3-Ingredient Pesto Vinaigrette

Incredibly simple to make, this bright and vibrant 3-ingredient pesto vinaigrette uses premade pesto, lemon juice and olive oil for an easy dressing that is restaurant quality (without all the work) will liven up any dish!

Let’s Talk About 3-Ingredient Magic

I’m a big fan of taking common pantry staples and finding new ways to use them, like in these homemade salad dressing, which a big flavor boost from a humble jar or tub of basil pesto sauce. The fresh herbs and garlic in the pesto combine with fresh lemon juice and richness from extra virgin olive oil to make a bright and versatile dressing. And to make things extra simple, we’re making this pesto vinaigrette with basil pesto you can find at any grocery store (a great shortcut I like to use often, like with my homemade pesto marinade).

Making it is as simple as adding everything to a jar, shaking it together and drizzling it on everything from salads to bowls, chicken dishes and even fish! My favorite part about this homemade pesto salad dressing is that it comes together easily in just a mason jar–though you can certainly whisk it together in a small bowl as well. Shaking the ingredients together in a jar helps bring all the ingredients together and cuts down on clean up.

I love using a mason jar for my dressings because you can store any leftover vinaigrette in the same jar, reducing dishes even further. Skipping the need for a blender or food processor makes this recipe easier, faster, and involves much less clean up then many other vinaigrette recipes out there. If you use store-bought pesto you’ll save even more time since it’ll already be full of flavor from fresh basil and herbs, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.

That being said, my homemade basil pesto recipe works really well for this dressing and is great if you’re looking for a dairy-free and nut-free option.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Extra virgin olive oil: Any neutral oil will work in this recipe, such as avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola. 
• Lemon juice: Use red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar in place of lemon juice. 
• Honey: Add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey to balance out the flavor of the other ingredients. Use maple syrup if you’d like to make a vegan version. Omit it entirely if you’d like to make this recipe whole30 friendly.
• Kosher salt: look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store. It has a subtler flavor. Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
• Parmesan cheese: Add traditional (or vegan) Parmesan cheese if you like.
• Premade pesto: Use homemade pesto in place of storebought for an extra flavorful dressing.

Make a copycat Sweetgreen Earth Bowl by tossing together cooked chicken breast, cooked broccoli, chickpeas, corn kernels, baby arugula, chopped cherry tomatoes, cooked quinoa, white cheddar cheese–all tossed together with the pesto dressing. 

What to Do with Any Leftover Pesto Dressing

Store covered, tightly sealed and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that the vinaigrette may separate and look clumpy when refrigerated. This is because oil can solidify at cooler temperatures. To use, simply remove from the refrigerator, allow to come to room temperature, and shake well to recombine.

This Recipe Is…

Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreePaleoVeganVegetarianWhole30

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