Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Your default dressing: sharp, balanced, and stable. Make it once and you'll stop buying bottled.
5 min total, minimal dishes
Timing: 5 mins
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Your default dressing: sharp, balanced, and stable. Make it once and you'll stop buying bottled.
5 min total, minimal dishes
Timing: 5 mins
Key move
Whisk acid + Dijon first, then stream in oil--mustard plus method is what makes it stable.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Whisk
- Jar or Airtight Container1 cup
The Mise en Place
5Your prep station before cooking begins
Seasoning (0/2)
The Pantry (0/2)
Other (0/1)
My vinaigrette is separating already.
Ah, that usually means the oil and acid haven't fully bonded.
This tastes a little bland, not bright enough.
A common thing! Dressings often need a little more love than we think. Try adding just a pinch more salt – it really wakes up the flavors – and another small squeeze of lemon. You'…
Chef's Notes
Build 1 (Pepper Vinegar): replace 1 tbsp lemon juice with pepper vinegar. Build 2 (Shallot): add 2 tbsp minced shallot and rest 10 minutes. Build 3 (Herb): add 2 tbsp chopped parsley or dill.
Refrigerate up to 7 days. Shake or whisk to re-emulsify before using.
The Method
WHISK
Prep aheadWhisk lemon juice (3 tbsp), Dijon, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Incomplete Emulsification: If mustard is not fully dissolved before adding oil, the vinaigrette will break.
Base tastes sharp and slightly salty
EMULSIFY
Prep aheadWhile whisking, slowly stream in olive oil (½ cups) until the vinaigrette turns glossy and slightly thick.
Broken emulsion: Adding oil too quickly prevents the mustard from binding the fat, resulting in a greasy, separated dressing.
Dressing looks cohesive and slightly thickened
ADJUST
Prep aheadTaste. Add a pinch more salt or a squeeze more lemon if needed.
Over-salting: Add salt in tiny increments; vinaigrette volume is low and salt intensity increases rapidly.
Balanced: bright, savory, not oily
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