Tired of boring salad dressing? Spice things up with this easy Spicy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette recipe! Perfect for salads, grilling and more!

Mustard is one of my favorite memories from France. That’s right, I said it. I studied abroad in Toulouse and Paris when I was 19, and was shocked at the ubiquity of mustard over there. In America, burgers and fries are automatically served with ketchup. But in France, restaurants serve fries with mustard. It’s not bland either – true French mustard is pungent, vinegar-y, and almost mouth-puckering. (Trust me, that goes SO well with fries!)

That being said, sometimes I love it when my mustard is a little toned down. Of course, there’s no way to do that better than with honey. Honey and mustard are just made for each other! But what really sends honey mustard over the top is SPICE. I’ve written this recipe to add spice through hot sauce and dried chili flakes, but there are a number of variations that I’ve included in the notes. The key thing to note is that what mustard you use will dictate how much honey you’ll need. Not all mustards are mad the same; some are much more pungent than others. So be sure to taste as you go when making the vinaigrette! Happy cooking! :)

Spicy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette FAQs

My honey mustard vinaigrette is too thick. How can I thin it out?

If your dressing is too thick, simply whisk in a little more olive oil or water, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

My honey mustard vinaigrette separated. What happened?

Most vinaigrettes separate naturally. The reason you don’t see this as much in grocery store dressings is because they use emulsifiers to prevent the dressing from separating.  Honey and mustard can both serve as emulsifiers, but natural separation can still occur. To fix it at home, vigorously shake the dressing well before serving to re-emulsify the ingredients.

What can I use this dressing with?

There are so many ways you can use this honey mustard dressing! Try using it:

• As a dressing for salad or pasta salad
• As a marinade for grilled meats or vegetables
• As a spread for sandwiches
• As a dip for carrots, celery, and other crudité
• Served over roasted radishes

Print

Spicy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Tired of boring salad dressing? Spice things up with this easy Spicy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette recipe! Perfect for salads, grilling and more!

Course condiments

Keyword honey, hot sauce, mustard, olive oil, red pepper flakes, vinegar

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard see notes
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
• 1 Tsp Hot Sauce of choice
• 1/2 Tsp Salt or more to taste
• 1 Tsp Aleppo Pepper see notes
• Black Pepper to taste
• Red Pepper Flakes to taste, optional

Instructions

• First, taste test your mustard and follow instructions in the notes section.
• Combine all ingredients to a bowl and whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth and homogenous.
• Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• Store dressing in an air-tight jar when not using.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• The most important thing to note in this recipe is that not all Dijon mustards are created equally! Before making the recipe, taste-test your mustard to see how vinegar-y it is. Depending on your liking, you may want to add less lemon juice to this recipe. On the other side, if the mustard is less vinegar-y and more sweet, consider adding less honey and a splash of champagne or wine vinegar to the dressing. Be sure to always add in increments and taste as you go!
• If you can’t find Aleppo pepper, feel free to omit or use hot paprika and chili flakes instead.
• If spice isn’t your thing, feel free to omit the spicy pepper flakes and/or hot sauce.
• Separation is natural. Before serving, shake the dressing to recombine.
• This vinaigrette will last in the fridge for up to a week.