Dandelion Greens Lemon Vinaigrette (Printable)

Peppery greens and zesty lemon vinaigrette combine with pine nuts and Parmesan for a bright, fresh dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups dandelion greens, washed and roughly chopped
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
05 - 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

06 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 teaspoon honey
10 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
02 - Place dandelion greens, cherry tomatoes, and red onion in a large salad bowl.
03 - Drizzle lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan over the top of the salad.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bitterness of dandelion greens wakes up your palate in the best way, especially when you balance it with something tart and creamy.
  • Everything comes together in 15 minutes, so you actually have time to sit down and enjoy it instead of spending your evening chopping.
  • Toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan make you feel fancy without any fussy technique or complicated steps.
02 -
  • Dress the salad right before you eat it—dandelion greens can wilt if they sit too long in the vinaigrette, turning soft and sad.
  • The dressing doesn't need to be perfect; a little cloudiness from the mustard and garlic is actually a sign it's real and alive, not emulsified into plastic submission.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts fresh and immediately before serving if you have the time—they taste exponentially better than ones sitting in a container for weeks.
  • Keep the vinaigrette in a small jar in your fridge; it lasts several days and tastes even better as the flavors marry, so you can make salad any night without starting from scratch.
Go Back