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.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Lemon Dijon Dressing Recipe
- This is the third time I made this because it's so good (and both me and my wife like it) - Paul (a Lemon Dijon Dressing aficionado!)
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Creamy Lemon Dijon Dressing
- Serving Suggestions
- Top Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Homemade Dressing Recipes
- Creamy Lemon Dijon Dressing
Why You Will Love This Lemon Dijon Dressing Recipe
- Great Consistency: This dressing has what I refer to as good lettuce cling-ability. It's 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.
- Tasty Flavor: This dressing is everything you would expect from its name. Vibrant citrus meets sophisticated mustard, whipped together to create one creamy, balanced condiment.
- Great Condiment for Many Dishes: Use it on salads, bowls, and even as a marinade for chicken or pork. It's so great drizzled on a simple salad and paired with this Bacon Wrapped Turkey Porchetta.
Love making your own homemade dressings and sauces? One of my favorites is this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce and you can't go wrong with this Chipotle Mayo Sauce on sandwiches and pasta salads.
This is the third time I made this because it's so good (and both me and my wife like it) - Paul (a Lemon Dijon Dressing aficionado!)
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients for this Creamy Lemon Dijon Dressing.
- Lemon juice and zest - are the stars of the show here, bringing acidity and brightness that lifts Dijon to new heights.
- Mayonnaise - the great emulsifier! A little goes a long way to combining the ingredients into one creamy dressing.
- Dijon mustard - The one and only! It brings that earthy tang and fresh-squeezed lemon juice really brightens up its flavor. If you love Dijon dressings, you should also check out this homemade Sweet Vinegar and Oil dressing.
- Canola oil - If you don’t have canola oil on hand, use an equivalent amount of grapeseed, vegetable, or sunflower oil.
- Granulated sugar - Just a little bit to bring the balance from being too acidic. You could also use a drizzle of honey, and give it a Lemon Honey Dijon dressing vibe.
- Cayenne pepper - A dash or two adds just the subtlest amount of heat if you're feeling it. You could also try a little chipotle chili powder instead or replace the cayenne pepper with black pepper.
- Cumin - It has citrus and earthiness and I feel like it belongs. But you can leave it out too if you want to keep it simple.
*Makes approximately 1 ¼ cups of homemade lemon salad dressing.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below - keep scrolling!
Variations
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.
- Tahini - Image a little tahini here, to taste, adding just a subtle toasted sesame flavor.
- Lemon Mustard Garlic Dressing: Oh yeah, add in a fresh clove or ½ teaspoon of garlic powder (add more or less to suit tastes).
- Lemon Pepper Mustard Dressing: Increase the amount of black pepper by doubling the amount called for in this recipe.
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 the dressing until you're ready to use it. Taste and adjust seasoning again before using.
Serving Suggestions
This Lemon and 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; this lemon and 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.
Top Tips
Store it properly. Store the dressing in a lidded container (like a Mason jar) in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For best results, use within 7 days.
Use the freshest ingredients available. Don’t be lazy and skip adding that lemon zest; it really makes this Lemon Dijon Dressing pop.
Experiment! I've tried this on garden salads, of course, but it can also be used in pasta salads and potato salads. It's also quite lovely paired with fish.
Recipe FAQs
It’s light and citrus-forward, but also tangy and sharp and earthy. This 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 Dijon Dressing 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.
More Homemade Dressing Recipes
If you tried this lemon and mustard dressing recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Creamy Lemon Dijon 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.
Paul
This is the third time I make this because it's so good
(and both my and my wife like it.)
My wife likes vinegar but I am happy without.
We are eating more salads.
Christina Koncker
LOVE to hear this Paul! I'm so happy to hear both you and your wife are fans 🙂