I personally love putting dressing on my vibrant green bowl of salad to have that smooth and zingy twist that completes it. But I often hear that people think of dressing as something unhealthy or too artificial. That’s why I wanted to make my own homemade yummy and healthy salad dressing. Not only is it healthier compared to store-bought ones, but it is also easy to make. Well, it took me a lot of research and trial and error until I learned exactly How to Make Honey Mustard Dressing. Thankfully, I can now easily convince the pickiest eaters to try eating more greens guilt-free. Here’s another great addition to your salad dressing repertoire!
What is Honey Mustard Dressing?
One of the first commercial applications of honey mustard dressing is from a fast-food chain during the ’80s. Apparently, the first recipe was homemade which quickly caught the nation’s heart and became a must-have. With the rapid commercialization of this sauce, some ingredients needed to be replaced to have more efficient outputs. This involved changing the once whole, healthy salad dressing to a not-so-healthy one. Just go check the ingredient label on your bottled dressing and you’ll see what I’m talking about. But you don’t have to worry about that because we made sure that our version of today’s Honey Mustard Recipe is as healthy as it could be.
Honey Mustard Ingredients
If you look this up on the internet now, it would probably say that regular honey mustard is detrimental to your health- but that’s based on store-bought bottles of honey mustard. I want to assure you of the benefits you could have when you make your own honey mustard dressing. So let’s take a closer look at our ingredients.
Lemon Juice
We’ve used this glorious liquid in so many recipes here but did you know that it is a great source of vitamin C that boosts your immune system? It also helps in digestion and balances the body’s PH level. Aside from its health benefits, it also has a zingy flavor that gives any dish a flavorful kick. (See my Creamy Lemon Garlic Boneless Chicken Breast dish.)
White Vinegar
This crystal clear sour liquid may help in reducing bad cholesterol. In some parts of the world, white vinegar is used in a lot of delicacies. The sour taste balances overpowering flavors to have a more harmonious taste profile. Because it’s anti-microbial, it helps in prolonging the shelf life of the dishes.
Honey
If we’re talking about health and wealth, this ingredient surely gets the crown. It’s rich in antioxidants and makes a natural sweetener that means little to no artificial chemicals in your body. Honey also helps in controlling your cholesterol level.
Stoneground Mustard
The plant itself is a powerhouse already. Its seeds pack a great deal of fiber, selenium, magnesium, and manganese. If that didn’t convince you yet, you should also know that the plant leaves can be eaten raw and cooked. Talk about being versatile, huh. Like our other ingredients, this one is also a good source of antioxidants so you won’t have to worry much about getting diseases.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
What’s a salad with olive oil! Aside from getting that Italian flavor, extra virgin olive oil also provides antioxidants and monosaturated fats which are seen as protective elements. No more worrying about getting your heart broken. It may help in improving insulin sensitivity which, in turn, could help in protecting against type 2 diabetes.
Mayonnaise
I know a lot of you have prejudice about mayonnaise as being gravely unhealthy but our Homemade Mayonnaise recipe offers a more natural and healthier take on the classic mayo. You’d thank me later.
Recipe Variations
Aside from those mentioned above, you may also throw in these other simple ingredients to jazz up your dressing.
Don’t have mayonnaise? You may make my homemade recipe or switch it up with Greek yogurt. Minced garlic and onions also add a nice touch of flavor to this dressing. If you’d like some heat into it, feel free to add in a pinch of Cayenne Pepper.
Ways to Use Honey Mustard Dressing
Other than drizzling this on salads, here are other ways you can enjoy this healthy, creamy, sweet, and tangy dressing. And yes, you can always apply this to other foods that you love.
As a dip to these Baked Chicken Tenders or nuggets Make this as a replacement to any mayo-based dressing like for this Chicken Macaroni Salad Thicken it up and brush on veggies and meat before roasting. Spread some love onto your sandwiches with this.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
Homemade Ranch Dressing Blue Cheese Dressing Caesar Salad Dressing Creamy Coleslaw Dressing
How To Make Honey Mustard Dressing
Add lemon juice, white vinegar, honey, mustard, oil, salt, and mayonnaise. (You may also throw in minced garlic and onions as shown above.) Whisk together until all the ingredients have been fully combined. Adjust ingredients to sweet taste buds – if it is too tart add more honey – too sweet add more lemon juice or vinegar. You like it creamy add more mayonnaise. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
