Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette (Easy Summer Vinaigrette Recipe)

What is Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette?

We love lemons, especially Sicilian lemons -- they're a little sweet, super fragrant with some lovely floral notes. We always have several in the fruit basket for brightening up a salad or adding to water, but when I really want a salad dressing that feels special without much work, this is the dressing that I like to make.

I like to use the sweetest variety of grape tomatoes I can find (usually Datterino tomatoes), Italian Borettane onions (because they're less pungent and a little sweeter than regular onions, and never bitter).

And I added a little fresh parsley and oregano growing in my window garden, which make a really tasty addition to the dressing.

The combination of the floral acidity of the lemons, the sweetness from the grape tomatoes mixed with the onion flavor, honey, fresh herbs, and dijon mustard hit all the right notes in this easy vinaigrette recipe.

Believe me when I say it's bursting with flavor. And the color combinations it goes through as you're mixing it reminds me of the full range of Starbust candy colors -- lemon yellow, bright red, soft pink, and orange. I can't tell you just how good this really is!

What Makes This Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Healthy?

For starters, when you make your own vinaigrette at home, you get to control every ingredient that goes into it. It can help you avoid inflammation, excess sodium or sugar, unnecessary calories, preservatives, dyes, and low-quality oils (not to mention all the other highly processed ingredients found in many ready-made dressings and vinaigrettes).

With this super tasty lemon vinaigrette recipe, you'll also reap the health benefits of the various ingredients:

• Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice is a great detoxifier (especially for your liver), promotes good skin quality, and so much more. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil is full of antioxidants and is also great for your skin. 
• Tomatoes are a great source of the antioxidant lycopene, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and they're a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
• Onions help regulate blood sugar, have anti-inflammatory benefits, contain anti-cancer compounds, benefit your heart, and more.
• Fresh Parsley is a great source of Vitamin A and is also rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants that reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. 
• Fresh Oregano or Marjoram, depending on which one you use in this recipe, are both full of health benefits. Marjoram has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties and may even be beneficial to hormonal health in women. Oregano is loaded with antioxidants that prevent cell damage, and it's a great antibacterial agent and contains phytonutrients (thymol and carvacrol) that fight infections like staph. If this wasn't enough, it's also an excellent source of vitamin K, manganese, iron, vitamin E, tryptophan, and calcium.
• Honey has been shown in some studies to help prevent memory disorders and may even have antidepressant, anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety benefits. Plus, when used topically, it's a great wound-healer for burns (this is what I use immediately after burning myself) and it works like a charm every single time. Even without all of these benefits, we love to use honey as a natural sweetener.
• Dijon Mustard may even have a few health benefits. Mustard itself may protect against certain types of cancer and lower blood sugar levels.

Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients

This dressing is so good. But, if you don't have access to Borettane onions, Sicilian lemons, or fresh oregano, you can substitute Vidalia onions (or another sweet onion), regular lemons (or limes), and dried oregano.

With those substitutions it's not going to taste exactly like this dressing, but it'll still be more delicious and healthier than store-bought dressing.

This is a versatile recipe that's perfectly balanced and delicious, but it doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't customize it depending on what you have in your fridge and pantry.

• Datterino grape tomatoes (or other sweet tomato variety)
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Sweet onions (Vidalia or Italian Borettane onion)
• Dijon mustard
• Honey
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh oregano or marjoram
• Fresh parsley 
• Sea salt (or regular salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Step-by-Step Instructions

For this recipe, you can mix it all up very quickly in the food processor or finely mince the ingredients using a knife and cutting board.

Step 1. Squeeze the lemon juice into a mixing bowl and add the Dijon, honey, chopped herbs, and salt and whisk to incorporate the ingredients and dissolve the salt.

Step 2. While whisking vigorously, drizzle the olive oil slowly into the mixture until the ingredients have emulsified slightly. Add the tomatoes, onions, and freshly cracked black pepper and whisk everything until combined.

Step 3. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately over your favorite salad greens, sliced mozzarella, or grilled chicken, and Enjoy!

Looking For Ways to Use This Summer Vinaigrette Recipe?

The uses for this tomato vinaigrette recipe are almost endless! Spoon it over a Caprese salad or pan-seared steak, dress a chopped salad, or use it as a mozzarella-parmesan-butter garlic bread or chicken dipper. Here are a few ideas:

Looking for a Few Easy Salad Recipes or Salad Dressing Recipes?