Preserved lemon vinaigrette is a bright, citrusy burst of sunshine to add to your salads or drizzled over some veggies or grilled fish. This salad dressing is made from a few simple ingredients and brings a fresh flavor to food.
Preserved lemons make such a delicious vinaigrette when blended together. I recently had a delicious preserved lemon vinaigrette when I was at a restaurant and I was inspired to make my own, so I could enjoy it year-round and whenever I want!
The result? A bright, sunshine-y dressing that I love using with salads or drizzled over vegetables or fish.
Ingredients
- Preserved lemons
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
How to make preserved lemon vinaigrette
Take one preserved lemon, rinse to remove any excess salt, and remove all seeds. Chop lemon into small pieces.
Add the chopped preserved lemon, dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend together until smooth. If possible, drizzle olive oil into mixture while blending/mixing. If not, add the olive oil, then blend together until smooth and incorporated.
Enjoy the bright, lemony dressing however you'd like!
Recipe tips
- Preserved lemon should be rinsed and seeds removed before using in this recipe.
- A blender or food processor works best to blend this vinaigrette. Cutting the preserved lemon into small pieces also helps them to all get blended into the vinaigrette.
What are preserved lemons?
Preserved lemons are a condiment used in North African cuisine. (Common in Moroccan, Tunisan, etc. cuisines). The lemon gets preserved in a salt mixture. It softens the lemon rind and mellows out any bitterness, leaving a more lemony bright flavor.
Typically, preserved lemons are rinsed to remove any excess salt before using. It's also common to remove any seeds from the lemons.
The preserved lemon rind and flesh can then both be eaten, though some recipes will just use the rind.
Customizations
- Add your favorite herbs like tarragon, oregano, or basil
- For a touch of spice, add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or even a little harissa paste
How to serve
The preserved lemon vinaigrette is so delicious on salads or grain bowls! I also will roast up some veggies and use it as a dressing on top. It adds such a wonderful brightness to roasted vegetables.
And of course, lemon and fish are a match made in heaven. This citrusy dressing is delicious drizzled over cod, swordfish, salmon, etc.
How to store leftovers
Any leftover salad dressing should be stored in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Shake the dressing to make sure all ingredients are mixed properly before serving.
More salad dressing recipes
Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Blender or Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 1 preserved lemon deseeded and rinsed
- 2 lemons
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Take your preserved lemon and rinse. Remove any seeds from the lemon. Chop into small pieces.
- Add the chopped preserved lemon, dijon mustard, and juice from 2 lemons into a blender or food processor. Blend together.
- Add olive oil (while blending, if possible) in a steady stream. Blend for 15-30 seconds until dressing is smooth and all ingredients are blended together.
Notes
- Preserved lemon should be rinsed and seeds removed before using in this recipe.
- A blender or food processor works best to blend this vinaigrette. Cutting the preserved lemon into small pieces also helps them to all get blended into the vinaigrette.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
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