Honey Dijon is one of my favorite types of salad dressing, and it’s easily dairy free. But many blog recipes are muddled with yogurt, garlic, onion, etc. They have far too many distractions, taking away from the delicious, simple taste that honey and mustard offer together. So many years ago, I whipped up this healthy dairy-free honey dijon dressing. Over time, I’ve perfected my base recipe and have added many variations.
Dairy-Free Honey Dijon Dressing made to Taste
This is also the Sweet Dijon Dressing recipe that I shared in my cookbook, Eat Dairy Free. But since I’ve made so many variations, I decided to update it here online. I think what I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to adapt to taste each and every time you make it. It can be any degree of tangy, sweet, savory, rich, or creamy that you like! It’s so simple, that I rarely make a big batch. I simply whip up a version of this honey Dijon dressing whenever we feel like having salads or need a dipping sauce. Consequently, I’ve made many variations. Here are some additional options that you might like.
Dairy-Free Honey Dijon Ingredient Options
- Mustard Options – Dijon mustard is definitely my favorite for honey mustard dressing. But this recipe still works nicely with stone ground mustard, whole grain mustard, and spicy brown mustard. Yes, I’ve even used plain old yellow mustard!
- Sweetener Options – When using Dijon or stone ground mustard, I sometimes substitute maple syrup for the honey. If you’re strictly vegan, you can use agave nectar or maple syrup. Agave pairs well with any type of mustard.
- Vinegar Options – You can use rice vinegar for the vinegar, or substitute lemon juice. Balsamic vinegar can actually be nice, too. If using a sharper vinegar, start with just 2 tablespoons, and add more to taste.
- Thickener Options – As noted in the recipe options, you can use mayonnaise or oil instead of flax seeds for thickening this dressing. Another option is to substitute chia seeds for the flax seeds. You can use ground or whole chia seeds. Another one of my favorite options is to substitute peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter for the flaxmeal. This lends a slightly different flavor.
- Other Add Ins – As noted, you can simply add mayo for a creamier dressing. You can really add as little or as much as you like. I just put 1/4 to 1/2 cup as a general baseline. If you use egg-free vegan mayo, the dressing will be thinner. I also like to add black pepper to this dairy-free honey Dijon dressing. I’m not a fan of garlic or dairy-free yogurt in this dressing, but go for it if it’s your thing.
Serving Ideas
This dairy-free honey Dijon dressing pairs very well with green salads topped with fresh veggies, like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and carrots. I also like it with roasted Brussels sprouts or steamed broccoli and cauliflower.
The honey Dijon dip is a favorite with potato wedges, baked sweet potato fries, and chicken tenders. It’s also a great alternative to plain mayonnaise in chicken salad or tuna salad for sandwiches.
Special Diet Notes: Low-Fat Sweet Dijon Dressing
By ingredients, the main recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, oil-free, plant-based, and vegetarian. The recipe options can introduce some top allergens, so choose your ingredients wisely. See the post above for honey-free and vegan options.
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey, or to taste
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 teaspoons ground flaxseed (optional, for thickening)
- In a bowl or jar, whisk together the honey, mustard, vinegar, and flaxmeal.
- Put the dressing in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, while you make the rest of your salad.
- Cover, and store any leftover honey mustard dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Honey Dijon Dip Option: Omit the flaxseed and vinegar. Whisk in ½ cup mayonnaise.
Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Option: Omit the flaxeed and whisk in ½ cup oil. You can use a neutral-tasting oil, avocado oil, or extra-virgin olive oil. Do not use coconut oil.
Sweet & Tangy Dressing Option: Reduce the Dijon mustard to ¼ cup and the flaxseed to 2 teaspoons.
Small Batch Option: Whisk together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 teaspoon flaxmeal for a large single serving.
2 Comments
Simply delicious! Doubled the recipe, using 2 tsp ground flaxseed and blended it up. Made it a second time with spicy brown mustard and fig infused white vinegar and it’s still delicious! Yum!! It encourages me to eat a lot of salad:). THANKS!
Thanks for sharing your successful modifications Kathleen!