Hot Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing with Apple Cider Vinegar
If you’ve never made your own salad dressing, this quick hot honey mustard vinaigrette is a great place to start. It’s bold, tangy, and just a little spicy thanks to hot honey, with a hint of fresh thyme and garlic to round out the flavor. You only need a few simple ingredients and five minutes to shake it all together.
This dressing is perfect for drizzling over leafy greens, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or anything that could use a little sweet heat. Bonus: it holds up well in the fridge, so you can prep it ahead and keep it on hand for easy, flavor-packed meals all week long.
I have nothing against a good store-bought dressing (there’s usually one or two in my fridge). But when you’ve got five extra minutes, making your own can really be worth it. It’s more affordable, you get full control over the ingredients, and the flavor is hard to beat.
This hot honey mustard vinaigrette is one of those go-to recipes that’s super quick and still delivers bold, crave-worthy flavor. The hot honey adds a subtle kick, balanced by tangy apple cider vinegar, savory garlic, and fresh thyme. It’s simple, but somehow tastes like way more effort than it actually is.
Of course, it’s great on leafy green salads—but don’t stop there. I love drizzling this dressing over roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or broccoli. It’s also delicious on grain bowls or as a dipping sauce for crispy tofu or french fries.
And if you’re in the mood to stock your fridge with homemade sauces, I recommend trying my Vegan Green Goddess Dressing or 5-Minute Walnut Pesto. For more ideas, check out my homemade sauces and condiments here.
Ingredients
In addition to the olive oil and vinegar used to make most vinaigrettes, this dressing is also made with hot honey and mustard. Hot honey adds sweet and spicy flavor. The mustard acts as an emulsifying agent to hold the oil and vinegar together, and it's all rounded out with garlic and thyme for even more depth of flavor. The result is simple and delicious.
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to a jar.
Whisk or cover with the lid and shake until mixed.
Hint: This recipe is a great way to use up the last little bit of mustard in the jar. When you have about two tablespoons left, just add the other ingredients right to the jar, cover, and shake. You'll use the bits of the mustard that are usually stuck to the sides of the jar.
Substitutions
If you need to make a substitution, here are a few ingredient swaps that work well.
- Vegan - substitute maple syrup for honey.
- Garlic - use ½ teaspoon garlic powder in place of fresh garlic. You could also swap in shallot.
- Hot honey - substitute regular honey and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Apple Cider Vinegar - swap in a different vinegar (such as red wine or balsamic vinegar) or use lemon.
Variations
Want to change up the flavor profile and make this recipe your own? Here are a few ideas.
- Mild - use regular honey instead of hot honey.
- Citrus - add a tablespoon of lemon or orange juice.
- Chipotle - blend with one canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
Try the Maple Mustard Vinaigrette version of this dressing in my Sheet Pan Chickpea Dinner recipe.
Equipment
- Jar with lid - I like to make this in a 10-ounce glass jar with a lid (jars between 8-12 ounces work well). This way, you can just cover the jar and shake to mix. It's also easy to store the dressing in the fridge without transferring it to another container.
- Whisk (optional) - If you use the cover and shake method, you don't actually need a whisk to mix together the dressing. A fork also works well if needed.
Storage
This recipe is great for making ahead. Store the prepared dressing in a jar with a lid in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Vinaigrette does not stand up well to freezing, because the emulsification can break under cold temperatures. Try to only make as much as you can use within two weeks.
Top tip
If you notice the honey is sticking to the bottom of the jar, shake it more vigorously, or scrape it with a whisk or fork and mix it into the dressing fully.
FAQ
Honey mustard salad dressing is typically made with oil, vinegar, honey, and mustard. This vinaigrette sometimes contains additional flavorings, such as garlic.
Mustard is an effective emulsifying agent that helps oil and vinegar stay together.
📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing with Apple Cider Vinegar
Equipment
- Jar with lid
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard , such as dijon or whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon hot honey (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced (see note 2)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard, hot honey, thyme, garlic, and salt to a jar. Whisk or cover and shake until mixed.
Notes
- Hot honey: hot honey is a spicy honey you can find in most grocery stores. You can also substitute regular honey with ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. For milder flavor, substitute regular honey without the crushed red pepper.
- Garlic: substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Do not freeze.
- Gluten-free: make sure the mustard you use is labeled gluten-free.
- Nutriton facts are estimates only.
