Honey Mustard Dressing
on May 06, 2022, Updated Oct 17, 2024
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The perfect balance of peppery heat from the mustard and sweetness from the honey, all bound together in a creamy salad dressing (also a great dip for chicken nuggets!).
Honey mustard dressing came into fashion when I was growing up. It started appearing on all kinds of restaurant menus and then in bottles on supermarket shelves. The blend of peppery heat from the mustard and the sweetness of the honey, all bound together in a creamy (usually) dressing, captured a whole lot of people’s fancy.
It also showed up in thicker versions as a dip (notably paired with chicken tenders or nuggets). Well, it’s still delicious, and now we can make honey mustard dressing even better at home!
Try adding this homemade salad dressing to Brown Rice Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, or Vegetable and Farro Salad.
Table of Contents
Honey Mustard Dressing: The perfect balance of peppery heat from the mustard and sweetness from the honey, all bound together in a creamy salad dressing (also a great dip for chicken nuggets!)
What Kind of Mustard to Use in Honey Mustard Dressing?
Dijon mustard, with its distinctive sharpness, is the way to go for this salad dressing. I prefer smooth Dijon mustard in the recipe, but you should feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
I usually like my honey mustard dressing on the creamier side, though in general, I am very partial to grainy Dijon’s as well. You can pick the consistency of your mustard, knowing it will, of course, influence the consistency of your finished dressing.
Honey Mustard Dressing Ingredients
- Honey – Obviously, as it’s part of the title and gives the dressing its sweetness.
- Dijon mustard – The spicy kick of Dijon is such a good counterpoint to the honey. Both the mustard and the honey help the dressing emulsify (or bind) together in a creamy unified way.
- Vinegar – The apple-y flavor of cider vinegar is my favorite here, but other vinegars such as rice, white wine, or red wine could also be used.
- Garlic – Provides a spicy pop.
- Olive oil – For smoothness, flavor, and richness.
- Salt and black pepper – Because: always!
How to Make Honey Mustard Dressing
- Add ingredients: In a container or jar with a lid, combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Mix and use: Cover and shake well to combine. Serve over your salad, shaking again just before pouring.
A Classic Salad for Honey Mustard Dressing
You can use this dressing on any lettuce or vegetable-based salad you like. A very classic basic salad combo is some sort of crunchy lettuce (iceberg, romaine, green or red lettuce) plus some cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions.
This dressing also goes really nicely with fresh or dried fruit and nuts in salads, so if you have those around, throw them in. The spicy sweetness of the dressing is a great complement to everything from dried apricots to walnuts to pecans and sliced apples.
Storage
This will keep for 1 week in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Shake well before pouring it over a salad.
What To Serve with Honey Mustard Dressing
Honey Mustard Dressing would be great on the following salads (in place of the dressings in the recipe!).
More Salad Dressing Recipes
- Homemade Italian Dressing
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- Japanese Restaurant Salad Dressing
- Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Green Goddess Dressing
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Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a container or jar with a lid, combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake well to combine.
- This will keep for a week sealed in the refrigerator. Shake well before pouring it over a salad.
