Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

Feel like bringing the flavor of summer forward a little? Try my Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, a simple salad dressing that instantly peps up any green leaves or fresh vegetables. It’s especially good with tomatoes and only takes 5 minutes to make with a blender – and no cooking at all.

What is Vinaigrette?

Vinaigrette is the name of a salad dressing made from a mixture of oil, an acid, plus other flavorings. Originally, the acid used was always vinegar – which is where the name vinaigrette comes from: vinaigre, the French word for vinegar. But these days, the definition has expanded to allow vinaigrette to be made with alternative acids, which is what we’re doing in this recipe. Instead of vinegar, we’re using fresh lemon juice, along with all the other ingredients which combine to make this delicious sauce.

What to Put in Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

It couldn’t be easier. First assemble your ingredients. Lemon and basil are obvious requirements, and this is definitely worth using fresh lemon juice rather than bottled, because the flavor is not much brighter and better. Fresh basil as well, of course; dried basil is fairly tasteless, and even the basil pastes out of a tube don’t come close to the real, fresh herb.

You will also need an oil. As in most salad dressings, the oil will have a big impact on the final result, so you want to use a good one. Staying close to the Mediterranean vibes of the sauce, I opted for extra virgin olive oil, with its classic peppery flavor that goes so well with basil. Add in garlic and mustard for a little pungency and honey for a little sweetness. Vegans can use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey, which will change the taste a little but will still be delicious.

How to Make Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

To make lemon basil vinaigrette, you just blend the ingredients together. It really is that simple! Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and add to a bowl or jug with all the other ingredients. I stripped the leaves off the basil stems and discarded the stalks, but that’s only because my blender is not very powerful and the stems sometimes clog up the blades. If your blender is better than mine, just throw the bunch of basil in whole.

For smaller quantities, like this, an immersion blender usually does a better job, but if you’re making more, a jug blender may do the job quicker.

Variations

The clever ones at the back might have already realized how easily adaptable this recipe, and they’re right! There’s no reason why you have to use basil – any soft herbs will blend in the same way. Dill, tarragon, cilantro, chervil, or parsley will all make a delicious vinaigrette, adding their distinctive fragrant flavors to the sauce. Likewise, you can also experiment with the other ingredients. You can use lime juice or orange juice instead of lemon, or even a fancy vinegar to adjust the notes.

Don’t like raw garlic? No problem! Chopped shallots, scallions, or ginger will all provide a different type of sharp pungent flavor. You can even change the oil, for a fancy walnut oil, sesame oil, or whatever you like. It will be different, but as long as each individual ingredient is of high quality, the end result is likely to be delicious.

How to Serve Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

As we discussed, this salad dressing has a special affinity with tomatoes. In fact, it’s a great trick for improving the flavor of your tomatoes, if they’re not quite as tasty as you were expecting – often the case earlier or later in the tomato season.

You can drizzle it over a Peach Caprese Salad, or even just a regular caprese salad, as pictured below. But I’ve also used it with green beans, zucchini, spinach, arugula, butter beans, and plenty of other fresh leaves and vegetables, and it goes great with pretty much everything. I’ve even added a little to some fresh fruits, like melon and papaya and been pleasantly surprised by how well it matches.

And More…

Looking for more exciting salad dressings to pep up your green leaves? Try one of these:

• Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
• Orange Dressing
• Poppy Seed Dressing
• Chimichurri Sauce
• Tahini Dressing

Conclusion

Looking for your next delicious salad dressing to hasten the turn of spring to summer? Lemon Basil Vinaigrette is the way to go. Breathe life into lacklustre tomatoes with this quick and easy dressing, or just drizzle over any fresh vegetables to give them an instant lift. Let me know in the comments what your favorite vinaigrette is…