This Easy Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette will make you want to grab a spoon and eat it straight from the jar – it’s that good! Made from just six simple ingredients, it is tangy, delicious, and perfect for adding to your favorite salad (or even pasta) recipes. I love to make a big batch of this dressing and keep it in the fridge, so I can always throw together a delicious salad, in a pinch.

A jar of green vinaigrette dressing with a spoon inside sits on a wooden board. Surrounding it are fresh kale leaves, lemon halves, lemon slices, a small bowl of salt, a small bowl of ground pepper, a jug of oil, and a plate. A cut shallot is also visible.

Friends, what is your go-to takeout meal? For me, it is a salad. Call me crazy, but I could order a Sweetgreen salad almost every single day. A salad is truly the ultimate quick and easy lunch, and I love that it’s packed with different flavors, textures, and ingredients. It’s one of the easiest ways to get more veggies in, so that you can be fueled for your day ahead!

But ordering a $20 salad every day gets expensive, which is why I opt to make my salads at home, these days. After all, not only can you make DAYS worth of salads at home for the same price as one takeout salad, but it’s so easy to meal-prep, which means that you won’t need to waste time going to pick up the takeout! In this season of life, my days are jam-packed; between developing recipes, filming content, and being present and enjoying summertime with my boys, I need every minute out of my day that I can get. And if you’re like me and need time-saving recipes to fuel you no matter what your day has ahead, then I have GOT YOU!

I recently shared my Erewhon Copycat Summer Citrus Salad that featured this Easy Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette, and friends, let me tell you: this dressing was too good NOT to share on its own! It’s lemony, tangy, and has the perfect punch, thanks to the garlic and shallots. It’s so good, you could practically drink it!

While I love this dressing when paired with the Summer Citrus Salad, you can toss it over any salad for an absolutely delicious lunch. Or, even toss it over noodles or incorporate it into a pasta salad! The opportunities are endless when it comes to this dressing, and no matter how you choose to enjoy it, I promise: you can’t go wrong.

Overhead view of cooking ingredients on a peach-colored surface. Includes a pitcher of olive oil, minced shallots, a whole and halved lemon, a bowl of salt, minced garlic, a bowl of pepper, a small dish of mustard, and a wooden citrus reamer. — To make this dressing, you will need olive oil, shallots, garlic, dijon mustard, lemon, sea salt, and ground black pepper.

A bowl containing ingredients for salad dressing: olive oil, mustard, minced shallots, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper. Around the bowl are fresh garlic cloves, a bowl of salt, a lemon with a wooden reamer, a small dish of pepper, and a pitcher of liquid. — To make this dressing, you will need olive oil, shallots, garlic, dijon mustard, lemon, sea salt, and ground black pepper.

What You Need to Make This Tangy Dressing

🫒 Olive Oil: Olive oil forms the base for this dressing and is my favorite oil to use! Not only do I love the rich flavor that olive oil adds to this dressing, but I also love that it’s full of healthy fats.
🧅 Shallots: Shallots may be small, but they’re packed with flavor, which makes them perfect for this dressing.
🧄 Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. It adds the best flavor to this dressing!
Dijon Mustard: A little dijon mustard adds the right amount of tang to the dressing. Don’t skip this!
🍋 Lemon: Of course, it wouldn’t be a lemon vinaigrette without the lemon juice and zest! You’ll need the juice and zest of one whole lemon.
🧂 Sea Salt & Black Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper adds the perfect finishing touch to the dressing – don’t skip this!

A hand is drizzling dressing over a vibrant salad in a bowl. The salad contains various greens, slices of citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, avocado chunks, and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. A wooden spoon is placed in the bowl. Cutlery is set nearby. — Once the dressing ingredients have been whisked together, taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Add the dressing to your favorite salad recipe and enjoy!

Three Simple Steps to Make This Dressing

To make this dressing, add the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, shallots, garlic, dijon mustard, lemon, kosher salt, and ground black pepper) to a small bowl and whisk until fully combined.

Once the dressing ingredients have been whisked together, taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Add the dressing to your favorite salad recipe and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

Home | Recipe | Dips, Sauces & Dressings

5 from 3 votes