Lemon Is The Star Of Ina Garten's 4-Ingredient Vinaigrette

Lush, creamy salad dressings have their time and place. Here at Tasting Table, we're singing the praises of the Green Goddess as much as any outspoken salad lover. But, not every salad benefits from a thick blanket of dressing — particularly minimal, stripped-down side salads, or bowlfuls with other star ingredients that might deserve the spotlight (no one wants to spend the time pickling and matchstick-ing radishes only to find 'em swallowed by a glob of heavy dressing). For simple salads, a vinaigrette is the right tool, and Ina Garten (once again) has just the tip home cooks need to nail it. It's all about a vinaigrette which, perhaps counterintuitively, doesn't contain any actual vinegar. 

This tip comes from an Instagram video on the chef's official social media account. "Think it's hard to make vinaigrette? It's really not. This is my favorite lemon vinaigrette, and it couldn't be easier!" writes the Barefoot Contessa. Her lemony dressing uses just four ingredients, which she combines in a glass measuring cup to measure and mix all at the same time (hooray for bypassing a sinkful of dirty dishes to wash after mealtime). It starts with ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, to which she adds ½ cup "good olive oil," 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper, whisking to mix. That's it. You can use the whole cupful to dress a large salad for dinner party entertaining or store it in the fridge in an airtight container to dress single servings.

In addition to lemon, "good olive oil" also plays a key role in Garten's tried-and-true vinaigrette. When you're preparing a knockout finisher for something like a salad – a dish where every flavor shines and there's nothing to hide behind — using high-quality olive oil makes a world of difference in flavor and mouthfeel. If you settle for the cheap stuff, it'll show. We've rounded up a few of our favorite brands of finishing olive oils if you're hungry for a rec or two. 

Fans took to the comments section of the video to share their favorite uses for Garten's simple yet impactful vinaigrette. "Delish over mixed greens with some red onion, walnuts, dried cranberries, and good blue cheese crumbles," offered one fan. Another poster mentioned adding chopped garlic into the mix.

This lemony vinaigrette would also make a delicious finish to a classic Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, or this Blackened Cod and Citrus Salad with arugula, watercress, and blood orange. Or, use it to offer a lively flair to this savory, minimal Chicory Salad with Orange and Walnuts.