13 Creative Ways To Use Honey Mustard

A little tangy, a little sweet, with a slight zippy bite in the nasal cavities — honey mustard is the condiment to end all condiments. Many mustard brands sell a honey-infused variety, and there are some great store-bought varieties out there, but making honey mustard at home is incredibly straightforward, cheap, and allows more control over flavorings and ingredients. 

Experimenting with popular types of mustard is a fun way to change up from-scratch honey mustard, according to your taste and texture preferences. Yellow mustard is mild and creamy, Dijon is sharper and spicier, stone-ground has a sweet profile and a coarse texture, and so on.

Despite honey mustard's versatility, it's mostly been relegated to salad dressing and chicken tender dipping sauce. In reality, honey mustard is useful in all sorts of culinary conundrums. It can be used almost anywhere in place of regular mustard, making it a prime choice for burgers, hot dogs, dressings, or marinades — but there are also times when honey mustard offers an even more unusual way to dress up a dish. I've been making my own marinades, dressings, and dipping sauces for years, and whipping these up with honey mustard results in some of my absolute favorite flavors. It's high time honey mustard leaves the sidelines behind to claim its rightful place in the royal court of condiments, and here we present 13 out-of-the-box ways to use it. 

Marinating meat anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours before cooking facilitates maximum flavor absorption and increased tenderness, especially when the marinade contains an acidic element such as citrus juice or vinegar to help break down proteins and tenderize the meat. Many mustards contain vinegar, making this condiment a marvelous match for marinades — but honey mustard takes things to the next level by adding a touch of sweetness to the mix. Use it to marinate chicken wings for a sweet and tangy party snack, or try our honey mustard sheet pan baked pork chops recipe, perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Honey mustard can also be used to marinate veggies — it's a great pairing for asparagus, carrots, and many different types of squash. However, you don't want to let most veggies sit in a marinade for too long, or they'll start getting soggy. Alternatively, try soaking portobello mushroom caps in honey mustard for a few hours, then throwing them on the grill as meat-free patty replacements for burgers. Honey mustard makes a great marinade all on its own, but it can also be used as a base and combined with elements like citrus, olive oil, herbs, and other seasonings. 

There are tons of ways to elevate a recipe for deviled eggs beyond the traditional method of mixing hard-boiled egg yolks with mayo, salt, and pepper, followed with a sprinkle of paprika. Don't get us wrong — the conventional preparation is a longstanding classic for a reason, but why not kick things up a notch? 

Enter honey mustard. This tangy and slightly spicy condiment is easily combined with egg yolks. We recommend using a creamier variety, like Kinder's Creamy Honey Mustard, or if you don't have a creamy option on hand, mixing it with a bit of mayo or Greek yogurt for the best results.

Mixing honey mustard with hard-boiled egg yolks adds pleasant acidity and sweetness to the deviled egg filling, which mayo simply can't deliver on its own. While a honey mustard and egg yolk filling is a delicious choice for a simple serving of deviled eggs, you don't have to stop there. Try adding lemon juice to the mix for a little more bite. Experiment with seasonings, from the traditional paprika or chili powder to more out-there choices such as everything-bagel seasoning or diced bacon. Add finely chopped fresh herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme for even more flavor — honey mustard lends itself well to many different flavor pairings. 

Is there anything more universally beloved than a sandwich? Every culture has its own take, from Vietnamese banh mi to Mexican tortas to fried green tomato sammies in the South. A sandwich can be as simple as a piece of cheese wedged between two slices of bread, but obviously, there are myriad ways to dress them up, too. 

In the U.S., mustard is commonly added to sandwiches, burgers, and wraps, lending a pleasant zippiness to the finished product. Swapping in honey mustard is a perfect way to add even more nuance.

Honey mustard pairs well with many different types of sandwiches, and it's fun to strategize how best to use it. Think about the meats, veggies, toppings, and other condiments you're going to use, and decide which type of honey mustard best ties together the individual components. A bold, grainy honey mustard serves pulled pork sandwiches well, while a lighter, creamier variety might be a better choice for sliced turkey with apple and cheddar. Honey mustard can be used to jazz up sandwiches of all kinds — pull it out when you need to add some zing to a bacon, egg, and cheese; add some pep to your plain old fried bologna; or use as the bold condiment to make your grilled cheese pop. 

Potato salad is rarely a swing and a miss. Despite being incredibly simple, it's always a fan favorite at family summer cookouts, BBQ restaurants, and potlucks. There are many different options when preparing potato salad — from the type of spud to the binding agent to the mix-ins — but in its simplest iteration, potato salad involves cooked and cooled potato chunks, some form of creamy binder (often mayonnaise or Greek yogurt), and seasonings.

