If you want a Greek lemon sauce that wakes up every dish it touches, this classic ladolemono sauce recipe is the real deal! Fresh lemon juice and bold Greek olive oil whisked into a bright, silky Mediterranean dressing that works on fish, vegetables, salads, or anything that needs a hit of clean, citrusy flavor.
This is the essential Greek olive oil and lemon sauce (ladolemono) that shows up everywhere in Greek cooking. Think of it as the backbone of the Mediterranean cuisine - a lemon olive oil dressing that doubles as a marinade, a finishing drizzle, a Greek dressing for salads, and the go-to Greek sauce for fish such as this oven baked swordfish which is is ready in less than 30 minutes or this easy Greek sea bream recipe (Tsipoura).
✏️ In Crete we sometimes refer to this sauce as lemonolado 🙂
Ladolemono is a bold, citrus-forward sauce or dressing made to cut through grilled meats, brighten cooked beans, and bring vegetables back to life. It's perfect as a dressing for healthy Greek and Mediterraenan salads such as this Mediterranean orzo pasta salad.
Keep in mind that it is NOT the dressing for the traditional Greek salad (Horiatiki) which uses red wine vinegar and not lemon juice for acidity - trust me I'm Greek! Having that said, you're free to try in Horiatiki salad if that's what your heart asks for 🙂
📋 Ingredient notes
To make this ladolemono sauce you'll need the following ingredients:
Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil (evoo) is a must for this recipe!
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is not negotiable!
👉 For the full list of ingredients with quantities, please see the recipe card ⬇️ at the end of this post.
👨🍳 Expert Tips
Follow these tips to make the best Ladolemono dressing:
✅ Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil (evoo) and avoid olive oil blends.
✅ Unwaxed organic lemons are the best, especially if you use the zest.
✅ Zest the lemons before you cut and juice them.
✅ Before juicing, roll the lemons on the counter, as this helps them release their juice.
🍳 Where to use Ladolemono:
Here are the most popular recipes you can drizzle this Greek lemon sauce over:
- Mediterranean orzo pasta salad
- Oven baked swordfish
- Best Pearl couscous salad recipe (with feta)
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Beans
- Easy Greek sea bream recipe (Tsipoura).
- Greek Fish Soup Recipe (Psarosoupa)
- Giant white bean (lima bean) salad
- Mediterranean shrimp and avocado salad
- Salmon salad (Mediterranean style)
- Easy baked whole rainbow trout (20-minute recipe)
- Easy Salmon recipe - air fryer and oven instructions
🎥 Video
Here's a short video for how to make Greek Ladolemono:
🎵 Music on Video: Folk Bed, Musician: Audionautix.com
📖 Recipe
Ladolemono: Greek lemon olive oil dressing
Ingredients
Basic Recipe:
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Optional:
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Transfer all the ingredients to a jar, shaker or bowl
- If using a jar or shaker, close firmly with the lid and shake well.If using a bowl, whisk vigorously with a fork until you get a homogenized, creamy sauce.
Notes
Storage:
Store in a well-sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the olive oil solidifies in the fridge, let the dressing sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Shake well before use, to get the same velvety texture (the oil and lemon juice will separate with time).Don't miss these recipes:
Nutrition
🍳 More Recipes to Try
If you tried this Greek olive oil and lemon dressing (ladolemono), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
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