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Whisk together this easy Dijon vinaigrette in just 5 minutes for a simple, flavorful, homemade salad dressing any night of the week. The tangy mustard vinaigrette is delicious when tossed with baby greens for a salad that pairs nicely with almost any entrée — from an omelet at brunch, to a perfect steak, crispy pan-fried chicken, or cozy lasagna casserole.

Hands tossing a salad with mustard vinaigrette

Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Salad makes an appearance on our dinner table multiple times per week, and I often don’t have the energy to do much more than toss some lettuce or baby greens with a simple Dijon vinaigrette. This isn’t one of those “fussy” homemade dressings that requires mincing onion, pulling out an immersion blender or food processor, or grabbing all of the spices from your pantry. Instead, the basic vinaigrette can be whisked together in less than 5 minutes! That means that you’re much more likely to actually make the dressing, and therefore more likely to consume those veggies that we know are good for us.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

A vinaigrette is any dressing that’s made by mixing together oil and an acidic ingredient such as vinegar or lemon juice. The dressing might include other spices or seasonings, and can be tossed with salad or used as a marinade for meat or veggies. This particular lemon dijon vinaigrette includes olive oil, vinegar, and freshly-squeezed lemon juice, along with honey (for just a touch of sweetness), Dijon mustard (which serves as a tangy, zesty, natural emulsifier), salt, and pepper. That’s all! It tastes light and fresh, it provides a bright, acidic balance for heartier, richer entrees, and it’s full of flavor.

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a quick jar of Dijon vinaigrette. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

  • Vinegar: I typically use apple cider vinegar, but red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or champagne vinegar all work well.
  • Lemon juice: use the fresh juice that you squeeze from a lemon, rather than the bottled version.
  • Dijon mustard: zesty and tangy, the mustard serves as a flavorful emulsifier that brings the dressing together.
  • Honey: for a touch of sweetness that balances the acidity. You can omit the honey if you like, or substitute with maple syrup.
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper: enhance the other flavors in the vinaigrette and season your salad greens.
  • Olive oil: the base of the dressing.
Process shot showing how to make a homemade vinaigrette

How to Make a Dijon Vinaigrette

This condiment seriously couldn’t be easier! If you have 5 minutes, you can make a delicious homemade vinaigrette for your next salad. Simple recipes are always the best!

  1. Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
  2. Stream in the olive oil, whisking until all of the ingredients blend together. Alternatively, you can just shake everything in a jar to combine!
  3. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or honey, if desired.
  4. Drizzle over your salad greens and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Pouring dijon vinaigrette on a bowl of salad

Serving Suggestions

Drizzle the vinaigrette over a big bowl of your favorite spring greens, peppery arugula, crisp Romaine lettuce, kale, or other salad greens of choice. If you like additional ingredients in your bowl, here are a few ideas:

  • Toasted nuts or seeds
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, crumbled feta cheese, blue cheese, or goat cheese
  • Diced tomatoes, cucumber, onion, celery, or carrot
  • Dried cranberries, raisins, or other fruit
  • Fresh berries, sliced apple, sliced pear
  • Citrus such as oranges, blood oranges, mandarin slices, or grapefruit
  • Croutons or fried onions
Overhead shot of a dijon vinaigrette salad on a blue and white plate

Storage

Store the vinaigrette in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. This makes it easy to shake up the ingredients when you’re ready to enjoy it again, since the oil and vinegar will naturally separate as the dressing settles. Store the jar of vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you omit the lemon juice, you can store this vinaigrette at room temperature for several weeks.

Recipe Variations

  • Don’t have a fresh lemon? Omit the lemon juice entirely, or replace it with extra vinegar.
  • For a stronger lemon flavor, grate some fresh lemon zest into the dressing.
  • If you don’t like any sweetness in your dressing, omit the honey. You can also substitute maple syrup for the honey, or add more sweetener to taste.
  • Season the dressing with about 1 ½ teaspoons of pressed, grated, or finely minced fresh garlic (about 1 large garlic clove), shallots, or onions.
  • Add dried or fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, basil, or oregano. For a shortcut, season the dressing with our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend.
  • Double all of the ingredients to make a bigger batch of dressing, or cut the ingredients in half for a smaller portion.
Hands serving a bowl of salad with dijon vinaigrette

Tips for the Best Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe

  • Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, since it brings so much flavor to the vinaigrette.
  • Stream in the olive oil slowly while whisking continually. This helps emulsify the dressing, bringing all of the ingredients together. Alternatively, you can shake the ingredients together in a mason jar.
  • Taste the vinaigrette by dipping a piece of lettuce or other salad greens into the dressing. This will give you a better sense for how the vinaigrette will actually taste on your salad.
  • Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to suit your personal taste preferences. I also like to season the lettuce greens with salt and pepper.
  • If using delicate lettuce or baby greens, wait to dress the salad until you’re ready to serve. If you’re using sturdier greens, like kale, you can toss the salad in advance and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.
Simple green salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette on a blue and white platter

More Salads and Homemade Dressings to Try

Hands tossing a salad with mustard vinaigrette

Dijon Vinaigrette

5 from 2 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings 13 tablespoons
Calories 78 kcal
Whisk together this easy Dijon vinaigrette in just 5 minutes, for a simple, flavorful, homemade salad dressing any night of the week!

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • For serving: salad greens of choice

Instructions

  • In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
  • While continuing to whisk, gradually stream in the olive oil until all of the ingredients are completely combined. You can also use a jar with a tight-fitting lid to just shake together all of the ingredients.
  • Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Drizzle over salad greens; toss to coat.

Notes

  • Don’t have a fresh lemon? Omit the lemon juice entirely, or replace it with extra vinegar.
  • For a stronger lemon flavor, grate some fresh lemon zest into the dressing.
  • If you don’t like any sweetness in your dressing, omit the honey. You can also substitute maple syrup for the honey, or add more sweetener to taste.
  • Season the dressing with about 1 ½ teaspoons of pressed, grated, or finely minced fresh garlic (about 1 large garlic clove), shallots, or onions.
  • Add dried or fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, basil, or oregano. For a shortcut, season the dressing with our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend.
  • Double all of the ingredients to make a bigger batch of dressing, or cut the ingredients in half for a smaller portion.
  • Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, since it brings so much flavor to the vinaigrette.
  • Stream in the olive oil slowly while whisking continually. This helps emulsify the dressing, bringing all of the ingredients together. Alternatively, you can shake the ingredients together in a mason jar.
  • Taste the vinaigrette by dipping a piece of lettuce or other salad greens into the dressing. This will give you a better sense for how the vinaigrette will actually taste on your salad.
  • Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to suit your personal taste preferences. I also like to season the lettuce greens with salt and pepper.
  • If using delicate lettuce or baby greens, wait to dress the salad until you’re ready to serve. If you’re using sturdier greens, like kale, you can toss the salad in advance and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.
  • Store the vinaigrette in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. This makes it easy to shake up the ingredients when you’re ready to enjoy it again, since the oil and vinegar will naturally separate as the dressing settles. Store the jar of vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you omit the lemon juice, you can store this vinaigrette at room temperature for several weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 78kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 188mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Keyword: dijon vinaigrette, honey dijon vinaigrette, lemon dijon vinaigrette, mustard vinaigrette
Course: condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Blair Lonergan
blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

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