This 3-Minute Dressing Is My Go-To Once a Week

I’m always in my kitchen creating something, and one of my favorite ingredients to work with is lemons. Not only are they gorgeous, but they provide an unparalleled bright acidity to any dish. They also happen to be one of my daughter’s favorite foods. In fact, it was her love of lemons that inspired this 3-minute lemon dressing.

When my daughter was little, she would watch me cook and even help do little tasks like stirring and peeling. I remember I was prepping some lemons for a recipe and she reached over and grabbed a wedge and started sucking on it. I tried to warn her, saying “Careful, it’s so tart!” Turns out I didn’t need to warn her because she loved it. After she had finished that first wedge, she went for another. 

Since I knew she loved lemons, I used that knowledge to my advantage when it came to getting her to try new foods. I served salmon with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, prepped chicken in a lemon-infused marinade, and served pasta with a lemon cream sauce. 

I used it in salad dressing too, and that was the biggest winner. I had never seen a little human devour a bowl of salad faster than when I served it with this dressing. I still serve the same dressing and she’s still devouring it.

Tips for Making This Dressing

When zesting, use a light grip on your rasp (Microplane grater). You only want the outer yellow peel, not the inner white pith, which can be bitter. Since you already have your rasp out, use it to grate your garlic as well.

There are so many customization options! For bigger garlic flavor, add more cloves. For a hit of heat, try a 1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo or crushed red pepper. If you have extra fresh or dried herbs, like thyme, basil, tarragon, or rosemary, those would be great additions.

How To Make My 3-Minute Lemon Dressing 

To make 1/2 cup dressing, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic together in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream until combined and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

How To Serve 

I love this dressing for salad, but here are some other delicious ideas:

• Try it as a marinade. This dressing does double duty as a marinade, too! Use it for chicken, shrimp, or even tofu. Limit marinade times to less than an hour to prevent proteins from “cooking” in the acidic environment.
• Finish a dish. Looking for something special to drizzle over grilled vegetables or fish? This dressing is a delicious way to add a pop of clean acidity.
• Use it for salads that aren’t lettuce-based. The dressing is perfect for chicken, tuna, and even pasta salads. Add your favorite vegetables and you’ve got a delicious meal.