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
- Pinch of salt (to taste)
- 2 tablespoon mustard (yellow, or Dijon)
- 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
Instructions
- In a mason jar or bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Stir to combine, or close the lid on your mason jar and shake until combined.
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