FARGO 鈥� This Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing is one of my favorite picks for spring and summer salads. I love making homemade salad dressings, and this is one of the easiest recipes in my repertoire. It is ridiculously delicious and can also be used as a dressing or marinade with chicken, seafood and even fruit. In other words, you need to make this dressing.
Making dressing from scratch is easier than you might think and well worth the effort. We eat salad with nearly every dinner, and I have not purchased store-bought dressing in at least a decade.
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I keep a supply of salad dressing staples in my pantry that include olive and vegetable oil, Dijon mustard, lemons, garlic, spices, dried herbs, and a variety of common vinegars, like red wine, white wine, apple cider and balsamic.
With these ingredients on hand, you can create dressings that suit your taste and menu, as well as the season. And, in a pinch, you can always rely on a simple blend of olive oil and red wine vinegar, which is our go-to, 鈥淚鈥檓 too lazy even to make a salad dressing,鈥� dressing. It never disappoints. We use a ratio of roughly 3 parts oil to at least 1 1/2 parts vinegar or lemon juice because we enjoy a tangy hit of acidity in our dressings, and you can adjust the measurements as you prefer.
I use vegetable or canola oil for this recipe, as they are neutral in flavor and less viscous than olive oil, and that works well for this dressing. Lemon juice is the only acid in this vinaigrette, and I use both the juice and zest of two lemons to ensure a citrusy punch. Dijon mustard and honey are added to enhance the lemon鈥檚 tartness, and green onions add just a touch of aromatic spice to the dressing. I use only the white and light green parts of the onion, and you can also use a yellow, red or white onion instead.
A blender is the key to this quick and easy dressing. Just measure the ingredients (everything but the poppy seeds) and blitz them in the blender for about 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth and creamy. No whisking, no chopping 鈥� this is about as easy as it gets.
The blender鈥檚 rapid emulsification gives the vinaigrette a creamy appearance, even though there is no dairy product in the recipe. At this point, the dressing is done and all that is left to do is stir in the poppy seeds. You could skip them altogether, but I love their beauty and the sweet, nutty flavor that they give to the dressing.
Simple, fresh, elegant and delicious, this Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing is always a crowd-pleaser. It is the salad dressing you never knew you needed, and the one you won鈥檛 stop craving. You鈥檙e welcome.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Makes: about 1录 cups
Ingredients:
- 陆 cup vegetable or canola oil (or another neutral oil)
- Juice of 2 lemons (about 6 to 7 tablespoons)
- Zest of 2 lemons (at least 1 tablespoon)
- 2 green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped (may use 2 t
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 陆 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 录 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Directions: Place all the ingredients, except the poppy seeds, in a blender and blitz until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Taste and add more seasoning, lemon juice and honey as desired (I never have to adjust). Pour the dressing into a serving dish and stir in the poppy seeds. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.
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