Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
A zesty, all-purpose lemon dressing with fresh herbs and Dijon — shake it up in a jar in about 10 minutes and skip the sugary bottled Italian.
Nutrition per serving
2 tbsp- Net carbs
- 0.8g
- Calories
- 163kcal
- Protein
- 0.2g
- Fat
- 18g
- Total carbs
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 0.2 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Greek red wine vinaigrette: Red wine vinegar and a generous amount of oregano make the classic dressing for Greek salads, with tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta.
- Use the red wine vinegar in place of the lemon juice (keep the zest) and the larger amount of oregano. Shake and let stand 10 minutes so the oregano softens.
Balsamic vinaigrette: A dark, mellow balsamic dressing to replace sugary bottled versions. The vinegar is naturally a little sweet, so no sweetener is needed.
- Use the balsamic in place of the lemon juice, skip the zest and leave out the optional sweetener. Use plain balsamic vinegar, not glaze, which is much higher in sugar.
Creamy lemon tahini: Tahini and water whisked in with less oil give a creamy, nutty dressing for roasted cauliflower, grilled chicken and big salad bowls.
- Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, garlic and salt first. It will seize and thicken, then loosen as you whisk in the water and the reduced oil. Add more water until it pours like heavy cream.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Nice to have (optional)
-
1 tsp lemon zestleave out - Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $3.15 for 6 servings ($0.52 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
In a jar, combine the lemon juice, zest, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Let sit 5 minutes to mellow the garlic.
-
Add the olive oil, screw on the lid and shake hard for about 20 seconds until creamy and emulsified (or whisk the oil in slowly in a bowl).
-
Stir in the parsley, chives, oregano and sweetener (if using). Taste on a lettuce leaf and adjust the salt or lemon.
-
Shake again right before dressing your salad.
Tips for success
-
Dijon is the emulsifier here — it keeps the oil and lemon blended much longer than they would be on their own. - Swap herbs freely: dill, basil, mint or thyme all work. Use 1 tsp dried for every 1 tbsp fresh.
- Dress a Greek salad or Niçoise salad, or use as a 30-minute marinade for souvlaki.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 7 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature, then shake before using.
Prep tip: It keeps up to a week, so shake up a jar on prep day and pack it separately from your salads so the greens stay crisp.
Refrigerate up to 1 week. Olive oil firms when cold, so let it stand 10 minutes at room temperature and shake before using.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosGreek red wine vinaigrette
FlavorRed wine vinegar and a generous amount of oregano make the classic dressing for Greek salads, with tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta.
- fresh lemon juice → red wine vinegar
- dried oregano → dried Greek oregano
0.4 g net · 164 kcal · 0.2 g protein · 18 g fat · ≈$0.55 per serving (−0.4 g net carbs vs the original)
Balsamic vinaigrette
FlavorA dark, mellow balsamic dressing to replace sugary bottled versions. The vinegar is naturally a little sweet, so no sweetener is needed.
- fresh lemon juice → balsamic vinegar
- no lemon zest
1.6 g net · 168 kcal · 0.2 g protein · 18 g fat · ≈$0.52 per serving (+0.8 g net carbs vs the original)
Creamy lemon tahini
FlavorTahini and water whisked in with less oil give a creamy, nutty dressing for roasted cauliflower, grilled chicken and big salad bowls.
- extra-virgin olive oil → extra-virgin olive oil (half the usual amount)
- + 2 tbsp tahini
- + 2 tbsp water
1.4 g net · 113 kcal · 1 g protein · 12 g fat · ≈$0.43 per serving (+0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
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