For the Best-Tasting Salad Dressing, Use a Whole Lemon

I’ll admit I have a bit of a compulsion when it comes to lemons. I can’t help throwing at least one or two in my shopping cart every time I’m at the grocery store for fear of running out. Lemons are an ingredient I reach for daily, whether I am using them in a marinade for chicken or fish, adding zippiness to pasta, or baking something sweet. 

After zesting and juicing them, a whole lot of spent lemon halves wind up in my compost bin. So while the thought of using an entire lemon—flesh, peel, and all—might sound nutty, it's no-waste brilliance at its very best. 

Not only are you throwing away half of the citrus fruit when you simply squeeze out its juice and toss the spent halves, you’re missing out on big flavor. The vibrant peel, bitter pith, and lip-puckering flesh are bold elements that deserve attention, too, which is exactly why I created this sunny, oh-so-bright vinaigrette. 

The recipe, found in my cookbook Salad Seasons, blends one whole lemon with buttery toasted almonds, a touch of sweet honey, and a generous glug of olive oil, all of which mellow any overly sharp, bitter acidity from the fruit to result in a complex vinaigrette that’s unlike anything you’ve had before.

It’s not a coincidence that this is the very first recipe in my book: It’s one of my favorites and something I whip up at home on the regular. This vinaigrette is the perfect counterpart for just about any type of lettuce, but it’s especially lovely with arugula because it balances the greens’ peppery bite.

Beyond Salad Greens

This whole lemon vinaigrette isn’t a one-trick pony. In fact, I often find myself eschewing the salad situation completely. What’s so fun about this recipe is how versatile it is in the kitchen, especially since it keeps for up to a week in the fridge, so you can have it at the ready for quick meals. 

I love spooning the vinaigrette on salmon, shrimp, white fish like cod or halibut, or chicken before baking in the oven, where it transforms into a bright and cheerful sauce. Or it can be tossed with pasta to make a mayo-free pasta salad (the same applies to potato salad), used to dress up roasted vegetables, or drizzled onto avocado or tomato toast.

How To Make This Vinaigrette Without a Food Processor

The fastest, easiest way to make this vinaigrette is with a food processor. However, if you don’t have one, you can absolutely still make this vinaigrette by chopping the lemon and almonds by hand. The end result will be a bit rougher in texture but still delicious.

Excerpted with permission from SALAD SEASONS: VEGETABLE-FORWARD DISHES ALL YEAR by Sheela Prakash © Rizzoli, 2023.

Chop the lemon:

Trim the stem end off the lemon, cut the lemon into quarters, and remove any seeds.

Transfer to a small food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until roughly chopped, about 15 pulses. Take a peek to see if you missed any seeds, and if so, remove them with a spoon.

Add the almonds, garlic, and honey to the chopped lemon:

Add the almonds, garlic, honey, a generous pinch of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Pulse until the lemon and almonds are finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed, about 30 pulses more.

Transfer to a jar and add the olive oil:

Transfer the lemon and almond mixture to an airtight jar or container. Add the olive oil, seal the jar, and shake to combine and emulsify.

Store leftover vinaigrette right in its jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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