Orange Honey Mustard Dressing

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This orange honey mustard dressing is sweet and tangy and needs only 5 ingredients! It's delicious on salads, and it also makes a tasty dip for chicken nuggets or vegetables, and it adds a refreshing tang when drizzled over grilled chicken fish, or fried eggs. Light, creamy, and fresh, it's so good that it doesn't have to be limited to salads!

Why Make Your Own Dressing?

There are plenty of salad dressings out there that I think are delicious and love to buy. However, more often than not, I cannot finish a bottle before it goes bad and I end up having to toss it. Dressings can also be expensive and sometimes they contain ingredients that I don't want.

Making your own dressing, like this orange honey mustard dressing, means that you've got a much smaller quantity to get through and it's always fresh. You know everything going into it and you can also adjust the ingredients to your taste and whip it up at a moment's notice. Finally, you can't beat the cost savings!

Ingredients

Half an orange, a metal bowl containing mustard, a white bowl containing brown honey, a white bowl containing white mayonnaise, a white bowl containing vinegar.

Orange juice (I like fresh-squeezed)
Dijon mustard
Honey
Mayonnaise
Apple cider vinegar
Black pepper (optional)

How to Make the Dressing

Depending on how juicy your orange is, you'll need anywhere from ½ an orange to a whole one. In a pinch, you can use store-bought orange juice.

Close-up of a hand juicing half an orange.

A glass measuring cup containing a metal whisk, orange juice, mayonnaise, and mustard.

Combine the orange juice, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk well until smooth. Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a jar with a good seal and shake well until smooth. Add some ground black pepper, if desired.

A glass measuring cup containing honey mustard dressing and black pepper.

A glass measuring cup containing a whisk set in yellow honey mustard dressing.

What To Serve with the Dressing

Obviously, the dressing is perfect for any salad. I particularly like chunky salads, like my Shrimp Avocado Beet Salad. However, this dressing coats leafy green salads just enough without weighing them down. Try it over Super Food Quinoa Bowl!

Close-up of a small glass pitcher containing honey mustard dressing, in front of a plate of salad.

Besides drizzling over your favorite salad, this orange honey mustard dressing also makes a great dip for chicken nuggets or vegetables! Again, it is thinner than, let's say, ketchup or a barbecue sauce, but it's still thick enough to coat and flavor each bite!

Close-up of a hand holding a breaded chicken nugget with yellow honey mustard dressing.

Another delicious way to use the dressing is to drizzle it over grilled chicken, avocado toast, fried eggs, or as a sauce on the side for steak or ham. Try it in your sandwiches or burgers!

Two slices of toast topped with green mashed avocado and yellow honey mustard dressing.

Commonly Asked Questions

Does this recipe really require ⅓ cup of dijon mustard? Isn't that too much?

Yes, ⅓ cup is accurate! Note that different brands may have different mustard flavor intensity. Alternatively, you can start with ¼ cup of dijon mustard and add more after you taste it, if desired.

What is the mayonnaise for?

The mayonnaise adds a bit of body and creaminess to the dressing. It also adds some savory tang to it.

Why orange juice?

The orange juice adds a citrus-y brightness to the dressing and blends well with the other flavors.

How thick should the dressing be?

The dressing is not as thin as an oil-vinegar dressing, but not as thick as a Caesar or ranch dressing.

What if I want the dressing to be thicker?

I would suggest adding only half the amount of orange juice. You can also omit the orange juice, if desired.

What if I want a stronger orange juice flavor without making the dressing too thin?

I would grate some of the orange and add the zest to the dressing. That will definitely add a boost of citrus flavor!

How long does the dressing last?

Keep the dressing in a jar in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Yellow dressing being poured over a salad of red tomatoes, purple beets, green avocado chunks, and cooked bacon.

Other Recipes You Might Like

If you're looking for more homemade salad dressing recipes, you should definitely take a look at Sweet and Tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette or Creamy Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing, or Orange Poppyseed Dressing! You definitely won't have any boring salads when you've got dressings like these.

If you're looking for more salad ideas, consider Fresh and Simple Apple Coleslaw, Pistachio Cranberry Melon Salad, Spring Balsamic Avocado Salad, Asian Chicken Salad, or Korean Lettuce Salad.

A glass pitcher containing yellow honey mustard dressing, next to a fork and a plate containing a salad.

If you have never made your own salad dressing, now is the perfect time to start! It is easier than you think, you can customize it to your taste, and it's a whole lot cheaper than buying bottles from the store!

~ Lisa.

**This post was published on May 5th, 2020 and republished April 21st, 2024 with new photos, writing, instructional photos, and updated recipe notes.