Though potato salad can be purchased premade at most grocery stores, it's pretty easy to make it at home, too, which allows for greater creative control. Changing up the choice of binding agent is one of the easiest ways to upgrade traditionally creamy spud salad, and honey mustard is the secret ingredient for sweet and tangy potato salad. 

"Sweet" may not be the first adjective that pops into mind when thinking about how to elevate potato salad, but honey mustard's tang balances the sweetness in a way that complements other potato salad components nicely. For optimal results, mix a few spoonfuls of your chosen honey mustard with a creamy base — the mustard's consistency helps generate an even smoother, velvety texture. From there, add whatever toppings or seasonings float your boat. Fresh dill, bacon, boiled eggs, and even blue cheese can all lead to spectacular results. 

With all due respect, anyone who thinks that salads are boring has never tried a well-made salad. Salads can be so much more than sad bowls of lettuce with a few limp veggies dropped in and some ranch dressing dumped on top. 

Fancy cheeses, nuts and seeds, a rainbow of veggies, and exceptional dressings are all easy ways to take a salad from zero to 100 real quick. Dressing, in particular, can change the entire flavor profile of a salad, so it's important to think about what kind of dressing will best complement the other flavors on your plate.

Honey mustard is a marvelous pairing for many types of salads. Its rich, bold, semi-sweetness shines when paired with darker leafy greens like spinach and kale, and it harmonizes with all types of veggies and toppings, including tomatoes, roasted carrots, chopped dates, and goat cheese. Use honey mustard dressing to ramp up a salad of spinach, berries, pecans, and goat cheese; try it out on a Greek salad (which is not traditional, but the sweet mustard coaxes incredible flavors out of its tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumbers, and feta cheese); or use it as the dressing to give your wedge salad unconventional zing. 

Honey mustard's best claim to fame is probably as a dipping sauce. It's a popular choice for chicken tenders and wings, but there are plenty of unconventional foods you may never have thought to dip in this sweet, tangy sauce. Pretzels are a perfect example. Yellow and stone-ground mustards are commonly served with soft, salty, giant pretzels at restaurants, food courts, and festivals like Oktoberfest. However, one rarely comes across a soft pretzel served with honey mustard ... and frankly, we can't understand why. The honey adds a nuance that plays well with both the bready pretzel and the flaky salt sprinkled on top.

Pretzels are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to honey mustard's versatility as a dipping sauce. This condiment is marvelous for adding zest to apple slices, roasted Brussels sprouts, and slivered bell peppers. In the vein of chicken tenders, honey mustard can elevate fish sticks, french fries, and even fried shrimp. The sky is the limit here, and if you're a snacker, keeping a bottle of honey mustard on hand at all times — whether store-bought or homemade — is a must. 

When you see the word aioli on a restaurant menu, you might think, "ooh, fancy." While aioli in its purest form involves emulsifying smashed garlic with olive oil into a thick sauce, much of the aioli you'll find today is created with additional ingredients like lemon juice, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. A simple aioli is actually quite easy to make at home using ingredients you happen to have on hand. Spices like chipotle powder, herbs like cilantro, and additions like sun-dried tomatoes or pesto can all be mixed with mayonnaise for a gourmet-tasting sauce for dipping or drizzling.

Honey mustard may sound like an unlikely choice for an aioli, but the pungency of mustard and the sweet honey both complement mayonnaise incredibly well — in fact, some creamy mustards already contain mayo. Marrying honey mustard and mayonnaise will result in a texture thicker than honey mustard, but the blend will be less viscous than mayo alone. The aioli can be further enhanced with add-ins like minced garlic, spices, herbs, and lemon juice. Use honey mustard aioli to refine a fried chicken sandwich, make it a dip for sweet potato fries, or slather it on a burger. 

Cheese and charcuterie boards are a girls' night classic, wine bar favorite, and tend to claim the center of attention at any type of gathering. There are unlimited ways to dress up your charcuterie board, from choosing unique cheeses to decking out the spread with extras like nuts, fruits, olives, and a selection of cured meats. Jams and other spreads are a common addition, and if you're looking to shake things up a bit, add honey mustard to your next cheese or charcuterie board.

Different mustards can coax incredible flavors out of certain cheeses, and honey (or even better, hot honey) pairs well with everything from Gouda to Brie — so including honey mustard on a charcuterie board is a no-brainer. Sweet mustard is easily spread on a cracker or a chunk of crusty bread, and it works well with both bold-flavored cheeses like sharp cheddar or Asiago, as well as creamy varieties like Camembert and chèvre. Load up your plate with extras like spiced almonds, salty olives, and savory salami, and voilà — it's a perfect bite.

Perfect for park days, road trips, meal prep, and kids' lunches, pasta salad is pretty quick and easy to whip up, and the options for customization are endless. Pasta salad can be made with traditional or gluten-free pasta, and a wide variety of dressings can be used to hold things together and add flavor. 

