A simple homemade honey mustard dressing you can make in about five minutes with six everyday ingredients — perfect for salads, dipping, and marinades.
I often order salads with honey mustard dressing at restaurants. I’m not as into ranch as my kids are, blue cheese is too sharp for me, and vinaigrette is the go-to dressing I make at home. A few years ago I adapted a recipe to recreate the familiar restaurant flavor, and it turned out just right. Now I make honey mustard at home regularly.
This dressing also doubles as a tasty dip for chicken wings and a flavorful marinade for chicken or pork before grilling or broiling. It adds a delicious, slightly sweet and tangy touch to many dishes.
It takes about five minutes and a handful of real-food ingredients to make—no need for a bottled dressing when this comes together so quickly.
How to Make Honey Mustard Dressing
You’ll need six basic ingredients:
- honey
- olive oil
- rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- Dijon mustard
- lemon juice
- garlic
These pantry staples are all you need for a bright, balanced dressing. Homemade dressings let you control the quality and keep the ingredient list short and simple.
Method summary: combine most ingredients in a blender or food processor, then stream in the olive oil while the motor runs. Adding the oil slowly emulsifies the dressing and gives it a smooth, creamy texture. Adjust salt to taste.
Everyone who tries this says it tastes like restaurant dressing and can’t believe how fast it is to make. Try a batch today and keep a jar in the fridge for easy meals and grilling nights.
Perfect Honey Mustard Dressing & Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients except the olive oil and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until combined, about 30 seconds.
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With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow steady stream until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
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Taste and season with salt as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Other easy salad dressing recipes to try:
Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 4 Ways
Classic Caesar Salad Dressing
Best Ranch Dressing (kid-approved!)
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2010 and has been updated since.