Sweet Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

It’s rhubarb season, and making your salad dressing is a great way to elevate any dish. With just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up a flavorful Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette in under five minutes. Homemade dressings add a fresh, personal touch to even the easiest meals.

Why I Love This Recipe

I love this vinaigrette because it always brings a burst of spring to my meals, whether drizzled over fresh greens or roasted veggies. 

Here’s why:

• Versatile – It works beautifully in various dishes, from salads to roasted veggies, or even as a marinade for grilled chicken or fish.
• Customizable – I can easily adjust the flavors, adding more lemon for acidity or extra Honey Rhubarb Compote for sweetness.
• Seasonal – Rhubarb is a springtime staple, and this vinaigrette perfectly highlights its fresh, tangy flavor.
• Better Than Store-Bought – This recipe is fresher than store-bought dressings!

Tools

• Jar with a lid or small bowl – For mixing the vinaigrette ingredients. Shaking in a jar makes it easy, but whisking in a bowl works just as well.
• Whisk – If you’re using a bowl, a whisk is handy for blending the ingredients smoothly.
• Citrus juicer
• Measuring spoons 

Ingredients and Substitutions

Once you have your Rhubarb Compote ready to go, you just 5 ingredients for this simple and easy Rhubarb vinaigrette. 

• Honey Rhubarb Jam
• Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Lemon – When making this vinaigrette, I tend to go a little heavier on the lemon juice because I love a dressing with that extra punch of acidity. 
• Dijon Mustard
• Honey 
• Kosher Salt or Sea salt
• Black Pepper

Here are 3 substitutions you can make for this Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette:

1. Rhubarb Jam Substitute: If you don’t have rhubarb compote or jam, you can use a tart fruit sauce like cranberry or apricot jam to keep that sweet-tart balance.
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Substitute: Avocado oil, or another vegetable oil, can be used as an alternative to olive oil.
3. Lemon Juice Substitute: Swap lemon juice with lime juice or apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even white balsamic vinegar for a different type of acidity while still maintaining the vinaigrette’s brightness.
4. Honey Substitute: You can replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar for a similar sweetness. This makes the recipe vegan-friendly.

How to Make this Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette

1. Add ingredients: Place all the ingredients into a mason jar (with a lid) or a bowl. 
2. Shake or whisk: If using a mason jar, secure the lid and shake vigorously until everything is well combined. If using a bowl, whisk until the ingredients emulsify and create a smooth, cohesive vinaigrette.
3. Taste and adjust: Give the vinaigrette a taste and adjust to your liking. Add more lemon juice if you prefer it more acidic, or just a touch of honey want less sweetness. Find your perfect balance. Salt and pepper can also be adjusted as needed.

How To Serve

Here are 3 healthy recipes that use Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette:

1. Drizzled over a fresh green salad – Toss it with fresh greens, herbs, and seasonal vegetables like asparagus, radishes, red onion, and cucumbers for a bright and tangy salad.
2. Over roasted veggies – Try it in a roasted sweet potato salad with sweet potatoes, shaved and roasted Brussels sprouts, and a finishing drizzle of this vinaigrette for a flavorful, balanced dish.
3. In a grain bowl or pasta salad – Mix the vinaigrette into a hearty grain bowl with quinoa or farro, or pasta salad, adding roasted vegetables like bell peppers and green beans, nuts, and your favorite protein for a balanced, flavorful meal.

How To Store

Use immediately or store leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week. Give it a shake before serving as the ingredients may separate over time.

Rhubarb

Every spring, when rhubarb appears at the farmer’s market, I can’t resist grabbing a few stalks. Rhubarb is a tart, crunchy vegetable that looks like celery but softens when cooked, with the tartness mellowing out. It’s versatile in the kitchen and used in both sweet and savory dishes, like this Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette. I love using it in salads, and grain bowls, or drizzling it over proteins for a fresh, bright flavor.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I’m lucky to access local rhubarb from the Hood River farmers market. If you’re in the area, don’t miss the chance to enjoy spring produce.

Rhubarb Cooking Ideas

• Slice rhubarb for savory dishes like a sheet pan bake or mix it into a lemony salsa.
• Try it in desserts like Rhubarb Muffins or the classic Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
• Cook it into a compote for smoothies, yogurt parfaits, or Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Wrap rhubarb stalks in a reusable produce bag or foil and store in the crisper for 2-3 weeks.
• Freezer: Slice into 1-2 inch pieces, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to a year.

More Favorite Recipes For Spring

Whether you are enjoying this recipe simple with mixed greens, or drizzled over roasted asparagus, this Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette will make your taste buds sing for spring.

Try these other spring recipes

• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Caprese Salad
• Berry Rhubarb Smoothie
• Honey Rhubarb Yogurt Parfait
• Honey Rhubarb Compote

Also, check out my article about Rhubarb and why it should be on your produce list for your next farmer’s market visit on Hood River Eats a blog that shares what’s going on with local food makers in Hood River and its surrounding communities.

Sweet Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette

Sarah Harper MS, RD, LDN

This Sweet Lemon Rhubarb Vinaigrette is sweet, sour, and perfect for drizzling over salads or grain bowls.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 147 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Small bowl or a jar with a lid
• 1 Whisk
• 1 citrus juicer
• 1 set of measuing spoons

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp rhubarb jam
• 2 tbsp water optional
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

Add ingredients

• Place all the ingredients into a mason jar (with a lid) or a bowl.

Shake or whisk 

• If using a mason jar, secure the lid and shake vigorously until everything is well combined. If using a bowl, whisk until the ingredients emulsify and create a smooth, cohesive vinaigrette.

Taste and adjust

• Give the vinaigrette a taste and adjust to your liking. Add more lemon juice if you prefer it more acidic, or just a touch of honey want less sweetness. Find your perfect balance. Salt and pepper can also be adjusted as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbspCalories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 0.1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 46mgPotassium: 14mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword salad, sauce

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sarah Harper MS, RD, LDN

Website | + posts

Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!

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