Lemon Poppy Seed Salad Dressing – 5 everyday ingredients that add up to one powerhouse secret weapon in the kitchen – this lemon vinaigrette wakes up almost anything with a blast of lemon flavor!
Not many salad dressings merit a post of their very own, but this one is special. Lemon is king here in TVFGI kitchen…I use it in sweet and savory recipes, and squeeze it in, or on, probably 75% of things I make, in fact I use lemon like other people use salt.
Lemon poppy seed appeals to most people, so it’s a natural choice for entertaining, and the creamy yellow color is so pretty I like to show it off in a cruet or mason jar on the table.
This vinaigrette takes just a minute to mix up and I know you’ll find endless ways to use it. When I have it the refrigerator I’m so much more likely to make a salad, so it’s the first thing I do whenever I want to drop a few pounds, or just eat healthier. And I don’t stick to plain old greens, either — this is great with couscous or quinoa, and it makes a killer potato or 7- bean salad, too.
TIP: Fresh lemons can be pricey, so to get the most juice from your fruit, roll them firmly on the counter, and then microwave them for 30 seconds. Cut in half and use a simple lemon juicer like the one above. You won’t miss out on one precious drop! (This is especially useful with limes)
This dressing is made with lots of fresh squeezed lemon juice, the best olive oil you’ve got, a little bit of mustard, honey, and of course, poppy seeds. My gorgeous lemons are from the historic Limoneira ranch, one of the oldest citrus growers in America.
TIP: The best way to store lemons is not on the counter, but sealed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They’ll keep up to a month that way.
Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp mustard
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Put everything into a jar and blend with an immersion blender, or shake vigorously. You can also use a food processor or a blender to get a good emulsion, too, but an immersion blender is the easiest. Taste to adjust any of the ingredients.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
notes:
- Use this same formula with other citrus like pink grapefruit, lime, orange, or blood orange.
- Add 1/4 cup of buttermilk or sour cream to this recipe for a creamy lemon poppy seed dressing.
don’t forget to pin this amazing lemon poppy seed salad dressing!
other poppy seed dressings to try ~
Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing from Culinary Hill ~ this one is made with red wine vinegar for a rosy tone.
Honey Mustard Poppy Seed Dressing from Barefeet in the Kitchen is made with mayo along with honey and mustard.
Strawberry Lime Poppy Seed Vinaigrette from Cupcakes & Kale Chips is tangy and a beautiful pink color.
Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing from The Mama’s Girls is a robust version made with balsamic vinegar.
Blackberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette from Will Cook for Smiles ~ this one is super yummy, made with fresh blackberries.
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing from Chef in Training is extra rich, made with half and half!
34 Comments
Diane
July 17, 2020 at 8:46 pmJust made this and it is so good! Using it for my daughters baby shower on Sunday! Thanks for the recipe!
Julie
February 21, 2019 at 5:18 pmI’ve made this and love it. But when put in the fridge it solidifies, so I don’t refrigerate it and it seems to be fine. It’s nice and lite and full of great flavor. Is there a secret to keep it from solidifying?
Sue
February 21, 2019 at 6:26 pmHi Julie. There isn’t much you can do about this, but I suggest taking the dressing out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you’ll need it. The better the oil, the more likely it will solidify when refrigerated.
Sissy
May 1, 2018 at 12:26 pmI so wanted to love this this Lemon poppyseed dressing recipe, but the olive oil flavor over powered all the other ingredients and I followed the exact measurements. Unfortunately I did not know what to add to it to make the strong olive oil taste less noticeable.
Sue
May 1, 2018 at 1:30 pmYou can substitute any oil you like in this dressing, Sissy. And if you love olive oil, use the pure, not extra virgin, for less pronounced flavor. You can use safflower or canola oil for no flavor at all.
kelly
September 10, 2017 at 5:08 pmcan i buy this anywhere … I can not find lemon poppy seed dressing. It is in the Lemon Kale Chopped Salad Mix and it’s so good. Has anyone ever found it already made?
Rhonda
July 31, 2017 at 2:19 pmThis weekend my husband and I had lunch out and I ordered a salad and had lemon poppy seed dressing and was amazing. So I wanted try to make some at home and I used your recipe. This does not have the same taste – what I made at home is more tangy – for a lack of a better word. I followed the recipe – would the mustard be over powering the flavor? I added more honey and more olive oil and it is a little better. I put in the crib to let it sit for a bit. Sadly I have never made home made dressing. Not sure what else I can do to enhance it.