Many pasta salad recipes have a base made with creamy ingredients like Greek yogurt or mayonnaise or are made with a vinaigrette-style dressing. While both options can lead to delicious results, if you're looking for something off the beaten path, try using honey mustard to ramp up pasta salad.

Honey mustard makes a great base for pasta salad all on its own, or it can be combined with yogurt or mayo for a creamier version. In its simplest iteration, honey mustard pasta salad can be eaten without any add-ins, but of course, it's fun to experiment and elevate the salad with different ingredients. Try adding pepperoncini for a hint of brine and spice, or incorporate diced bacon (because there are very few things in this world that aren't improved with bacon), fresh herbs like dill and oregano, or chopped veggies — like cherry tomatoes, carrots, or cauliflower — for color, flavor, and texture.

Coleslaw is a wonderfully refreshing side that can turn anything from BBQ to burrito bowls into a nourishing, flavorful, and texture-rich meal. Green cabbage, which typically makes up coleslaw's base, is one of the most affordable vegetables in grocery stores today. A single head can yield enough shredded cabbage to fill a large salad bowl, making it both an economical and tasty dish. Like pasta salad, coleslaw is typically tossed with either something creamy or vinegary, but honey mustard provides an excellent and unexpected alternative.

If using honey mustard in coleslaw, a creamier version is ideal — since the texture is somewhere between runny vinegar and thicker mayo, it's a nice compromise. If you don't have a creamy honey mustard on hand, mixing equal parts honey mustard and mayonnaise should do the trick. Honey mustard adds a pleasant brightness to coleslaw, and the vinegar component of the mustard will help slightly soften the shredded cabbage while retaining that signature coleslaw crunch. Use honey-mustard coleslaw on tacos, a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, or eat it as a light and bright side with a rack of BBQ ribs. 

The United States is a melting pot of cultures, and one of the best parts of living in the U.S. is the cornucopia of local food traditions and cooking styles across the country. The tradition of barbecue offers a perfect illustration of regional differences in cooking similar food. From the focus on wood-smoked meats like brisket in Texas to Kansas City's famous burnt ends and molasses-based sauce, there are infinite variations and styles of barbecue around the States, and each area claims its style is best. Those who prefer a lighter, more vinegar-forward sauce need to know about South Carolina-style barbecue sauce.

Sauce recipes vary even within the Carolinas, but the region is most recognized for a mustard-based sauce colloquially known as Carolina gold. In Carolina gold BBQ sauce, mustard and apple cider vinegar serve as the primary ingredients, and subbing in honey mustard adds another level of flavor to this bright yellow condiment. Carolina gold BBQ sauce is very vinegary, and if you're making it at home, honey mustard can temper some of that brine with sweetness, without sacrificing that signature tang. 

Pork and mustard are a match made in heaven. Something about the vinegary, almost horseradish-like quality of mustard harmonizes with fatty, salty pork in a way that just plain works. Many recipes combine pork and mustard by way of marinades, sauces, or a mustard-seed crust. Pulled pork is often combined with BBQ sauce for sandwiches, wraps, nachos, and the like — but for something out of the ordinary, try mixing pulled pork (especially a smoky variety) with honey mustard.

Honey mustard on its own isn't terribly far off from Carolina gold BBQ sauce, which happens to work perfectly on a pulled pork sandwich. Using honey mustard with pulled pork cuts back on the vinegar content found in the Carolina sauce, while maintaining a pleasantly sharp zest and mellow sweetness. 

The acid in honey mustard helps pulled pork remain tender and moist, which is a big plus if you want to preserve some leftovers. Honey mustard pulled pork can be used in much the same way as you'd use BBQ or any other variety of pulled pork: Sandwiches are always a win, or try piling honey mustard pulled pork on a Cobb salad, incorporating it into a funky shepherd's pie, or giving plain mac and cheese an upgrade.

Calling to mind cowboys and campfires, canned baked beans are an effortless, filling, flavorful, and inexpensive addition to any meal. Baked beans really don't require any enhancement — most are canned with a tomato-based sauce, and they're perfectly delicious heated right out of the can. However, there are many ways to give baked beans a makeover and ramp up the flavors even more. If you're a mad scientist in the kitchen, you can add pancetta or bacon, mix in some hot sauce, or use honey mustard to give canned baked beans a tangy twist.

Baked beans are already tangy and sweet, and honey mustard amplifies those elements even more. Honey adds a different, mellower type of sweetness to complement the sugar usually contained in baked beans, while mustard contributes acidity and a unique spicy spin. You don't want the honey mustard taste to completely overwhelm the rest of the sauce for the beans, so add it a tablespoon at a time while heating the baked beans on the stove, tasting after each spoonful until the desired flavor is reached. Honey mustard baked beans are sure to be a hit at your next family grill night, work potluck, or Sunday dinner.