A bright, assertive vinaigrette designed for bitter greens and winter vegetables. Lemon caper vinaigrette, with fresh, chunky lemon brings acidity, capers add salinity, and a blast of Dijon provides just enough body to pull everything together.
Bright Lemon Vinaigrette with Salty Capers
It’s sharp without being harsh, clean without feeling thin, and bold enough to stand up to radicchio, endive, and chicories of all kinds.
Use it anywhere you want lift and contrast: winter salads, roasted vegetables, grilled fish, or spooned over warm greens just off the heat.
This is a dressing that wakes things up.
Salad Ingredient Ideas (That Play Nicely with Lemon & Capers)
To my mind we look for bitter + crisp + a little fat. The vinaigrette does the big flavour work. Here’s some great salad and vegetable ideas that could use a little Punchy Lemon Caper Vinaigrette. We used it to great effect on the Winter Detox Radicchio Salad. But there is a whole world of salad options!
• Fennel – shaved thin, adds sweetness and crunch
• Endive – clean bitterness, great raw or lightly grilled
• Escarole – sturdy enough to hold the dressing
• Radish – especially watermelon or French breakfast
• Celery (inner stalks + leaves) – quietly excellent here
• Blanched leeks – tender, sweet, and very French
• Roasted cauliflower or Romanesco – cooled to room temperature
• Grilled zucchini (off-season cheat) – adds softness and char
Salty & Savoury Add-Ons
• Castelvetrano olives, torn not sliced
• Anchovy, finely chopped into the dressing or scattered sparingly
• Shaved Parmesan, Pecorino, or Grana Padano
• Capers in different forms – fried capers for crunch, caper berries for drama
Protein Pairings (Where This Dressing Shines)
Fish is truly the sweet Spot. This is where the vinaigrette really earns its keep. Because all that citrus works beautifully with fresh, properly cooked fish.
• Crispy skinned salmon
• Pan-seared cod or halibut
• Grilled trout or arctic char
• Tuna (rare or confit)
• Poached white fish, served warm over bitter greens
Complete Meal Pairings (Low Effort, High Reward)
You know the trajectory of the flavour you want, but maybe dinner needs a little fleshing out? Let’s not over complicate things. Simple easy meals can make you a kitchen rock star. Simple food, done well!
• Lemon caper salad + crispy salmon + boiled baby potatoes
• Bitter greens salad + grilled fish + crusty bread
• Radicchio salad + pork cutlets + creamy macaroni
• Endive and fennel salad + roast chicken + pan juices spooned over
Why a Lemon Caper Vinaigrette Works
Any bitter ingredient wakes up the palate. Lemon sharpens everything, it cuts fat. Capers add salinity without heaviness. The result is a salad that doesn’t feel like an obligation—it feels well-thought out. Especially next to fish, or a fatty, heavy, cream based saucy meal. It keeps the whole plate clean, bright, and balanced.
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Punchy Lemon Caper Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
A bright, chunky textured, lemon caper vinaigrette with Dijon and olive oil. Perfect for bitter greens, winter salads, vegetables, and simple fish dishes.
Ingredients
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 lemon, flesh sectioned & reserved, remainder juiced
- 1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons fine sugar (optional, for balance)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Section your lemon by cutting it in half and running a sharp paring knife around the inside between the flash and white pith, then severing the centre so you get the lemon flesh to pop right out. Reserve the lemon flesh separately and remove all the remaining pith and membrane with your fingers so that you’re left with chunky, clean, lemon pieces.
- Then juice the remaining lemon into a separate bowl or jar (I use a large measuring cup.) Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, sugar and salt – and blend or whisk until emulsified.
- Combine the loose, blended portion of the vinaigrette with the chunky bits of lemon, capers and shallot. Taste. Adjust seasoning. Serve with a spoon, so you can get all the bits of goodness.
Notes
Be sure to taste and adjust acidity or sweetness if needed. The vinaigrette should be bright and balanced, not muted.
