16 Lemon Salad Dressings That Will Make You Love Salad Again

Lemon-Shallot Dressing
Photo: Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely / Ali Ramee

Whether the dressing is rich and creamy or light and zesty, lemon adds a little extra brightness to each of these recipes. Drizzle them over any of your favorite salad mixes, from baby spinach to kale and romaine—or even add some to your next batch of roasted vegetables. With recipes like our Creamy Lemon-Garlic Dressing and Lemon-Shallot Dressing on hand, you'll level up any plate of veggies that comes your way.

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Creamy Lemon-Garlic Dressing

Creamy Lemon-Garlic Dressing
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Emily Nabors Hall / Julia Bayless

This creamy lemon-garlic dressing carries the full flavor of roasted garlic, with lemon juice and Dijon mustard rounding out the flavor.

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Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Eva Kolenko

While a 1-to-2 acid-to-oil ratio is common for vinaigrette, shifting it to 1-to-1½ yields a dressing with a brighter flavor and fewer calories. That means for every ½ cup of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, use 3/4 cup of oil. Here's a good all-purpose take on the formula.

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Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Photography / Brie Passano, Styling / Sammy Mila / Holly Raibikis

Once you try this easy vinaigrette recipe, you'll want to use it in every meal. Meyer lemon adds acidity, while the sweetness from the honey and the sharpness from the shallot counterbalance to create a bright, flavorful vinaigrette.

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Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Jason Donnelly

Spoon this tangy dressing over cooked broccoli, green beans, salad or poached fish.

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Lemon-Shallot Dressing

Lemon-Shallot Dressing
Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely / Ali Ramee

This quick dressing features lemon juice and shallots for a simple, bright flavor. A touch of honey balances the acidity and tartness of the lemon. Use in a pasta salad or over leafy greens.

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Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
Jason Donnelly

Pick your favorite herb (or two!) to feature in this easy lemon-herb vinaigrette that's perfect tossed with grilled veggies.

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Easy Lemon Feta Vinaigrette

Easy Lemon Feta Vinaigrette
Jason Donnelly

Pucker up with this easy lemon vinaigrette with salty feta cheese and a dash of honey. Serve over simple mixed greens or on a dinner salad with chickpeas or chicken.

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Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Grilled Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
Jason Donnelly

This easy lemon-herb vinaigrette pairs nicely with grilled meat and veggies alike. Mix and match your favorite herbs to adjust the flavor to fit your meal. Grilling the lemon before juicing it brings out the fruit's sweetness and concentrates its flavors. But if you're not already planning to fire up the grill, this dressing is just as good with plain lemon juice.

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Parmesan Vinaigrette

Parmesan Vinaigrette
Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ruth Blackburn / Audrey Davis

This simple dressing is perfectly balanced thanks to zip from lemon juice and mustard, umami from Parmesan cheese and fresh flair from chives. Break out the good olive oil for the most flavor.

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Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Jason Donnelly

This lemony dressing gets a refreshing herbal lift with chopped fresh basil. Serve it with ripe summer tomatoes for an easy side salad.

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Citrus Vinaigrette

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This versatile citrus salad dressing gets a touch of natural sweetness from orange juice, which balances the acidity of the lemon juice. Use it in coleslaw for a mayo-free dressing, or drizzle it over winter greens with dried fruit and nuts.

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Parsley-Lemon Vinaigrette

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Parsley has a lovely grassy flavor--but feel free to use any herb, such as cilantro, rosemary, basil or dill, in this healthy salad dressing.

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Anchovy Vinaigrette

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Lemon juice, a touch of anchovy paste and minced garlic make this healthy salad dressing an eggless, not-creamy version of Caesar.

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Preserved Lemon Citrus Dressing

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This spiced preserved-lemon dressing recipe brings any salad to life, but it's especially delicious combined with lentils or grains, such as quinoa, barley or freekah.

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Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette with Lemon

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A healthy, tasty homemade salad dressing is as simple as shaking a few ingredients in a jar.

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Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette

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The sunny fresh flavors of tart lemon and cool mint combine to make a lively dressing that adds sparkle to salads made with steamed vegetables, potatoes or grains, such as couscous.

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