Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Dress up your favorite salad with a Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette. This salad dressing is a welcome alternative to your usual salad vinaigrette. It is a tangy, citrusy blend with tiny bits of preserved lemon rind infused throughout.
Servings: 2 Cups
Ingredients
- 1 preserved lemon
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup light olive oil
- Pinch ground white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
- Remove one preserved lemon from the jar and rinse it under cold water. Pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the lemon into quarters. Use a spoon to scrape out the soft pulp, then return the pulp to the jar for another use.
- Roughly chop the preserved lemon rind and place it in a mini food processor, a blender, or a tall container if using an immersion blender. Add the garlic, lemon juice, honey, and white balsamic vinegar. Blend for about 1 minute, or until the rind is finely chopped.
- With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue blending for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vinaigrette is smooth and creamy.
- Taste and season with a pinch of pepper, if desired. Transfer the vinaigrette to a glass jar or bottle with a lid and refrigerate until needed.
Notes
Rinse the preserved lemon: A quick rinse removes excess surface salt without washing away the cured lemon flavor.
Save the pulp: Scrape out the soft pulp and return it to the jar. Use it later to flavor soups, stews, marinades, or another dressing.
White balsamic substitutes: White balsamic vinegar adds a mild sweetness. If you don't have it, apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar are good alternatives, though the dressing will taste a bit sharper.
Choose your pepper: White pepper keeps the vinaigrette smooth-looking, but black pepper works just as well if you don't mind a few specks.
Taste before adding salt: Preserved lemons are already salty, so taste the vinaigrette before deciding if it needs any additional salt.
Blender tip: A mini food processor or an immersion blender works best for this small batch. If using a full-size blender, stop and scrape down the sides as needed to help the blades catch the ingredients.
Storage: Store the vinaigrette in a tightly sealed glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Creamy texture: This vinaigrette stays nicely emulsified, but if it thickens after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes and give it a good shake before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 23mg | Sugar: 1g