Sue
July 31, 2017 at 2:36 pmYou might try even more honey or sugar, Rhonda, a lot of restaurant recipes are surprisingly sweet. And definitely reduce the mustard if the taste is too strong for you. Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be to try to try to recreate a wonderful flavor you had at a restaurant, that’s how lots of my recipes come about, actually!
Pent
December 30, 2016 at 2:01 amHi Sue,
Thank you for the recipe. But I have a question, can I use Dijon mustard? Or what kind of mustard do you use?
Thank you so much!
Sue
December 30, 2016 at 8:57 amHi Pent ~ I use Dijon mustard a lot, I keep both the creamy and the grainy type on hand, and either will work!
Sakura Beauty
August 16, 2016 at 9:47 pmPoppyseeds in general are one of my favorites. I like it. Thanks for your post
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
August 16, 2016 at 3:42 pmOh wow, I learned so much about lemons today from the Citrus Queen! I didn’t know you should microwave them and I always store mine on the counter. That’s changing today because food is almost 40% more expensive here in Canada and I’m paying a fortune for my lemons and limes (99 cents each!)
I can’t wait to try this 🙂
Sue
August 16, 2016 at 8:55 pmMy lemon tree is drying up in the current drought, Robyn, so we’re all paying way too much for citrus 🙂
Laura | Tutti Dolci
August 16, 2016 at 2:26 pmSuch a great dressing, Sue! I want to spoon this over everything!
Chris Scheuer
August 16, 2016 at 11:39 amThis dressing sounds fantastic Sue and it’s also so pretty to look at. Poppy seeds are so appealing and add a fancy touch!
Rachel
August 15, 2016 at 8:04 pmTo clarify, do you use mustard powder or the condiment? Thanks!
Sue
August 15, 2016 at 8:21 pmI use the condiment, Rachel.
Jennifer @ WrittenByJennifer
August 15, 2016 at 5:58 pmGood to know about the best way to store lemons. We buy them in bulk because it’s usually the cheapest option and they always spoil before we use them all.
This dressing looks delicious!
Sue
August 15, 2016 at 7:35 pmLemons are so pricey these days I really need them to last!
Monique
August 15, 2016 at 3:22 pmThanks Sue!
Helen Pierce
August 15, 2016 at 11:20 amA woman after my own heart! I also use lemons in just about everything that I cook! The only difference is that I don’t like sweet for my vegetable salads or meats – no honey, no sugar, no sweetener – other flavors, yes! Love your ideas and recipes – Thank you!
Sue
August 15, 2016 at 12:17 pmWe’re soulmates Helen!
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C
August 15, 2016 at 10:35 amI have everything I need and am eager to try this! I love using lemons too. Just last night, I kept thinking my food needed something, so I squeezed some lemon over it, and voila!
Sue
August 15, 2016 at 12:17 pmI do that all the time, too. When I run out of lemons I get crazy!
cheri
August 15, 2016 at 10:32 amMy husband and I had a salad with poppy seed dressing at a restaurant this week-end and he said to me “can you find a recipe for poppy dressing? Thanks, Sue perfect timing!
Sue
August 15, 2016 at 12:18 pmIt’s so funny about poppy seed dressings…they just seem to be universally appealing.
Katherine | Omnivore's Cookbook
August 15, 2016 at 9:35 amI agree how this can take a salad up a notch, or almost anything for that matter! So useful and versatile!
Denise Wright
August 15, 2016 at 9:30 amThis looks delicious! I use lemon a lot but I’ve never made a lemon poppy salad dressing. We also eat salads every day so this is perfect. Great post!
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
August 15, 2016 at 9:06 amI love lemon poppyseed! Poppyseeds in general are one of my favorites. This looks delicious and so refreshing!
Jennifer Farley
August 15, 2016 at 8:46 amWhat a vibrant, beautiful dressing!
Catherine
August 15, 2016 at 8:31 amDear Sue, this sounds like a wonderful salad dressing…I just love the lemon and poppyseed. Perfect for all my summer salads. xo, Catherine
[email protected]'s Recipes
August 15, 2016 at 8:14 amThis will go really well with almost all the salads! Thanks for sharing, Sue.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
August 15, 2016 at 4:13 amI love this dressing and all your wonderful tips too! I always roll lemons on the counter but forget to microwave them. Do you put them in at 100% power? Love the storage tip too – I bet this is tasty on salads and even other vegetables like broccoli. Thanks!
Sue
August 15, 2016 at 7:15 amyeah, full power, and it really does make a difference, I use a TON of lemons, so take it from me 😉