This honey dijon vinaigrette salad dressing is one of those simple recipes that completely changes your salad game. This salad dressing is made with basic pantry ingredients and shaken together in minutes. It's fresh, flavorful, and far better than anything you'll find in a bottle.
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This honey Dijon vinaigrette is especially good tossed with fresh, textured salads. Try it with my harvest spinach salad with walnuts and avocado, or use it as the dressing for my strawberry goat cheese salad for a lighter dressing option. It's also delicious drizzled over roasted vegetables. Try it with crispy broccoli, kalettes, or oven-roasted cauliflower for an easy way to add a sweet and tangy flavor.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This honey Dijon salad dressing comes together in one jar with zero fuss and zero mess!
- The flavor is perfectly balanced between sweet, tangy, and slightly sour.
- Made with super simple pantry ingredients that you'll likely already have on hand.
- It is super easy to customize and tastes way fresher and more vibrant than store-bought dressings.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Any neutral-tasting oil can be used. Some good options are sunflower, grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Dijon Mustard - Is key for flavor and emulsification of this salad dressing.
- Honey - Adds a natural sweetness, it can be substituted for maple syrup or sugar.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Gives this vinaigrette salad dressing an outstanding, crisp flavor. It can be swapped for white wine vinegar or lemon juice if needed.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Easy Tweaks And Variations
- Add Herbs - Add fresh or dry herbs like thyme, oregano, basil, or Italian seasoning.
- Red Chili Flakes - Add red chili flakes to give it a spicy bite.
- Make It Creamy - Add a spoonful of Greek yogurt or mayonnaise.
Try this apple cider vinegar dressing on my crisp broccoli and cheddar salad for a lighter dressing option, or serve it on my chicken and apple kale salad, too!
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How To Make Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Step 1
This is a "shake and serve" salad dressing and only takes 5 minutes to make!
In a mason jar, add all of the ingredients.
Step 2
Screw on a tight-fitting lid, and shake! Shake until the honey Dijon salad dressing is fully combined.
If you'd rather, you can use a whisk or immersion blender to mix this dressing together instead.
Step 3
Put it in the refrigerator and use it within 1 week, or serve it on your favorite salads or bowls.
Helpful Tips
- Use Dijon, not yellow mustard. Dijon has a slightly sharp flavor that blends seamlessly into vinaigrettes. It also acts as a natural emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar stay combined. You can use yellow mustard in a pinch, but the flavor will be less balanced, and the dressing will be thinner.
- To adjust the sweetness, start with less honey, then adjust to your taste.
- Shake well to emulsify. Vinaigrettes are made by combining oil and acid (like apple cider vinegar), which naturally want to separate from each other. Shaking the dressing vigorously helps break the oil into tiny droplets that disperse it throughout the mixture, creating a smooth, cohesive texture.
Storage Tips
Store honey Dijon vinaigrette salad dressing in a tightly sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Shake or stir before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dijon mustard is key for both flavor and texture. You can reduce it slightly, but without it, the dressing won't emulsify as well.
Apple cider vinegar is the top choice, but white wine vinegar is another option. They both provide a mild, balanced acidity.
Dijon mustard naturally thickens vinaigrettes. You can also add a small amount of plain yogurt or mayo for a creamier texture.
Separation is natural. Just shake it well before serving to recombine the ingredients.
More Honey Dijon Inspired Recipes
If you love this flavor combo, we have so many delicious recipes! For even more inspiration, browse our sauce recipes category, where you'll find plenty of delicious options for all your meals!
If you made this Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Jar with Tight Fitting Lid
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ⅓ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- In a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Screw on the lid tightly and shake for a minute or so until all of the ingredients are combined and emulsified. Serve or refrigerate.
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Notes
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Any neutral-tasting oil, like sunflower, avocado or grapeseed oil, can be used.
- Dijon Mustard: This is a key ingredient for flavor and emulsification of the salad dressing. If you use yellow mustard, the dressing will be a thinner consistency with a less balanced flavor.
- Honey: Maple syrup or sugar can be swapped for the honey.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Can be substituted for white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
- Add herbs like thyme, oregano, basil or parsley to give this salad dressing a different flavor or add red chili flakes for a spicy twist.
- Add a small amount of mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt to make this salad dressing creamy.
- Adjust the sweetness by gradually adding your sweetener of choice.
- Shake the dressing well to emulsify the ingredients. The dressing can also be made by whisking vigorously or using an immersion blender.
- Store dressing in a tightly sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake or stir it quickly before serving.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
I developed this dressing recipe to be light and fresh. It is delicious on salad or rice bowls, and it can be made in literally like 2 minutes! We'd love to hear if you try the recipe and what you think!