Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

At a glance

What stands out: Lemon basil vinaigrette is bright and fragrant, reliable on a green salad or drizzled on grilled chicken. This from-scratch salad dressing is so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!

How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small blender
Servings: 6 (makes ¾ cup)

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

Nothing ho-hum about this dressing! One of the keys to lighter eating is to keep your meals interesting and flavorful so you don’t get bored. This lemon basil vinaigrette will add flavor to any number of things you choose to put it on. You guys will love it!

Fresh ingredients. We love that there’s a whole cup of fresh basil in this lemon basil vinaigrette. You won’t get that in a store-bought salad dressing! It’s a reliable way to use up that extra basil you have growing. Along with the basil, you’ll use extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and simple seasonings.

Versatile. Although this lemony vinaigrette tastes memorable on a fresh green salad, we love the way it transforms our vegetable hashes in the morning. It’s also great stirred into cauliflower rice or any type of rice.

Christine Said:

“This dressing is so rich, tastes like a burst of sunshine! We have used it as the dressing in a potato salad, tossed pasta and roasted veggies in it, and mixed it with mayo to have on toasted tomato cheese sandwich….all memorable!”

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Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Stir or shake well before serving.

Freeze: This salad dressing can be frozen. We like to freeze it in cubes. Thaw it at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (tightly packed) fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from ½ large lemon)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup olive oil
• honey or agave, to taste (optional)

Method

1. Rinse and dry the basil, removing as much water as possible. A salad spinner works well. It's okay to use small stems as well as the leaves, but the larger stems can be tough and fibrous. Pack it somewhat tightly in the measuring cup but you don't need to mash it down.
2. In a small blender, blend together lemon juice, basil leaves, white wine vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder.
3. Pour oil in gradually (while blending if your blender allows it).
4. Taste and season as desired with additional salt. If it's too tangy for your taste, add honey or agave. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Storage: Store in a tightly covered jar or container for up to 5 days. Shake or stir well before serving. This vinaigrette freezes well, too. Try freezing it in serving size cubes.

Try different herbs: If you don’t happen to have enough basil or you want to change the flavor, try adding fresh cilantro, parsley, chives, or lemon balm.

Try different vinegar: Other types of vinegar could be used, too, like red wine vinegar or rice vinegar. You could omit the vinegar and double up on the lemon juice.