Name: Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: 1 cup good olive oil; 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated ); 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest; 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper; 1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt; 1/2 small shallot (peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon))

Last Updated June 17th, 2019 at 03:48 pm by Lisa

“Make & Shake” (in a mason jar) fresh homemade Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette. A tasty lemon salad dressing recipe made in minutes with fresh ingredients!

Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette jar sitting next to a bowl of salad and a block of parmesan

Wait, did you say Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette?

Um yes, I did. My dear friend Kim and I tried a new restaurant and we fell in love with their parmesan vinaigrette.

And of course, we talked about it most of the way home.

Then I got to thinking, I will surprise Kim the next time she comes to dinner. And so it happened.

Why You Will Love Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:

After you try this recipe, Kim and I won’t be the only ones head over heels in love with this lemon dressing with parmesan cheese! Let me tell you why…

Two words: make and shake. This lemon salad dressing couldn’t be easier. Make it by putting all of the ingredients in a mason jar and shake the jar to combine them. Then serve and enjoy. (No mason jar on hand? A blender works too!)
It is full of FRESH ingredients. No preservatives or hard-to-pronounce ingredients like you find in some salad dressing recipes. Just fresh, wholesome ingredients!
It’s a versatile dressing. This lemon dressing with parmesan will go well on almost any salad, and is terrific with Italian dishes. When you don’t know what salad dressing to make for dinner, make this one and it won’t disappoint.
It stores perfectly in the fridge. If you can keep from using it all as soon as you make it, the leftovers will store perfectly in the fridge.
It’s a low carb dressing recipe. In fact, it is a NO carb dressing recipe. If you are following a low carb diet, this is the perfect salad dressing to pair with your salads.

Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette jar closeup on a wooden table next to shaved parmesan cheese

Ingredients Needed to Make Parmesan Lemon Dressing:

I bet you have most, if not all, of these ingredients in your kitchen and pantry right now…

1 cup GOOD olive oil (the better the olive oil, the better your lemon dressing will taste!)
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
1/2 small shallot peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)

How Do You Make the Best Lemon Vinaigrette?

(I may be biased, but I truly believe this is the BEST lemon vinaigrette recipe! The addition of parmesan takes it to a whole new level.)

Step 1: In a clean mason jar with a fitted lid, add all the ingredients.

TIP: You can use a blender, or Vitamix, and blend away. But a mason jar is so fast and easy, and stores perfectly in the fridge!

Step 2: Place the lid on tight, and shake for about a minute. That’s it!

Step 3: Re-shake jar with lid on to recombine, drizzle over salad.

This Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette is a fresh new twist on my regular homemade vinaigrette and oh-so-good…

Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette in a mason jar with a small green salad in a blue rimmed bowl.

What to Serve with Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette

I served this dressing on a simple green salad, with White Lasagna, and cheese toast. Yum.
It’s divine on a salad full of fresh tomatoes.
It pairs perfectly with pasta salad!
Give it a try drizzled on crusty fresh bread.

It will go with just about everything, truly!

How Do You Make Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette?

Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette certainly has a level of creaminess to it, but if you wanted to make it even creamier, you could blend it with a small amount of Greek yogurt to your desired creaminess. (Actual blending required; the yogurt won’t be distributed enough by simply shaking the jar.)

What’s in Vinaigrette?

If you’ve ever wondered what qualifies a salad dressing as a “vinaigrette,” it has to do with the ingredients:

To be a vinaigrette, an acidic ingredient (like lemon juice or vinegar, or both!) must be mixed with oil.
“Traditional” vinaigrettes are three parts oil to one part vinegar, but the vinaigrettes of today (including this recipe) often break that precise ratio.

So there you go, a new dressing to add to your line-up. Enjoy!

More Delicious Vinaigrettes:

Christmas Tree Salad + Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing – Holiday Party Entertaining

Festive easy Christmas Tree Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette will be the talk of your holiday or Christmas party!

Check out this recipe

overhead view of christmas tree salad christmas salad with an apple for a star covered with cranberry vinaigrette

Mango Jicama Slaw + Mango-Lime Vinaigrette

Mango Jicama Slaw with sweet juicy Keitt Mangos, crunchy jicama, crisp green cabbage, and a sweet tangy mango-lime vinaigrette is a perfect clean side dish!

Check out this recipe

Mango Jicama Slaw + Mango-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

7 Basic Vinaigrette Recipes

And here are some amazing Dressing Recipes!

For a light, healthy, fruit- and vegetable-packed salad, try Light Healthy Broccoli Grape Salad with a light creamy 3 ingredient Creamy Orange Dressing Recipe.
This Easy Roast Chicken Apple Salad with Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing recipe is fresh, hearty, and colorful.
Last but not least, for a unique spin on traditional salad, you’ve got to give this Frozen Iceberg Wedge Salad a try. Yes, frozen salad! It’s perfect for hot summer days, and the Pistachio-Avocado Dressing makes it not just a dish that will cool you down, but it will also fill you up.
If you want a festive salad for the holidays, you’ll definitely want to make this Festive Holiday Salad with Pomegranate Mason Jar Dressing. It is a bright and fun salad that your guests will love.

Still, want more recipes? Take a look at all of my Salad Ideas!

All The Best Dishes,

Lisa