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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette (Easy Summer Vinaigrette Recipe)

    Published: Jun 28, 2021 · Modified: Jul 1, 2024 by Kelly · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy lemon vinaigrette recipe combines two of my favorite summer staples - freshly squeezed Sicilian lemons and sweet baby Datterino grape tomatoes creating the foundation for the most delicious summer salad dressing! Added depth comes from a few fresh herbs, a grated sweet onion, dijon mustard, honey, and extra virgin olive oil to round it all out. This is one of the best salad dressing recipes you'll ever make!

    Beautiful lemon, tomato, herb, and onion vinaigrette in a jar top down view.
    Bright yellow lemon vinaigrette speckled with green parsley before adding tomatoes.
    Deep red diced tomatoes floating on top of the lemon vinaigrette
    A Weck tulip shaped canning jar of filled with lemon-tomato vinaigrette

    This is one of our absolute favorite easy vinaigrette recipes - it's quick, chock full of flavor, and brightens up any salad or lean meat recipe in just a matter of minutes.

    This lemon vinaigrette with tomatoes can be found in our fridge pretty much all year round, but we especially enjoy it when these sweetest grape tomatoes are in season during the summer and fresh from the garden.

    Use this healthy vinaigrette tossed over your favorite greens, a pile of mashed potatoes, as a dipper for chicken fingers, or drizzled over grilled octopus (or octopus salad↓).  Once you taste it, you'll know why we love it so much.

    If you love easy (super tasty) vinaigrette recipes you may want to try this 5-Minute Asian Sesame Dressing or our favorite Greek Salad Dressing recipe.

    Jump to:
    • What is Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette?
    • What Makes This Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Healthy?
    • Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients
    • How to Make Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Best Tips
    • Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette FAQ
    • Looking For Ways to Use This Summer Vinaigrette Recipe?
    • Looking for a Few Easy Salad Recipes or Salad Dressing Recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    Homemade octopus salad with purple cabbage, and celery tossed with homemade lemon-tomato vinaigrette.

    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!

    Top down view of summer lemon-tomato vinaigrette dressing.

    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).

    fresh Sicilian lemons with leaves still attached in a natural basket with peach rim
    deep red datterino grape tomatoes on the vine
    whole borettane onions on a pink wooden tray

    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.
    Chopped tomatoes on top of lemony-parsley filled olive oil vinaigrette.
    All the lemon-tomato vinaigrette ingredients on a cutting board ready to be chopped, diced and whisked

    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
    Top down view of chunky tomato and lemon vinaigrette.

    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.

    Pouring honey into the lemon juice and salt to make lemon-tomato vinaigrette base.
    Fresh herbs and Dijon mustard added to the bowl lemon-tomato vinaigrette base.

    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.

    Whisking the lemon and herb mixture with a flat coil whisk while drizzling extra virgin olive oil into the bowl.
    Sliced and chopped sweet onions lying on a cutting board with the chef knife next to it ready to be added to the lemon-tomato vinaigrette.
    Finely diced sweet grape tomatoes ready to be added to the lemon vinaigrette recipe.
    Beautiful lemon-tomato, herb, and onion vinaigrette emulsified in a jar top down view.

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

    Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette Best Tips

    • Make the vinaigrette ahead. This salad dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days in a sealed jar or similar container.
    • Scale this recipe up.  Double or triple the recipe for serving larger crowds, or to have it ready for a few quick healthy meals during the busy week.
    • If you don't have a food processor, no problem. Simply smash then chop the tomatoes as finely as possible, and mix everything in a mixing bowl using a whisk to incorporate all of the ingredients.
    • Always use the sweetest tomatoes you can find. Any variety of tomato works well in this recipe as long as they're garden-fresh. Use Roma's or beefsteak varieties or grow your own  Italian Datterino grape tomatoes.
    Front facing view of glass Weck  jar filled with lemon-tomato Vinaigrette with glass lid sealing the vinaigrette for proper storage with purple cabbage in the background.

    Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette FAQ

    What is vinaigrette?

