When you are looking for a super fresh zing to your zang lemon herb dressing, this is the one that will bring the invigorating taste to fresh vegetables and your favorite salad. It’s such a delightful and refreshing combination of tangy lemon and aromatic herbs that can make any salad burst with flavor.

white bowl filled with lemon herb dressing with arugula rocket salad in image

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Bold Citrus Flavor – I can’t say tang enough when referring to this lemon herb vinaigrette dressing. Adjusting the ratio from oil to acid can add even more sharp flavor to Pear Arugula Salad, vegetables, or bread for dipping

Easy to Make – The ingredients used are common pantry and refrigerator staples that you have on hand, so this can be made when the zesty mood strikes.

Fresh and Healthy – Homemade salad dressing has so much more flavor than any store-bought bottled dressing, plus it is healthier too. The lemon herb dressing for salad tastes amazing, plus packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants from the fresh lemon juice.

herb lemon dressing ingredients all laid out on marble

Ingredients for Lemon Herb Dressing

Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed lemon juice for that great tangy flavor
Agrodolce White Wine Vinegar – Adds that touch of sweetness to balance the dressing
Shallots – That desired onion flavor and are great for raw dishes
Garlic – raw garlic adds the spice
Dijon – a sharp tangy flavor that adds a touch of smoothness
Extra Virgin Olive Oil –
Salt and Pepper – these will always enhance your dish so the flavors pop

Substitution and Variation Ideas

Salad dressing can always be tweaked and refined for your taste buds. Two of the common substitution and variations for the dressing are:

Substitute Agrodolce Vinegar with Honey or maple syrup. The Agrodolce vinegar has that hint of sweetness from the grape must and can be replaced with honey. There is still enough acid in the dressing that the ratio replaced can be the same amount.

For a more subtle garlic flavor, I recommend substituting the preparation method and replacing finely grating the garlic, which brings immediate flavor to the dressing by crushing the garlic whole. To crush the garlic, peel the outer skin and press the whole clove with the side of the knife, enough to split without completely separating.

How to Make Lemon Herb Salad Dressing

Gather all your ingredients and prepare your mise en place. Mince your shallot, grate your garlic clove, juice your lemon, and measure all other ingredients.

Step 1. Add to a medium size bowl lemon juice, agrodolce vinegar, dijon mustard, grated garlic, minced shallot, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.

lemon herb ingredients in bowl ready to mix before adding olive oil using whisk on marble counter

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mixed lemon herb dressing recipe ingredients in glass bowl using whisk

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shallot lemon herb dressing mixed with extra virgin olive oil using whisk

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Step 2. Mix these ingredients well. I let this rest for about 10 minutes to macerate before adding the olive oil. Macerate will soften the shallot in both texture and flavor.

Step 3. Slowly whisk the extra virgin olive oil to emulsify. If you are adding directly into an air-tight store jar, you can shake in the jar, too. Whichever is your preferred method.

Please be sure to store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Highlighted Tips

Splurge on the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil it is delightful when dressing a large bowl of greens or drizzling on your favorite appetizer. I have not tried it myself, but I can see using a flavored olive oil for this as well that would complement the acid, such as roasted walnut or pistachio oil.
To make the most of all your ingredients, zest your lemons before squeezing them for juice. When you zest your lemon, store them in a ziplock plastic bag and put them in the freezer for convenient use in recipes. The preserved lemon zest can be stored for up to 6 months in the freezer.
This recipe makes enough for a double batch of arugula lettuce (about 10 ounces), depending on how heavy you dress your lettuce and veggies. This shallot lemon vinaigrette recipe can be doubled if you plan to have a bounty of lettuce you will eat during the week. Yay to you for the healthy eating!

How to Serve Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

The bright and punchy lemon herb vinaigrette can be used in a variety of ways.

Grilled Steak. Squeezing fresh lemon over grilled steak or a flank steak sandwich has always been a refreshing addition. Drizzling the herb vinaigrette dressing can bring that same punch of flavor.

Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables. This is great as a sauce or dip for roasted sweet potato wedges and spooned over asparagus.

Appetizer. Citrus and goat cheese are a perfect marriage. Serving the dressing with fried goat cheese is always a hit. Another idea is to present it on a Greek mezze platter for the purpose of dipping toasted pita bread and fresh vegetables. The refreshing lemon flavor with cheeses and vegetables always adds brightness that makes the ingredient pop.

Storage Tips

Store the prepared dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.

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