Honey Mustard Marinade is a combination of sweet and tangy flavors. This simple yet delicious blend of honey, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and seasonings is perfect for chicken, pork, veggies, and more.
Marinades are a fantastic way to infuse flavor into your recipes, and this honey mustard marinade is no exception.
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Honey Dijon Marinade
A honey mustard marinade is an easy and flavorful addition to your cooking repertoire.
With just a few simple ingredients, you can elevate your meals and impress your family and friends.
This easy homemade marinade will flavor meats and vegetables quickly.
Just cover your choice of meat, seafood or vegetables with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For a more intense flavor you can marinate the food for up to 4 hours.
Meats that you can marinate include chicken, beef, pork and turkey.
Seafood, such as salmon, cod, shrimp, scallops, will do well with this easy marinade too. Just be sure to marinate for only 30 minutes. Marinating delicate seafood longer than half an hour may change the texture of the seafood.
Vegetables will take on a yummy flavor when marinated and will also taste delicious with a drizzle of honey mustard sauce after cooking too.
So go ahead and use this easy sauce on your favorite foods, customize it to your personal taste with one of my variations, and enjoy the perfect balance of flavors and all the deliciousness!
If you love honey, be sure to give my Orange Honey Balsamic Salad Dressing a try too!
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How to make a honey mustard dressing
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Step 1: In a bowl, combine honey, Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper.
- Step 2: Whisk the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and blended.
- Step 3: Store the marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Hint: You can also combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar, seal the lid and shake it until the mixture is blended
Expert recipe tips
- You can easily double this recipe
- For meats like chicken and pork, marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- For tougher cuts of meats, you can actually marinate overnight. This will enhance tenderness.
- Always marinate in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. Avoid leaving food at room temperature.
- It is important to discard any marinade that has been used. The used marinade liquid will not be safe to consume after raw foods have marinated in it.
- While marinating adds flavor, too long in an acidic marinade can break down proteins and change the texture making some foods mushy. Keep an eye on the timing.
- You can get creative with the herbs and spices that you add to your marinade. Use fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley or add a kick of heat with cayenne pepper.
- I love to use this recipe as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and chicken tenders!
Substitutions
You can use the following substitutions in your honey mustard marinade recipe:
- Mustards - If Dijon isn’t your favorite, you can use whole grain mustard for added texture, yellow mustard for a milder flavor or spicy mustard for an extra kick of flavor.
- Sweeteners - Swap honey for maple syrup or agave nectar for a different sweetness profile.
- Vinegars - Any mild vinegar can work in place of the apple cider vinegar. Try using balsamic vinegar for a sweeter touch or rice vinegar for a lighter flavor
- Garlic – Minced fresh garlic can certainly replace the garlic powder
- Oils - Avocado oil or your favorite oil can replace the olive oil
Variations
You can easily change up the flavor of this simple marinade with these variations:
- Smoky - Add a smoky flavor with the addition of smoked paprika
- Savory – Dried thyme or dried oregano along with minced onion will lend savory flavors to this marinade
- Mediterranean – Dried rosemary or dried marjoram will add a mediterranean flavor
- Heat - Cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes will add a touch of heat and spice
Equipment
- whisk
- mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- glass measuring cup
- mason jar
Storage
- Store the marinade in an airtight container or a mason jar in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- The marinade will stay fresh for 1-2 days.
- As always, check out more guidelines at USDA.gov.
How to Use a Marinade
- Meats - For meats, place them in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the top, seal or cover, and refrigerate.
- Grilling or Roasting - After marinating, cook your protein on the grill or in the oven. The marinade can create a lovely caramelization when cooked.
- Vegetables - Toss your favorite veggies in the marinade and grill or roast them for a delicious side dish. Bell peppers, zucchini, and asparagus work particularly well.
- Basting Sauce - If you want extra flavor, reserve some marinade before adding it to raw meat. You can use the reserved marinade to baste your food while cooking.
Food safety
When marinating foods there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Refrigerate your food while marinating it. Don't marinate foods at room temperature
- Do not use the same marinade that raw food has been in to baste your food while cooking.
- If you want to baste your food during cooking with the marinade, always set aside some of the marinade to use for basting.
- You can also bring the used marinade to a boil and boil for at least one minute and then use it for basting. It is essential to bring the mixture to a full boil for a minute or longer to kill any bateria from the raw food that has been marinating in it.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
Ingredients
Marinade ingredients:
- Dijon mustard
- honey
- apple cider vinegar
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Related Recipes
Salad dressings and sauces also make good marinades. Be sure to give these recipes a try too!
Honey Mustard Marinade Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper until smooth.
- Pour the marinade over meats, seafood or vegetables, ensuring they are well-coated.
- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Cook your food as desired, discarding any used marinade.
- Store the marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Notes
- You can easily double this recipe
- For meats like chicken and pork, marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- For tougher cuts of meats, you can actually marinate overnight. This will enhance tenderness.
- Always marinate in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. Avoid leaving food at room temperature.
- It is important to discard any marinade that has been used. The used marinade liquid will not be safe to consume after raw foods have marinated in it.
- While marinating adds flavor, too long in an acidic marinade can break down proteins and change the texture making some foods mushy. Keep an eye on the timing.
- You can get creative with the herbs and spices that you add to your marinade. Use fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley or add a kick of heat with cayenne pepper.
- I love to use this recipe as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and chicken tenders!
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