Make your summer salads come alive with this simple Pesto Salad Dressing—only three ingredients.
If you prefer to make your own pesto first, try a Lemon Basil Pesto or a Ramp Basil Pesto for a bright, seasonal base.
Why Make This Recipe
- Bright and herb-forward—pairs beautifully with summer vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Versatile—delicious drizzled over salad greens or used to toss pasta and grain salads.
- Great way to use a small amount of leftover pesto from a jar or batch you made.
🥗 Ingredients
- Pesto: Any pesto will work—basil, ramp, arugula, or spinach. Store-bought or homemade are both fine.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best; you can add a little lemon zest for extra brightness. White wine or cider vinegar can be used instead if needed.
- Olive oil: Use your favorite olive oil or substitute a neutral oil such as grapeseed or walnut oil for a different flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons pesto and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in 4 tablespoons olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. Stir in ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate. Shake or whisk before using, as the oil may separate during storage.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Pesto Salad Dressing
Basil pesto is excellent with summer produce—tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, and summer squash. It also complements stone fruit in salads and pairs well with creamy Italian cheeses like mozzarella and burrata.
Stored in the refrigerator, this dressing will keep for about two weeks. The lemon juice helps prevent discoloration. Always shake or whisk before using.
The finished dressing isn’t ideal for freezing, but pesto itself freezes well. Freeze pesto in ice cube trays, then pop the cubes into a bag so you always have portions ready to make this dressing.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
The dressing’s texture depends on how thick or loose your pesto is. Add more olive oil for a thinner dressing to toss with pasta or greens, or use less oil for a thicker spoonable sauce ideal for dolloping over burrata or mozzarella.
Store the dressing in a mason jar or another airtight container so you can shake it to recombine the oil before serving. If whisking or shaking doesn’t re-emulsify the dressing, briefly blend it with an immersion blender or a small food processor to bring it together.
You can use the same method with a red pesto (such as tomato pesto) to create a different flavor profile for salads and grains.
Other Delicious Dressings
Once you’ve tried this pesto dressing, homemade dressings are hard to beat. Consider trying other easy dressings like apple cider vinaigrette, creamy honey mustard, sesame ginger, or honey lime for variety.
Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing-
Healthy Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
-
Ginger Sesame Dressing
-
Honey Lime Dressing
If you try this Pesto Salad Dressing, please rate the recipe and leave a comment—your feedback helps us improve.
📖 Recipe
Pesto Salad Dressing
Chef Molly Pisula
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto and lemon juice.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify.
- Whisk in the salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
Storage Tips: This dressing keeps about two weeks in the refrigerator. Shake or whisk before using since the oil will separate as it sits.
Expert Tips: The dressing’s consistency depends on the pesto. Add more oil for a thinner dressing or less for a thicker sauce. To make your own pesto, try simple basil or ramp pesto recipes.
Nutrition
Calories: 202 kcal • Carbohydrates: 1 g • Protein: 2 g • Fat: 22 g • Saturated Fat: 3 g • Polyunsaturated Fat: 17 g • Cholesterol: 4 mg • Sodium: 238 mg
Instagram users: If you make this pesto vinaigrette, tag @vanillabeancuisine or use #vanillabeancuisine to share your results—we’d love to see them!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy, seasonal meals is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef and with over a decade of experience as a personal chef, I share tested recipes designed for home cooks and families.
Learn more about me →