    The word "vinaigrette" comes from the word "vinegar" in French.  According to Larousse Gastronomic, there is no exact fixed recipe for vinaigrette, but rather, it should include: "Vinaigrette. A cold sauce made from a mixture of vinegar oil, pepper, and salt, to which various flavorings may be added...Vinaigrette is used especially for dressing green salads...It is considered to be a typically French sauce and is often called "French dressing" in Britain.It was a French emigre, Chevalier d'Albingac, who started the fashion in London high society for salads dressed in this way."---Larousse Gastronomique, Jenifer Harvey Lang [Crown:New York] 1988 (p. 1137)

    Where does vinaigrette come from?

    Using oil and vinegar to dress vegetables and salad greens is as old as ancient Egypt, Greece, the Romans, and the Babylonians. But the term vinaigrette and how we think of it today as a dressing actually originated in France and was popularized in London by a Frenchman in the late 1800s and was known to Londoners simply as "French Dressing". 

    What are the most popular Sicilian lemon varieties?

     The Sicilian Femminello St. Teresa lemons have unique characteristics that make them particularly alluring -- they can be less acidic, juicier, and have more oil in their skin and they can have some seeds or no seeds at all depending on the strain. There's also the Monachello and the Interdonato varieties (and it's even been rumored that the British Royal family requests the Interdonato lemons to be used in their tea!)

    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:

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    Let's get started!

    Made this Recipe? We'd love for you to rate ⭐️ it and tell us how it went for you!

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    📖 Recipe

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    Homemade Lemon-tomato vinaigrette with herbs in a glass Weck canning jar on top of a decorative vintage tray with pink, white and green flowers.

    Lemon-Tomato Vinaigrette (Easy Summer Vinaigrette Recipe)


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    • Author: Kelly
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe

    Description

    If you're looking for a delicious, bright summer salad dressing this house favorite vinaigrette is the place to start! Super sweet and juicy Datterino grape tomatoes, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a little dijon, honey, and sweet onions make up the base of this packed-full-of-flavor salad dressing!  Add a little EVOO, and salt and pepper to taste and you won't be able to stop putting it on everything!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 3 ounces sweet Datterino grape tomatoes finely diced, (about 8 tomatoes)
    • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons sweet onions, minced (Vidalia or Borettane varieties)
    • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard (5g)
    • 1 heaping teaspoon honey (9g)
    • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (50g)
    • fresh marjoram or oregano, chopped, to taste
    • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, or to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste


    Instructions

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

    Notes

    • Make the vinaigrette ahead. This salad dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days in a sealed jar or similar container.
    • Scale this recipe up.  Double or triple the recipe for serving larger crowds, or to have it ready for a few quick healthy meals during the busy week.
    • If you don't have a food processor, no problem. Simply smash then chop the tomatoes as finely as possible, and mix everything in a mixing bowl using a whisk to incorporate all of the ingredients.
    • Always use the sweetest tomatoes you can find. Any variety of tomato works well in this recipe as long as they're garden-fresh. Use Roma's or beefsteak varieties or grow your own  Italian Datterino grape tomatoes.

    THE FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD TO MAKE SALAD DRESSING:

    1. Wash and roughly chop the tomatoes and place them into the bowl of a food processor.
    2. Add the remaining ingredients except for the olive oil to the food processor and pulse a few times.
    3. With the motor running, drizzle the olive oil slowly into the chute to allow the vinaigrette to emulsify. This will make a smoother vinaigrette. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately to over your favorite salad greens, sliced mozzarella, etc. and Enjoy!
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Category: Vim + Vinegar
    • Method: Food Processor or Whisk
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 3 tablespoons

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    Hi, I'm Kelly! A private chef helping busy families cook and enjoy tastier, healthier meals at home. Born and raised in Arkansas, I've lived and worked in NYC, Sichuan China, and now Northeast Italy. Each of these places impacts the diverse way we cook, live, and celebrate life. You'll find a bit of everything here whether you're new to cooking, or you've made it all. If you love to eat, you're in the right place!

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