With my Lemon Poppy Seed Salad Dressing you’re just 5 everyday ingredients away from my best secret weapon in the kitchen – this lemon vinaigrette wakes up almost anything with a blast of lemon flavor!
lemon poppy seed dressing is super versatile
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!
When I have this dressing in 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 an amazing potato salad or 7- bean salad, too. 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.
what you’ll need for lemon poppy seed dressing
- olive oil ~ this is when you want to pull out the good stuff: use extra virgin.
- lemon juice ~ absolutely positively has to be fresh.
- mustard ~ the kind is up to you, I use a creamy Dijon.
- honey ~ brings a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
- poppy seeds ~ they’re so pretty and provide quite a crunch.
let’s make it
This vinaigrette takes just a minute to mix up and I know you’ll find endless ways to use it.
- Put everything into a jar and blend with an immersion blender.
- Taste to adjust any of the ingredients to your liking.
pro tips for using lemons
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)
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 juice can be frozen for later use. Fill an ice cube tray with fresh squeezed juice and freeze. Then pop the cubes into a zip lock freezer bag. They’ll stay fresh for months.
lemon + poppy seeds = delish!
- Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting
- Why we love lemon poppy seed everything!
- Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
- Easy One Bowl Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
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.
Nutrition
A 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!
We’re soulmates Helen!
I 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!
I do that all the time, too. When I run out of lemons I get crazy!
My 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!
It’s so funny about poppy seed dressings…they just seem to be universally appealing.
I agree how this can take a salad up a notch, or almost anything for that matter! So useful and versatile!
This 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!
I love lemon poppyseed! Poppyseeds in general are one of my favorites. This looks delicious and so refreshing!
What a vibrant, beautiful dressing!
Dear Sue, this sounds like a wonderful salad dressing…I just love the lemon and poppyseed. Perfect for all my summer salads. xo, Catherine
This will go really well with almost all the salads! Thanks for sharing, Sue.
I 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!
yeah, full power, and it really does make a difference, I use a TON of lemons, so take it from me 😉