Honey Mustard Dressing

Name: Honey Mustard Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 lemon (juiced (about 2-3 Tablespoons)); 2 Tablespoons honey*; 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard*; 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or shallots; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; ground pepper (to taste); 1/4 cup olive or avocado oil

By Brittany Mullins

4.58

Published Apr 15, 2021, Updated Jun 12, 2023

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Perfectly sweet with a bit of tanginess, this honey mustard dressing is creamy, delicious and only takes 5 minutes to whip up!

Honey mustard dressing seems to be a staple dressing (or sauce) in many homes and it’s the same over here. I grew up on honey mustard sauce so it will always be a little nostalgic for me!

Jar and spoon with honey mustard dressing. A salad is behind the jar of dressing.

Traditional honey mustard is loaded with ingredients you can’t pronounce and that aren’t so great for you. So I took a stab at an Eating Bird Food version and it’s just as flavorful but made with much better ingredients!

Jar of honey mustard dressing, a bowl of honey, a lemon half, a bowl fo dijon mustard and a salad on a table top.

Honey Mustard Dressing vs. Honey Mustard Sauce

Honestly, I use this recipe both ways, but the big difference is that honey mustard sauce is thicker and usually involves mayo whereas the dressing in thin enough to drizzle and includes oil.

Here’s a basic formula for traditional honey mustard dressing and sauce.

Honey mustard sauce: equal parts of honey, mustard and mayonnaise.
Honey mustard dressing: a blend of oil, vinegar, mustard and honey.

I added a few extra ingredients to bring this recipe to the next level!

Olive oil vinegar, honey, dijon, salt, pepper, garlic and lemon measured out on a table.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this sweet and tangy dressing.

olive oil – the perfect base to the rest of the ingredients.
lemon juice – lemon juice isn’t in the traditional recipe, but I find that a little lemon juice really brings out the flavors of the dressing!
honey – this is what gives the dressing the sweetness we all know and love. Feel free to use maple syrup for a vegan version.
mustard – can’t make honey mustard without mustard! I prefer using dijon mustard or stone-ground because the flavors are more robust, but traditional yellow mustard also works. Just know that yellow mustard does have more vinegar so you may want more honey or less apple cider vinegar to balance that out!
apple cider vinegar – apple cider vinegar is loaded with health benefits and I love the tang it brings to this dressing. Look for apple cider vinegar with “the mother” included. I like Bragg’s apple cider vinegar!
garlic clove – another ingredient that isn’t in traditional honey mustard, but minced garlic really brings this dressing to the next level! You can also used minced shallot instead of garlic for a milder flavor.
sea salt and ground pepper – key seasonings to bring the flavors of this dressing together.

Side by side photos of a whisk and jar with ingredients to make honey mustard dressing before and asking being whisked.

What to Serve with this 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:

It would be delicious on just about any salad! I can’t wait to try it with this blueberry corn chicken salad.
Drizzled over my maple mustard tempeh bowls.
As a dipping sauce for chicken tenders and chicken nuggets!

White ceramic jar with a spout, full of honey mustard dressing. A lemon half, bowl of dijon, bowl of honey and a salad are next to the dressing jar.

How to Store Honey Mustard Dressing

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.

Want More Salad Dressing Recipes?

Check out all my healthy homemade salad dressing recipes or try out some of the dressings below.

Spoon spooning a spoonful of honey mustard dressing from a glass jar.

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4.58 from 28 votes

Honey Mustard Dressing

By: Brittany Mullins

Perfectly sweet with a bit of tanginess, this honey mustard dressing is creamy, delicious and only takes 5 minutes to whip up!

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: 6

Ingredients

▢ 1 lemon, juiced (about 2-3 Tablespoons)
▢ 2 Tablespoons honey*
▢ 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard*
▢ 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
▢ 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or shallots
▢ 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
▢ ground pepper, to taste
▢ 1/4 cup olive or avocado oil

Instructions

Blend:
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.
Store: 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!