Quick and easy Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing with 3 ingredients in 5 minutes! Perfect for crisp greens like spinach, kale, and arugula, or grain bowls!
It's hard to believe I've been making this lemon garlic salad dressing for at least 10 years! It's actually the 'star of the show' in my Tuscan Kale Salad. My absolute favorite!
I don't know about you but for me, there is nothing quite like drizzling a delicious homemade lemon dressing on top of fresh salads no matter what time of year it is. 🤩
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe Place all of the dressing ingredients in a jar and give it a shake! Use a citrus press and garlic press to make this dressing recipe even easier. 😅
- Simple Ingredients Fresh lemons, garlic, olive oil, and a dash of salt & black pepper. It may sound too simple but believe me - it's delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Lemon Juice Use fresh lemon juice. Add lemon zest for a more vibrant flavor. Just remember to zest the lemon first, before squeezing the juice out of it.
- Olive Oil Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats and other compounds that have been known to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Garlic Use fresh garlic for the best flavor. In my opinion, using a good garlic mincer is the easiest way to mince garlic.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's a brief description of how to make this lemon garlic dressing. For the complete list of ingredients and full instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Add all ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid or small bowl if you'll be using serving this lemon garlic vinaigrette right away.
- Place the lid on the jar and shake the ingredients together. Or, if using a small bowl, whisk the ingredients together.
Tip from a Registered Dietitian
Making your own salad dressing is an easy way to control the amount of sodium and kind of oil in your diet. For instance, this homemade dressing has is made with extra virgin olive oil and contains much less sodium, in fact, about 200mg less sodium than similar store-bought dressings.
Helpful Tips
- This is a tart salad dressing. The strong flavor goes wonderfully with hearty greens and shaved parmesan.
- Use a citrus press to get the most juice out of each lemon.
- This recipe makes enough for about 4 cups of salad greens.
- Double the recipe if you'll be tossing it in with a large bowl (more than 4-5 cups) of crisp salad greens.
- Store this salad dressing in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
- If the olive oil solidifies when refrigerated, let the dressing set out at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Questions You May Have
Unlike herby Green Goddess Dressing, I personally love this lemon vinaigrette as it is... without fresh herbs. Still, if you enjoy adding fresh herbs to vinaigrette dressings, then definitely add some to this!
Yes, absolutely. Look for salad dressings like this one that are low in added sugar, sodium, and saturated fats if you are following a heart-healthy diet.
While vinaigrettes are often recommended as a healthier option, in my opinion, a salad dressing that you don't need to add a lot of in order to enjoy a variety of mixed vegetables is the healthiest for you.
And of course, this will depend on the individual 😉
More Easy Recipes
- Green Goddess Salad with Green Goddess Dressing (Homemade)
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing (No Oil, No Mayo)
- Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
- Top 9 Holiday Side Dishes (30 Minutes or Less!)
Did you make this lemon garlic vinaigrette dressing recipe and love it? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing
Equipment
- 1 citrus press handheld
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed from one large lemon.
- 2 cloves garlic minced (use fresh garlic)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- ⅛ salt I use sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper or more, to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a jar and give it a good shake. Serve and enjoy!3 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoon olive oil, ⅛ salt, 1 pinch black pepper
Notes
- Use fresh lemon and fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- For even more lemon flavor, add lemon zest. Be sure to zest the lemon before squeezing the juice out of it.
- This recipe makes enough to lightly coat 4-5 cups of crisp greens.
- Double the recipe if you will be serving more than 4-5 people. If you double the recipe, it will fill a 7-ounce jar, as pictured here and in the recipe post.
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