A simple salad dressing that’s light, creamy, and rounded out with a lovely and lemony acidity, you’re going to want to put Creamy Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette on everything from garden to pasta to potato salads.
This dressing is everything you would expect from its name. Creamy Lemon Mustard Dressing is vibrant citrus meets sophisticated mustard, whipped together to create one creamy, balanced condiment.
And it’s one of those dressings that has what I refer to as good lettuce cling-ability. The dressing is creamy and a little thick but spreads out evenly and does a good job of coating lettuce(s). I really hate those dressings that just run off and pool at the bottom. If you hate ‘em too, you’ll appreciate the viscosity of this homemade Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette.
This Creamy Lemon Mustard Dressing is so easy and so delicious and is perfect for drizzling on all kinds of salads, like these!
- Cruciferous Crunch Salad - Trader Joe’s bagged salad mix does the legwork on the greens; it’s just begging for an acidic punch from a creamy dressing.
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad - A pickle-forward salad that pairs beautifully with a creamy, lemon-forward dressing
- Tex-Mex Pasta Salad - A Tex-Mex leaning pasta salad featuring peppers, onions, black olives and more; a creamy lemon mustard dressing makes this pasta salad sing.
- Corn and Quinoa Salad - A lovely grain salad featuring sweet pops of corn; a solid base for a citrus-forward vinaigrette.
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What ingredients do you need to make Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette?
You will need the following ingredients for this Creamy Lemon Dijon Dressing.
- lemon juice
- lemon zest
- mayo
- Dijon mustard
- Canola oil
- granulated sugar
- cayenne pepper to taste
- cumin
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
*Makes 1 ¼ cups of lemon dijon salad dressing.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions - How to Make Creamy Lemon Dijon Dressing
Add all ingredients (except for canola oil) to a blender and blend for 15 seconds.
Slowly drizzle in the canola oil, keeping the blender running the entire time.
Taste and add more salt, if desired.
Refrigerate until ready for use.
Taste and adjust seasoning before using.
Substitutions
You can make a few substitutions to this Lemon Dijon Dressing recipe without changing the resulting flavor too much.
Dijon mustard - This dressing would also be lovely with another type of mustard, like a stone ground horseradish mustard or a honey mustard.
Canola oil - If you don’t have canola oil on hand, use an equivalent amount of grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil.
Cayenne pepper - Try chipotle chili powder instead. Or you could replace the cayenne pepper with black pepper.
Variations on Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette
Mix up the flavor of this easy Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette with the following variations.
- Honey Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette - Replace the sugar with a drizzle of honey.
- Lemon Pepper Mustard Dressing - Increase the amount of black pepper by doubling the amount called for in this recipe.
Equipment
Storage
Store the Creamy Lemon Mustard Dressing in a lidded container (like a Mason jar) in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For best results, use within 7 days.
FAQ
Yep, it does! Since this dressing contains mayo, it must be refrigerated or it will spoil.
For best results, use within 7 days.
It’s light and citrus-forward, but also tangy and sharp and earthy. This Creamy Lemon Mustard Dressing recipe in particular also packs a subtle hint at heat thanks to the cayenne pepper and black pepper.
Lemons can be unpredictable. Every once in a while I’ll get a lemon that’s just.... Bitter. And sour about being bitter. If your Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette is too sour, try adding a pinch of sugar and/or salt (you may need both for balance). Or try adding a drizzle of honey, or a tiny bit more mayo.
Top Lemon Mustard Dressing Tip
Use the freshest ingredients available, and don’t be lazy and skip adding that lemon zest; it really makes this Lemon Mustard Dressing pop.
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Creamy Lemon Mustard Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lemon juice (plus 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 teaspoons mayo
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½-1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
- ½-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except for the canola oil to a blender and blend for 15 seconds.
- Slowly drizzle in the canola oil, keeping the blender running the entire time. Taste and add more salt, if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready for use.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before using.
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