Make the best Honey Mustard Dressing, the perfect vinaigrette for salads, vegetables, and more. This homemade recipe is the perfect flavor addition to so many dishes!
Why This Recipe is the Best
This homemade Honey Mustard Dressing is one of those quick wins that totally elevates your meals. It comes together in minutes with pantry staples and adds a bold, sweet-tangy flavor to everything from spinach to kale salads.
We love it not just as a dressing, but also as a dip for veggies or a marinade for grilled chicken. Using Dijon mustard makes all the difference—it’s smooth, creamy, and brings just the right amount of tang without being overpowering. Once you try this easy DIY version, you’ll never want the store-bought kind again!
Our favorite dish to top this with is our Christmas Salad and our Broccoli Salad with Craisins, it's so good!
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Key Ingredients
A great combination of flavors to make a simple yet satisfying dressing!
- Olive oil- The base of this dressing is olive oil. It pairs better with the ingredients than other oils.
- Apple cider vinegar- Make this a true vinaigrette with a sweeter vinegar.
- Honey- You can double the honey for a sweeter taste. Or substitute with maple syrup to make it vegan.
- Dijon mustard- For the best flavor use Dijon mustard instead of regular mustard. We love using the Marzetti brand.
How to make Honey Mustard Dressing
Learn how to make this quick and easy dressing in less than five minutes.
- Add all the wet ingredients to a bowl or a jar with a lid.
- Next add the spices to taste.
- Place the lid on the jar, or with a whisk if you are using a bowl, shake the ingredients until they incorporate together.
Hint: The ingredients will separate over time so be sure to whisk or shake again before drizzling on top of your salad.
What Can I Do with Honey Mustard Dressing?
Honey mustard dressing is one of our favorite dressings, it adds a sweet-tangy flavor that’s perfect for so many dishes! It’s a classic dip for crispy chicken tenders and fried chicken. You can also use it as a delicious marinade for grilled or baked chicken, letting the dressing soak in. It’s great drizzled over salads! For another homemade dressing try our Balsamic Vinaigrette and Lemon Vinaigrette.
Top tip
This vinaigrette is only lightly sweetened. If you want a sweeter honey mustard dressing, double the honey. Add a little at a time to get that perfect flavor you're looking for.
Recipe
Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons honey double for a sweeter dressing, see note 1 below
- 1 ½ teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using) in a glass jar. Seal tightly and shake 30-60 seconds until emulsified. Serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
- This is a vinaigrette and only lightly sweetened. For a sweeter honey mustard dressing, double the honey. You can always add a little bit more (then shake to combine!) at a time until you get the right amount.
- You can use this dressing on a variety of things. It's popular on green and broccoli salads and fried chicken as well as used as a chicken marinade.
Nutrition
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Substitutions and Variations
Try some of our favorite substitutions and variations for different fun flavors! This is a dairy free salad dressing.
- Hot- We've added the option of adding red pepper flakes to make this a little spicy. They are completely optional.
- Balsamic- While we love the flavor that apple cider vinegar adds, you can use balsamic vinegar instead.
- Lemon- For an extra strong lemon flavor, replace the apple cider vinegar with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Vegan- Make this a vegan recipe by using maple syrup instead of honey.
Storing Honey Mustard Dressing
You can store this homemade dressing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to shake or whisk the ingredients together when ready to serve. They will settle over time.
Andrea says
I love adding this dressing to any salad or with breaded chicken! It's so quick and easy!