This Honey Lemon Vinaigrette is super easy to make in just a few minutes. It's a sweet, salty & acidic salad dressing that's perfect for summer salads. So flavorful, it will make even the simplest green salad taste luxurious!
Jump to:
There's no dressing I make more in summer than this Honey Lemon Vinaigrette (if it has a competitor, it's this Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing). Usually paired with my Simple Arugula Salad, it's great with many other types of salad as well. Especially when there's a fattier component - think avocado or halloumi cheese.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's super easy to make - just shake the ingredients together
- It's super quick to make - 2 minutes, tops!
- The perfect balance of sweet & sour & salty from honey, fresh lemon juice & sea salt flakes
- Light & healthy with just a bit of olive oil, and works for most special diets
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Lemon needs to be fresh - canned lemon juice won't do
- Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral vegetable oil
- Sea salt flakes can be swapped for fine table salt - start with half the amount and add more if needing after taste testing
- Honey: liquid honey is easiest to use, but any kind will do
- Black pepper: fresh ground is best, but any type works
How to make it
- Place all ingredients in a jar with a lid
- Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously
- Shake until well mixed
- Taste test, and adjust seasoning as needed
Tips & tricks
- Make your vinaigrette in a jar - it's just the easiest way
- If you're using non-liquid honey you can microwave it quickly to make it more liquid and easier to mix with the rest of the ingredients
- Always taste test your vinaigrette, so you can get the seasoning just right for your taste
- Store leftovers in the jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and just give it a good shake before using
Recipe FAQ
Homemade vinaigrettes are generally good for up to 2 weeks when kept in an airtight container in the fridge. The exception is if your vinaigrette contains dairy.
Just like just about everything, homemade vinaigrette can go bad. However, unless they're dairy based they do keep for at least 1-2 weeks - and for this Honey Lemon Vinaigrette the acidic lemon juice helps keep it fresh.
Yes, I recommend refrigerating this vinaigrette to be able to keep it for longer.
This vinaigrette is actually made without vinegar! Instead we use lemon juice as the acidic component. However, if you want to make a vinaigrette with vinegar I recommend white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar - depending on the flavor profile you are after.
Salads to serve with this vinaigrette
These salads all come with delicious dressings and vinaigrettes of their own - but they're great to switch up with this vinaigrette.
- Simple Arugula Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato & Feta Cheese Salad
- Burrata Caprese Salad with Spinach & Cashews
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Print RateIngredients
- 1 lemon juice only
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes slightly crushed
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a jar with a lid and close the lid tightly. Shake the jar vigorously until everything is well combined. Taste test and adjust seasoning as needed.
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Lemon needs to be fresh - canned lemon juice won't do
- Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral vegetable oil
- Sea salt flakes can be swapped for fine table salt - start with half the amount and add more if needing after taste testing
- Honey: liquid honey is easiest to use, but any kind will do
- Black pepper:Â fresh ground is best, but any type works
Tips & tricks
- Make your vinaigrette in a jar - it's just the easiest way
- If you're using non-liquid honey you can microwave it quickly to make it more liquid and easier to mix with the rest of the ingredients
- Always taste test your vinaigrette, so you can get the seasoning just right for your taste
- Store leftovers in the jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and just give it a good shake before using
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Annette M Helmbold
Best honey lemon dressing ever! So flavorful and packs a beautiful punch of citrus and sweet! I'm pairing it with arugula, nuts and diced apple.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Annette! Thank you for your comment! That pairing sounds delicious, I'll need to try it for myself. /Emmeline
Madeleine Fuchs
Hello. Thank you for the recipe.
How much lemon juice by tablespoons do you use?
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi! About 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. /Emmeline