Meyer Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing

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Bright and zingy, this Meyer lemon Dijon vinaigrette dressing is an easy homemade salad dressing recipe. Use on your favorite greens, or as a delicious lemon marinade.

It snowed here in Virginia on the first day of Spring and I’m not having it. I’m going to my happy place, imagining temperatures north of 70 degrees, sun dresses, and “we’re having salad because it’s too pretty outside to spend time cooking” weather. It’s so dreary I had to pick up some pretty yellow tulips and pull out some spring decor to make inside our home as cheery as it should be outside today. But we will not focus on the negative, because I brought salad for us to share. And this Meyer lemon Dijon vinaigrette dressing brings all the smiles.

I have a serious love affair with all things lemon. I think it’s just such a lovely flavor, and I admit that I cheer a little for winter months because that’s Meyer lemon season and Meyer lemons are an extra special kind of lemon. The Meyer lemon is a cross-breed lemon originally thought to be from China.

The result of a blend between traditional lemons and another, sweeter, citrus like mandarin oranges. The flavor is milder than a lemon with more sweetness and less pucker, making it really delicious for cooking and baking. It also makes a good compliment to stronger flavored foods, like dark leafy salad greens. Of course, if you can’t find meyer lemons, just use a regular lemon!

Over the years, we’ve gone from iceberg lettuce salads, to leaf lettuce salads, to dark greens salads. We like the spicy flavors in the darker salad greens. I find them to be a very versatile side dish for meals or base for a healthier lighter meal. In this house, greens don’t often go to waste. It’s easy to saute them in scrambled eggs or freeze them to use in smoothies. They’re also extremely healthy and filled with nutrients like calcium which are easily absorbed by the body. If you’re not already eating dark greens as a regular part of your diet, please do!

I will typically dress my salads with a little olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice and salt, but some days just need more than my simple no-measurements “dressing”. A dressing that was bright and very flavorful, with fresh flavors and good fats. This Meyer lemon Dijon vinaigrette dressing totally fit the bill. So much so that I had a flashback the first time I made it!

All of a sudden I was driving Highway 1 along the California coastline on my way to San Francisco with the family. This combination is all the typical flavors of what I know to be “California cuisine”. Basically, fresh flavors that taste out of a farmer’s market. And any recipe that will instantly whisk me away somewhere beautiful even on a cold basically winter day, is a winner in my book. Happy Spring darlings!