Honey Mustard Dressing
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This healthy honey mustard dressing comes together in 5 minutes with a handful of real ingredients. It’s sweet, tangy, and good on far more than just salad.
Honey mustard has always been a special sauce for me. I grew up dunking chicken tenders in it and putting it on just about every salad, and to this day it’s still one of my favorite condiments. That said, the traditional bottled versions are full of ingredients I can’t pronounce, so a few years back I set out to make my own homemade version with clean, whole ingredients.
It’s sweet, tangy, creamy, takes just 5 minutes to whisk together and works as both a salad dressing and a dipping sauce. Try it drizzled over my blueberry corn chicken salad or use it as a dip for my baked chicken tenders.
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“WOW! Found my new staple salad dressing – this is so yummy on all my salads and I am definitely going to try using it as a marinade for salmon too. Love that it’s super easy and way better nutritionally than store bought dressing.”
Why I Love This Honey Mustard Dressing
- It actually goes with everything: I end up using this way beyond salads. It’s really good on roasted veggies, drizzled over grain bowls or even as a quick sauce for wraps and sandwiches.
- The texture is exactly how you want it: It’s smooth and creamy but still light enough to drizzle. You can easily adjust it depending on what you’re using it for.
- It makes simple meals better: This is one of those small things that instantly upgrades whatever you’re eating. Even a basic salad feels way more interesting with this on top.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make this sweet and tangy dressing.
- lemon – fresh lemon juice brightens the whole thing up. Bottled works in a pinch, but fresh really does taste better here.
- honey – the sweetness that balances the tangy Dijon. Swap in maple syrup to make the dressing vegan.
- dijon mustard – my go-to for the most robust flavor. Stone-ground works too, or yellow mustard if that’s what you have on hand. Just know yellow mustard has more vinegar, so cut back on the apple cider vinegar or add a little extra honey to balance it out.
- apple cider vinegar – adds a bright tang and depth of flavor. I use Bragg’s, but any apple cider vinegar works.
- garlic – just a little minced garlic gives it a savory kick. Swap in minced shallot for a milder, slightly sweeter flavor.
- olive or avocado oil – the base that pulls everything together and gives the dressing its body.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Honey Mustard Dressing
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a blender (or a jar/bowl).
Step 2: Blend or whisk until smooth and completely combined.
Tips for the Best Honey Mustard Dressing
- Taste before you serve, and adjust to you: This dressing is all about balance, and everyone’s honey mustard is a little different. Too tangy for you? Add a drizzle more honey. Too sweet? A splash more vinegar or lemon.
- Give it 10 minutes before digging in: I know, waiting is hard. But letting the dressing sit lets the garlic mellow and the flavors come together, and it’s so much better after a short rest than straight out of the bowl. Trust me on this one.
- Always shake before you pour: There’s nothing in here holding it together, so it’ll separate in the fridge, and that’s totally normal. A good shake or stir brings it right back to creamy.
- Make a honey mustard dip: Want honey mustard for dunking instead of drizzling? Skip the oil and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayo or plain Greek yogurt. That’s it. You’ve got a thick, creamy sauce that’s perfect for chicken tenders, pretzels, or a sandwich spread.
What to Serve with Honey Mustard Dressing
Honey mustard is a staple dressing recipe! I like this on a variety of side salads and meal-sized salads. Here are some recipes that it would be great with:
- On hearty salads: It’s made for anything with a little substance to it. Try it over my grilled chicken salad, a vegan cobb salad, or my harvest fall salad where the sweet and tangy really shines against the toppings.
- As a dip: Honey mustard is made for dipping. It’s perfect alongside my healthy chicken nuggets, or thicken it into a sauce for dunking sweet potato fries.
- On grain and veggie bowls: A drizzle ties everything together. I especially love it over my maple mustard tempeh bowls.
- As a marinade: Toss chicken or salmon in it before cooking. The honey helps everything caramelize while the mustard keeps it juicy.
- With roasted veggies: Drizzle it over warm roasted Brussels sprouts or a pan of roasted carrots right before serving for an easy way to dress up a simple side.
How to Store Honey Mustard Dressing
Store the dressing in a mason jar or any airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. It will separate as it sits, which is completely normal since there’s nothing in it to keep it emulsified, so give it a good shake or stir before each use.
If you made the thicker mayo or Greek yogurt version, go by the use-by date on whichever one you used, since it won’t keep quite as long as the oil-based dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes down to consistency. Honey mustard dressing is thinner and pourable, built on oil and acid so it drizzles over salads. Honey mustard sauce is thicker and creamier, usually made with mayo or Greek yogurt, and meant for dipping or spreading. This recipe is a dressing, but you can thicken it into a sauce by leaving out the oil and stirring in a few tablespoons of mayo or Greek yogurt.
This homemade version is made with simple ingredients like honey, Dijon and olive oil, with none of the preservatives or fillers you’ll find in most bottled dressings. You control exactly what goes in, which is the part I love.
Swap the honey for maple syrup. It’s a one-to-one swap and the rest of the recipe stays exactly the same.
It’s meant to be pourable, so on the thinner side is normal. If you want it thick enough to dip, leave out the oil and stir in a few tablespoons of mayo or plain Greek yogurt.
More Salad Dressing Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 2-3 Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons honey*
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard*
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic or shallots
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ground pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup olive or avocado oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until combined or alternatively add all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until completely combined. Makes 3/4 cup.1 lemon, 2 Tablespoons honey*, 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard*, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon minced garlic or shallots, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ground pepper, ¼ cup olive or avocado oil
- Store dressing in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey to make this dressing vegan.
- Mustard: Feel free to use stone-ground as a sub for Dijon. If you use yellow mustard, just know that it has more vinegar so you may want to add more honey or less apple cider vinegar to balance that out!
- Make it a dip: Leave out the oil and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayo or plain Greek yogurt for a thicker, dippable honey mustard sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
My husband does not stop repeating how much he likes this dressing. The taste is amazing! Everything is in balance. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
This totally made my day, Viktoriia! So happy to hear you’re both loving the dressing. Really appreciate you trying it and coming back to share! 🙂
Love this dressing. Used my whizzer and it came out nice and creamy. Used on the Asparagus and Feta salad that I made with goat cheese
So glad you loved this dressing, Christine! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Definitely a keeper! It’s my new favourite dressing to make.🙂
Yay! So glad you loved this dressing. Thanks for giving it a try and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I’m not usually one for honey mustard dressing, but this one is easy to make & easy to love! My husband liked it, too!
YAY! I am so glad you both loved this dressing, Ana. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
love this recipe, does it need to be refrigerated?
Yes! I like to store my honey mustard dressing in a mason jar or a similar airtight container in the refrigerator. This honey mustard dressing should last up to a week in the fridge. Glad you’re loving this recipe, Patrice!
This dressing wasn’t creamy, I wanted a dip consistency but this is more of a vinaigrette…
Absolutely delicious!!!
My husband loves this dressing so much he asks me to make it about once a week! W e have tried so many recipes and this is the one!
Yay! So glad you guys are loving this dressing, Lisa. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!