Lemon Parsley Salad Dressing

Lemon and parsley is a fantastic flavor pairing. In this quick and simple lemon-parsley salad dressing, the duo brings a lot of zing to plain lettuce or your favorite mix of fresh greens, but it's delicious on salads made of other vegetables too. Brightly flavored, this lemon-parsley dressing is a fantastic flavor boost to spring and summer salads.

Rather than a vinaigrette, this recipe creates an olive oil-based dressing that requires no vinegar. Instead, the olive oil is flavored with fresh parsley, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Give it a boost with a small amount of garlic if you like. The preserved lemon peel is also optional—it's a great way to save lemons for later use and requires letting juiced lemons sit in their own salted juice for about a month. If you have some or can plan ahead and make them, this small addition gives the dressing a wonderful zing.

The lemon-parsley dressing mixes up in minutes, requires no cooking, and adds a refreshing touch to any salad. You can keep the dressing in the fridge for a week, though the olive oil will solidify when chilled. Don't worry too much about that; it will melt quickly once set out at room temperature for a few minutes.

This recipe makes about 1/3 cup, which is enough dressing for four to six cups of lettuce or other salad greens. Feel free to double, triple, or even quadruple it for larger salads or to have some on hand for salads over a few days.