Mediterranean Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe (6 Ingredients, 10 Minutes) Mediterranean Diet Recipes Sauces/Condiments Salads Gluten-free Vegetarian Low Sugar Recipes Farm to Table Recipe Low Sodium Recipes

One of my favorite things to do in the summertime is prepare farm-to-table meals with ingredients I grow myself. It's so satisfying and fun to develop recipes using fresh ingredients I've grown in my own garden.

This easy six-ingredient lemon basil vinaigrette salad dressing recipe is inspired by the sweet Italian basil I planted this summer. The smell is amazing, which is why I was excited to make a new recipe featuring this refreshing herb. Plus, check out the health benefits of basil.

Basil not only smells incredible but also adds a fresh flavor to a variety of recipes. And many of you know how much we love lemon recipes here at 30Seconds (I grow Meyer lemons, too). The combination of lemon and basil creates a savory salad dressing that also works as a succulent sauce (and even a marinade). And this low-sodium recipe is part of a nourishing Mediterranean diet, too. Check out the health benefits of lemon and the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.

Here are the six simple ingredients you need for this gluten-free sauce recipe: extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, fresh basil and green onion. All you do is whisk the ingredients together and serve. So quick and flavorful!

Serve this spoonful of Mediterranean sunshine with salads, proteins, vegetables or grains. I served it over chicken breast and it was nutritious and delicious!

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice (the juice from 2 lemons; I also included some pulp)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 green onion (scallion), finely diced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• salt and black pepper, to taste, if desired (optional, but I used about a 1/3 teaspoon of each)

Here's how to make it:

1. In a small mixing bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and honey. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Whisk to blend. (I prefer to use fresh-squeezed lemon juice, but in a pinch, you can use bottled lemon juice.)
2. Add the green onion and basil leaves and whisk until dressing is emulsified.
3. If using as a salad dressing, serve over salad immediately. If using as a sauce, pour over any protein, vegetable or grain and serve. If using as a marinade, pour over protein of choice and marinate for at least an hour. If sauce separates before you can serve it, simply whisk to reincorporate.
4. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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