Everyone needs a quick and easy side-salad lemon dressing, this one is a game-changer. My best kept secret is out – I use this side-salad lemon dressing every week, for every side-salad. It’s the easiest salad dressing to use for everyday weeknight dinners or when hosting a crowd. Fresh leafy greens tossed in a simple lemon salad dressing makes adding a side-salad to any meal so easy and delicious.
Side-Salad Lemon Dressing Ingredients
Two, maybe three easy ingredients make up this quick, 2-step recipe.
- Fresh Lemons – a side salad for four servings will take 1/2 – 1 lemon depending on how juicy the lemon is. To get the most out of your lemon, make sure it’s ripe. Roll the lemon between your palm and the kitchen counter giving it a little pressure to loosen up the juice.
- Salt – a pinch or two of kosher salt will bring out the flavors of the lemon and the leafy greens. Salt will also soften the burn of the lemon acidity.
- Olive Oil – this is optional, I like to add it when I want to make more of a “real” dressing but on some of those extra busy weeknight dinners, I skip this part because it requires whisking. Squeeze the lemon, sprinkle the salt and drizzle about olive oil to whisk until combined.
When to Serve a Side Salad
Side salads are get to have on the side of just about any dinner. The leafy greens tossed in this lemon dressing adds a great vibrant freshness.
In the spring and summer, I love to make a side salad because they are quick, easy and light. It pairs well with grilled steak, chicken, fish or hamburgers.
In the fall and winter, I add side salads to help balance the meal. Cozy comforting meals are sometimes creamy or buttery, the acidity from the lemon dressing gives the meal some balance and brightens up the dish.
Our Favorite Side Salad
Our favorite go-to side salad that we use all year long is so simple and easy to throw together. Arugula is my favorite salad base, it is slightly peppery. Another good salad base would be crispy romaine. They both are delicious tossed in this lemon dressing.
The Best Everyday Side-Salad Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 Lemon
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1-2 TBSP Olive Oil optional
Instructions
Without Olive Oil
- In a bowl, over your washed and prepped greens, squeeze ½ of a lemon. Remove any seeds.
- Sprinkle on a pinch or two of salt. Toss the salad and taste. Add more lemon and salt as desired.
With Olive Oil
- In a small bowl, squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Remove any seeds.
- Add in a pinch or two of salt.
- Add in 1-2 TBSP of olive oil.
- Whisk until combined.
- Pour over the prepared salad, toss until evenly combined. Taste and season as desired.
