{"id":7792,"date":"2025-09-11T08:13:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T22:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/?p=7792"},"modified":"2025-09-11T08:54:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T22:54:57","slug":"whole-lemon-vinaigrette","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/index.php\/dinner\/salad-dinner\/whole-lemon-vinaigrette\/","title":{"rendered":"Whole Lemon Vinaigrette"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This simple and tasty Whole Lemon Vinaigrette has exploded in popularity in recent times with it\u2019s sharp flavors and beautiful texture. We\u2019re throwing our cards on the table and sharing our version of this popular Salad dressing. Our version is based off the popular Food and Wine<\/a> recipe, but with a few tweaks along the way that we feel make a huge difference to the overall flavor and texture of the dish. So, let\u2019s jump right in!

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Jump to Recipe<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The hallmark characteristics of this recipe is its use of a whole Lemon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Typically, when making a Vinaigrette, or any kind of sauce for that matter, Lemon Juice is used. Maybe for some extra kick in tartness the Lemon Zest is also added. However, the thought of adding a whole Lemon straight into the blender as the primary ingredient in a Vinaigrette seems ludicrous!

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Surprisingly the flavors are well balanced in this dish, as the classic pairing of Olive Oil with Lemon Juice along with some Dijon Mustard really rounds on the Whole Lemon Vinaigrette. Of course, the quality of the Lemon is what\u2019s going to really make this dish stand out

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Lemons are readily available all year around, so access to this wonderful fruit won\u2019t be an issue. Finding one that is super-ripe and juicy is the real key. Now, unfortunately I\u2019ve got no real tips on how to ensure you\u2019re getting the best Lemon before you cut into it. They all look the same from the outside!

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Fancy Lemons like Meyer Lemons would also be a good choice if you can get your hand on. Otherwise, regular Lemons are going to work just fine for this dish

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\"Whole
The key to our Whole Lemon Vinaigrette recipe is to remove the white pith before you blend everything together. This will remove the bitter flavor of the Lemon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The main difference between our recipe and Food & Wine\u2019s is we remove the bitterness of the Lemon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is \u2018potentially\u2019 an optional step, as it really depends on the Lemon you end up using. What gives Lemons their unpleasant bitterness is the white \u2018pith\u2019 that sits between the flesh and the zest \/ skin of the Lemon. We want to remove as much of that pith as possible before the Lemons are added to the blender

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You may end up with Lemons that have very little white pith in them. Others may have quite a significant amount of it. There\u2019s really no way to tell how \u2018pithy\u2019 your Lemon is going to be, but if you cut them open and do see the white pith you will need to remove it to make our Whole Lemon Vinaigrette

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Removing the White Pith from the Lemons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this is the most labor-intensive step in the process but makes a world of difference to the overall pleasantness of the Vinaigrette. To do so, you will need to peel all the skin off the Lemon. You can use a sharp knife or a kitchen peeler (eg: your everyday Potato Peeler)

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Once you\u2019ve separated the Lemon skin from the flesh, use your sharp knife to remove the white pitch that surrounds both the skin and the flesh and discard it. What you\u2019ll be left with is beautifully yellow colored skin and yellow \/ translucent flesh

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Chances are there\u2019ll be some Lemon Juice on the chopping board from this process. Make sure you keep all this Juice and add it to the blender with the flesh and the skin of the Lemon

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\"Blender
Blending everything together while slowing pouring in Olive Oil will emulsify the Vinaigrette, making for the perfect result<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Use a blender to make the Vinaigrette<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The only way to make this recipe is with a blender or a food processor. Because we\u2019re needing the Lemon Zest to break down you will need the power of mechanical blades to do so. We initially tried using our Food Processor, but there wasn\u2019t enough ingredients in the thing to properly blitz. A simple transition over to the Blender was in order and the results were immediate!

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So, in addition to the whole Lemon, we add Parsley, Garlic, Rice Wine Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, and Dijon Mustard to the blender. There will likely not be enough liquid in there for it to catch immediately, so that\u2019s when we begin to slowly pour the Olive Oil into the blender while its running

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You may need to scrape the sides down a few times (please stop the blender and use a wooden spoon or spatula when you do this!) for all the ingredients to get fully incorporated into the Vinaigrette. After you\u2019ve added enough Olive Oil (about \u00bd a cup) the dressing will begin to emulsify and turn into a brilliant green color. Taste it for seasoning and then it\u2019s done!

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\"Whole
You can make so many wonderful dishes with this Whole Lemon Vinaigrette, such as this delicious Chicken and Haloumi Salad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What to serve with your Whole Lemon Vinaigrette<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a very versatile Vinaigrette, so it\u2019ll work with almost any kind of leafy Salad you can think of. When we enjoyed this meal we paired it with the most amazing tasting Pan Fried Chicken Salad with Haloumi. I can\u2019t begin to tell you how amazing the flavors were! We gave the Chicken an aggressive seasoning with a bit of spice to it, and it came out great!

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The Haloumi was lightly fried separately until golden-brown and then we simply added it to the Salad, which consisted of the usual suspects of leafy Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Red Onions. Along with the Chicken, the Whole Lemon Vinaigrette brought the whole dish together perfectly

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