Simple Honey Mustard Dressing can be whipped up in just 5 minutes. A flavourful vinaigrette salad dressing combining Dijon mustard and runny honey with some freshly squeezed lemon juice. A touch of chilli balances out the sweet and sour flavours in this honey mustard vinaigrette.
This best honey mustard dressing recipe is perfectly balanced, sweet honey, sour lemon, spicy chilli and a touch of salt. A good homemade salad dressing will add a punch of flavor and seasoning to any dish its added to.
The added chilli and dried oregano are entirely optional and you can leave those ingredients out if you prefer and still be left with a great tasting salad dressing.
I like to make my own homemade salad dressings and rarely buy store-bought dressings. My healthy honey mustard salad dressing does not contain refined sugars, excess salt or unnecessary additives and preservatives.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The perfect balance of flavours with the sweet honey, sharp mustard, sour lemon and just a touch of chilli spice.
- Make ahead and store the dressing in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- Ready in 5 minutes just place everything in a jar with a lid and shake.
Honey Mustard Dressing ingredients
- Mustard - I add Dijon mustard to the dressing.
- Honey - a little runny honey adds sweetness and balances out the sour flavour of lemon juice.
- Lemon - I add the juicea fresh lemon to the salad dressing. Freshly squeezed lemon juice will always give the best flavor, but bottled fresh lemon juice can work in a pinch.
- Oil - extra virgin olive oil is added to the dressing as it has a great nutty flavor. Use regular olive oil if you don't have EVOO.
- Flavouring - I add extra flavour to the honey mustard vinaigrette with some dried oregano and chilli flakes.
- Seasoning - there's so much flavour in this salad dressing that I keep seasoning simple with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How to make Honey Mustard Dressing
- Place all the ingredients into a jar.
- Place the lid on the jar and give it a good shake to combine all the ingredients together.
- You can also place all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.
- Place in the refrigerator until ready to dress a salad.
- Give the salad dressing a good shake before using to incorporate all the ingredients together again.
Recipe variations
- I've used Dijon mustard but you could also use wholegrain mustard. Don't use English or yellow mustard as it has too strong a flavor which will overpower the other ingredients in the dressing.
- For extra lemon flavour, add the finely grated zest of a lemon too.
- Don't have lemon juice, then swap for another acid like white wine or apple cider vinegar.
- If you don't like spice you can leave out the chilli flakes, or cut back and just add a pinch.
- Add ½ a clove of finely crushed garlic to the dressing, no more or the raw garlic will overpower every other flavour in the dressing.
Serving suggestions
This simple salad dressing can be added to a variety of salads. I've served it here with my Watermelon Feta Salad, but it would work equally well over my Roast Pumpkin Salad or a Warm Potato Salad.
Don't limit yourself to only using honey mustard dressing with salads, this would make a great dipping sauce for grilled chicken or veggie sticks. I also like to drizzle this dressing over my Honey Roasted Root Vegetables, or my Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots.
Useful hints and tips
- Always check salad dressing for seasoning before you dress the salad, and adjust with a little more salt, black pepper and chilli flakes if required.
- I recommend using a jam jar when making salad dressing as it makes it really easy to mix the dressing, place the lid on and give it a good shake. The lidded jar also keeps the salad fresh when being stored in the fridge.
- Containing no dairy this salad dressing is suitable for dairy free.
- If serving to vegan diners swap the honey for maple or agave syrup.
- Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
Once made, this salad dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Ensure you shake the jar well before each use.
Not only does mustard provide flavor to this honey mustard dressing, it also acts as an emulsifying agent which helps the oil and acids to combine.
Yes, this is a healthy salad dressing as it does not contain refined sugars, excess salt or any unnecessary additives or preservatives.
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Additional recipe suggestions
Dressing and sauces pack a real punch of flavor to any dish they are added to. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- Lemon Balsamic Dressing
- Classic French Dressing
- Simple Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Homemade Mayonnaise
- Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Easy Green Chutney
Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a jar.
- Place the lid on the jar and give it a good shake to combine all the ingredients together.
- You can also place all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.
- Place in the refrigerator until ready to dress a salad.
- Give the salad dressing a good shake before using to incorporate all the ingredients together again.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
Cat says
I've had honey and mustard dressings a lot but never with oregano and chilli so I had to try this. It was absolutely delicious!
Lesley says
Thank you Cat, I'm glad you enjoyed it. The oregano and chilli just add an extra layer of flavour.
Chloe says
Love these classic recipes - the oregano really made it and the whole thing really perked up the bag of rocket and watercress salad that I had.
Lesley says
I agree, dried oregano is one of those ingredients that can just add an extra layer of flavour to a simple salad dressing.
Janice says
I'm picking lettuce from my garden every day now and it's nice to have a change of dressing. The touch of chilli in your recipe makes all the difference and I'll be making it often.
Lesley says
Thank you Janice, I like having a host of dressing recipes to hand at this time of year when the garden is overflowing with salad vegetables.