This Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette is bright, balanced, and endlessly useful. Made with fresh lemon juice, fragrant thyme, and good-quality olive oil, it comes together in about 5 minutes and instantly upgrades simple green salads, grilled vegetables, and chicken.
Lemon vinaigrette is a classic for a reason. It's a bright, tangy dressing that adds a welcome hit of acidity to basic salads. My version combines fresh thyme, which does much of the heavy lifting. Its subtle earthiness rounds out the lemon's acidity, while Dijon mustard helps emulsify the dressing and adds a pop of pungent flavor.
If you are looking for a lemon vinaigrette that's well-balanced and cohesive, this one is hits the mark. It's perfectly sharp without tasting grassy or oily. Keep it in the fridge and use it all week.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Balanced flavor. Lemon juice and zest pairs beautifully with fresh thyme and shallots.
- Super simple. Uses just a handful of grocery-store ingredients.
- Very versatile. works as a salad dressing, marinade, or finishing drizzle.
- Easy to adjust. A flexible basic recipe that you can tweak to taste.
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Ingredients That Matter
This lemon and herb dressing recipe uses simple ingredients. Here is what you'll need:
- Fresh Lemon Juice & Zest. Lemon juice provides the bright, acidic flavor, while zest adds a pleasant floral aroma and depth.
- Thyme. Use fresh thyme as it has pleasant floral and savory flavors, far more nuanced than dried thyme.
- Dijon Mustard. This condiment acts as an emulsifier and adds a gentle kick of heat.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Choose your favorite oil, something smooth and not overly bitter.
- Honey or Maple Syrup. A small amount of sweetness rounds off the acidic edges of the lemon.
- Shallot. Adding minced shallot provides a nice savory component without overpowering the dressing
- Salt & Pepper. Essential ingredients to balance the vinaigrette.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette
This is a classic vinaigrette, meaning just 5 minutes of your time rewards you with a homemade dressing to last you all week. Here is how to make this lemony herb vinaigrette.
- Prep the Ingredients: Start by pulling the thyme leaves off the sprigs then give them a rough chop. This will help release their essential oils. Then mince the shallot and zest the lemon. Cut the lemon in half.
- Emulsify: Squeeze the lemon juice into a medium mixing bowl (you should have about ¼ cup of juice). Add the mustard and honey and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper, then slowly drizzle in the oil while constantly whisking.
- Finish with Herbs: Add the fresh thyme, lemon zest, and shallots and whisk again to combine.
- Taste and Adjust: Add more salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too pungent or acidic, slowly drizzle in more oil, as desired.
Adam's Pro Tip
You can easily scale up this recipe to make more vinaigrette. It's particularly great as a marinade for chicken. Consider making a double batch and using half to marinate the chicken (30 minutes is enough time), then reserve the rest of the sauce to spoon over the cooked chicken or toss it with a salad. The repeated flavor makes the whole meal feel intentional.
Substitutions
This recipe is very versatile by design, meaning it's easy to adjust based on your flavor preferences. Consider these tweaks.
- No Fresh Thyme - If you don't have fresh thyme on hand, you can use dried thyme. Crush 1 teaspoon between your fingers and use it to flavor the dressing.
- Sweeter Version - Consider upping the honey or maple to 4 teaspoons if using bitter greens like radicchio.
- Garlic-Lemon Vinaigrette - Add a half of a small garlic clove, grated on a microplane grater, for a robust flavor.
- Meyer Lemon. If you can get your hands on Meyer lemons, you can use them instead. Just be sure to reduce the honey slightly as Meyer lemons are naturally sweet.
What to Serve with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette
This dressing goes with just about everything! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
- Salad Dressing. Try it tossed with an Arugula and Spinach Salad, Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad, Arugula and Pear Salad, or Za'atar Chicken Salad with Crispy Pita.
- Pasta Salad Sauce. It also works as a sauce for pasta salad, like on this Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad.
- Marinade. This zesty dressing also doubles as a marinade, especially for chicken.
- Finishing Sauce. Drizzle it over veggies, like these Crispy Air Fryer Red Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, or Sautéed Green Beans.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Store leftover vinaigrette in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The olive oil will likely solidify when cold; let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, then shake or whisk before using.
The flavor of this dressing actually improves after a few hours as the thyme infuses. I don't recommend freezing this dressing.
FAQ
Yes. It works well for chicken breasts or thighs. Marinate for at least 20-30 minutes; longer isn't necessary due to the acidic lemon juice.
It's important to use mustard to emulsify the oil into the lemon juice. Be sure to slowly whisk the oil into the lemon and mustard. Over time, however, some separation is normal. Simply shake or whisk it back together before using.
It can be. Use maple syrup instead of honey, or skip the sweetener entirely.
More Sauces
Looking for more sauce and dressing recipes like this? Try these:
Salads
Try this dressing on a salad, like these:
Recipe
Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
Description
This Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette is bright, balanced, and endlessly useful. It is made with fresh lemon juice, fragrant thyme, and good-quality olive oil for a dressing that comes together in about 5 minutes and instantly upgrades simple green salads, grilled vegetables, and chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon (zest removed with a microplane)
- 1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tsp. honey (or maple)
- ¼ tsp. table salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 tsp. thyme leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Juice the lemon into a medium bowl. You should have about ¼ cup of lemon juice. Add the mustard, honey, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until the sauce is emulsified. Whisk in the minced shallot, fresh thyme leaves, and lemon zest. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too acidic, slowly drizzle in more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Notes
- You can swap out fresh thyme as needed. Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed between your fingers.
- This vinaigrette ratio is 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts oil. A standard vinaigrette is 1:3, but I prefer a more tangy dressing. Plus, the honey and thyme round out the acidity well.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Use this dressing as a marinade for chicken, for about 30 minutes.
- The vinaigrette works well drizzled over grilled or roasted veggies, as well.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
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