Lemon + Basil Vinaigrette

I can think of one hundred ways to use this lemon basil vinaigrette! It goes great with fresh summer tomatoes and burrata or roasted fish, or mixed with a little mayo and spread on a roast beef sandwich. The possibilities are endless which makes it a great recipe to have in your repertoire.

You can make this dressing in a blender or food processor, whichever is more comfortable. As with any vinaigrette, the key is to create an emulsion. To do this, we begin by blending the basil, garlic, and lemon and then slowly stream in the olive oil. If a vinaigrette is not properly emulsified the oil will stick to the lettuce, and the vinegar or in this case lemon juice will fall off, and you will end up with a flavorless, oily bite of salad.

Lemon basil vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and will last up to seven days in the refrigerator. Store it in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid. If the dressing separates, you can shake it to re-emulsify or put it back in the blender and pulse it a few times until thoroughly combined.

Looking for ideas on how to use this delicious vinaigrette?

Drizzle it over this Parchment Baked Cod

Fold it into the ricotta on these Roasted Tomato Crostini

Pour it over this Snap Pea and Burrata Salad

Print Recipe

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Lemon + Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed basil leaves cleaned and dry
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 c lemon juice
• 1 tbs lemon zest
• 1/2 c olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the basil, garlic, lemon juice, and zest into a blender. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Serve right away or store it in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to seven days.