Easy Homemade Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

This lemony fresh homemade basil vinaigrette is so easy to make. Blend it up in under 5 minutes and drizzle it on everything from salad to grilled or roasted vegetables and eggs. It’s the best way to use up your garden fresh basil!

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This fresh basil vinaigrette is good on everything. I’m not exaggerating when I say that. I’ve been making it since last summer and it’s my favorite way to use up garden-fresh basil.

I drizzle it onto raw and cooked vegetables – either from the grill or roasted – and I’ve also added it to scrambled eggs to jazz them up. You can use it as a basic salad dressing too.

How to make homemade vinaigrette dressing

To make this dressing, you only need a few fresh ingredients and a good blender. If you’re growing summer basil and wondering how to use up a bunch of it in a hurry, this is your answer.

Each batch includes a cup of fragrant fresh basil leaves. And you can even toss in a few of the stems – exact measures are not required here.

Fresh lemon juice adds a bright, citrus flavor that goes well with the basil. Skip the stuff in the bottle – the vinaigrette will not be the same. Trust me. And while we are talking about fresh, toss in a couple of cloves of fresh garlic.

I used two rather large cloves because I like the extra bite. And you don’t have to mince it – just peel the garlic cloves and smash them a bit before adding to the blender.

The extra virgin olive oil brings it all together. It emulsifies the dressing and adds incredible flavor. I usually use a California olive oil with a nice fruity essence.

I used my NutriBullet to blend the vinaigrette. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to double the recipe to make it go.  This is a good “problem” to have because it will double your yield – which once you taste it, you’ll know that’s a really good thing! I don’t recommend adding water but I guess it could work in a pinch.

Ways to use up fresh basil

This Sweet Corn Basil Salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy extra summer basil. And really, you could just combine the basil vinaigrette with sweet corn and call that done!

You can also blend it up for these No-Cook Pesto Zoodles. It’s a perfect salad for the summer. Especially when it’s still too hot to turn on the stove!

I typically keep my basil with the roots in water to help extend the life of the basil. I love making pesto with it and freezing for later too.

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5 from 11 votes

Easy Homemade Basil Vinaigrette

This lemony fresh homemade basil vinaigrette is so easy to make. Blend it up in under 5 minutes and drizzle it on everything from salad to grilled or roasted vegetables and eggs. It’s the best way to use up your garden fresh basil!

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fresh basil recipes, homemade salad dressing

Servings: 6 (2 Tablespoons)

Calories: 80kcal

Author: Marisa Moore

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• coarse salt to taste

Instructions

• Add vinaigrette ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth.
• Toss your vegetables with a little of the vinaigrette or drizzle it on as a topping. 

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcal