This lemon poppy seed dressing recipe is bright, subtly sweet, and incredibly simple to make. With salad and grilling season in full swing, it’s quickly becoming a staple in our kitchen—a little taste of summer in every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
In the spring and summer, it is easy to get into a rut of making the same dressing over and over. But sometimes, trying something a little different is just what your tastebuds need—and this lemon poppy seed dressing does exactly that.
It pairs beautifully with all sorts of dishes, from grilled chicken with leafy greens to spinach and strawberry salad, or even something more unexpected like fennel and apple. It will add a bright, citrus flavour that will bring your dish to life!
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Ingredients Needed to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
This is a simple recipe, and only a few key ingredients are needed.
- 180 ml oil (see below)
- Juice of 2 medium lemons
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Ingredients Tips
What is the best oil to use?
I am very careful about the oils I use these days, since hearing about some of the extraction processes used to make seed oil. I prefer to use avocado oil, which has a neutral taste, but I also like to use a little bit of pressed rapeseed (canola) oil for its nutrition (it has a good balance of omega-3 and omega-6). However, I only buy organic rapeseed (canola) oil that has been mechanically pressed with no chemical treatment at all. I generally use about 130 ml avocado oil and 50 ml rapeseed (canola oil)
Another possibility would be to use olive oil, but I personally find the flavour too strong for this dressing.
Which Mustard should I use?
In my opinion, Dijon mustard is the best to use in vinaigrettes. Other mustards may also be used, but I wouldn’t recommend using a sweetened mustard as there is already honey in the recipe.
What size of lemons should I use?
I recommend using medium sized lemons for this recipe. Do make sure you use fresh squeezed lemon juice, as the bottled stuff does not have the same flavour at all.
If you like a more lemony flavour, you can always add more lemon juice to taste!
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Place all of the ingredients in an empty 320 ml (or larger) jam jar (or mason jar). Either stir with a teaspoon or fork, or screw on the lid tightly and shake the jar until the dressing is mixed together. I usually start the process off with a spoon and finish by shaking the jar.
You can also make this dressing in a jug or a bowl, using a spoon, fork or small whisk to stir it, but you should transfer it to an air tight container to store it.
You will need to shake the jar before each use.
This will make enough dressing for several meals.
Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe FAQs
Can I Make this Dressing Vegan?
Yes, you absolutely can! Simply replace the honey with the same amount of maple syrup.
Is this Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Gluten and Dairy Free?
Yes, this dressing is naturally gluten and dairy free. You may want to check the ingredients on the mustard as this is the only thing that may have some gluten or dairy contamination.
Best Salads to Pair with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Here are some ideas for salads that would go very well with this dressing. Let me know in the comments if you would like to see recipes for any of these salads on the blog!
- Endive, Apple and Walnut
- Apple, Fennel and Parmesan
- Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta
- Baby Spinach and Strawberry
- Grilled Chicken on Fresh, Leafy Greens
What salad did you pair this dressing with? Let me know in the comments 🙂
How to store this Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
I like to make this amount of dressing at once because I know it will keep well in the fridge and I will be able to use it for a couple of family sized meals. It should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Some people prefer the taste of lemon juice when freshly pressed. If that is the case, I would recommend making just enough of this dressing for the salad you are preparing and use it immediately.
If you would like more information on how to store your homemade salad dressing, check out this post.
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Did you make this Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing? Don’t forget to take a photo and tag me on social media @candleinthekitchen!
Looking for more salad ideas and summer meal inspiration? Check out these recipes:
Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 180 ml oil see below
- Juice of 2 medium lemons
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in an empty 320 ml (or larger) jam jar (or mason jar). Either stir with a teaspoon or fork, or screw on the lid tightly and shake the jar until the dressing is mixed together. I usually start the process off with a spoon and finish by shaking the jar.
- You can also make this dressing in a jug or a bowl, using a spoon, fork or small whisk to stir it, but you should transfer it to an air tight container to store it.
- You will need to shake the jar before each use.
- This will make enough dressing for several meals.
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