Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Everyone knows that my go to salad dressing is my balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve used it so much that it totally has its own reputation by now. But a few months ago, I sadly smashed a full, unopened bottle of balsamic vinegar leaving me with too little balsamic and a salad that had to be dressed for dinner in a few hours. So I had to think of something else to use to dress my salad and I decided to try my hand at a honey mustard vinaigrette.

Oh. My. Goodness. This stuff is good. So good, I think I’m ready to replace my usual go to vinaigrette with it. Instead of balsamic, I used white wine vinegar, but I’ve also made a version of this without any vinegar if you don’t have it on hand. I love the sweet mustard flavor that comes through in this dressing. I keep the seasonings minimal so that they don’t overpower the mustardy goodness, and I thinned it out a little with some water because I decided that there was plenty of oil in there already.

Side note: I’ve discovered that by using just a little water in a vinaigrette, you manage to maintain all the flavor, keep the dressing thick enough to really coat your salads, but you get to thin it out slightly, which also helps stretch the use of each batch. The trick is not using too much water, which will make your dressing a thin, runny mess that pools at the bottom of your salad bowl. Nobody wants that.

Anyway, I highly encourage branching out from your usual routine and trying something new every once in a while. You never know when you’re going to come across a new favorite!

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Water, to thin (about 1 tablespoon)

Directions:

Pour all ingredients except the water into a jar. Cap it off and give it a good shake until everything is combined. Add the water, a few drops at a time, until you get your desired consistency, then use it to dress your favorite salad.

Enjoy!