Honey mustard is a tasty condiment that can complement a variety of dishes. In the opening paragraphs, I will provide quick answers to common questions about what goes well with honey mustard.
Meats
Honey mustard goes great with many different meats. It is commonly paired with chicken, beef, pork, salmon, tuna, and turkey. The sweet honey notes balance nicely with the savory flavors of these meats. Honey mustard makes an excellent glaze, marinade, dipping sauce, or condiment topping for grilled, baked, roasted, or pan-fried meats.
Chicken
Honey mustard is one of the most popular condiments to serve with chicken. It can be used to dress up basic baked or grilled chicken breasts, legs, thighs, wings, or tenders. Honey mustard chicken is a classic combination. The sweet and tangy flavors complement the mild flavor of chicken perfectly.
Pork
Honey mustard works well with many pork dishes too. It’s great paired with pork chops, pork loin, ham, bacon, sausages, ribs, or tenderloin. Brushing honey mustard glaze on pork while cooking adds wonderful flavor. Honey mustard also makes a tasty dipping sauce for fried pork cutlets or dumplings.
Beef
For beef, honey mustard can be used to marinate or season steaks, burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, brisket, short ribs, or roast beef. The sweet tanginess helps cut through the rich fattiness of beef. It also livens up sandwiches made with deli roast beef. As a condiment for beef, honey mustard adds a pop of flavor.
Seafood
In addition to meat, honey mustard works well with seafood too. It pairs nicely with salmon, tuna, halibut, cod, shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, and more. As a marinade or glaze, the honey mustardtenderizes the fish while infusing it with sweet flavor. It also makes a tasty dip for fried seafood like fish sticks or shrimp poppers.
Salmon
For salmon, brushing a honey mustard mixture on top before baking or grilling helps keep the fish moist while adding flavor. Mix honey mustard with breadcrumbs or panko to make a tasty crust on salmon fillets. Blend it into salmon patties or cakes too. The tangy sweetness enhances the flavor of salmon.
Tuna
Honey mustard works great in tuna salad mixes. Just combine it with canned tuna, mayo, celery, onion, and other desired ingredients. It can also be used to make tuna steak marinades or spreads for tuna melts and sandwiches. The honey mustard accents tuna’s natural flavor.
Vegetables
In addition to protein foods, honey mustard also complements many fresh vegetables. It’s delicious drizzled over roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash, zucchini, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and more. As a veggie dip, honey mustard jazzes up raw broccoli, celery, carrots, radishes, and jicama. It also dresses up veggie salads and slaws.
Potatoes
For potatoes, honey mustard makes an excellent topping for loaded baked potatoes, fries, tater tots, potato wedges, potato pancakes, and hash browns. Using it as a potato salad dressing adds flavor. Baked sweet potato fries or tots are also delicious with a honey mustard dipping sauce.
Squash and Zucchini
Roasted butternut squash, acorn squash, zucchini, and yellow summer squash all pair nicely with a drizzle of honey mustard vinaigrette. The sweet and tangy flavors balance out the vegetables’ natural richness. Honey mustard also livens up sautéed or grilled zucchini.
Sandwiches and Burgers
In addition to main dishes, honey mustard makes a great condiment for sandwiches, burgers, wraps, subs, and hot dogs. It can be spread on bread or drizzled onto fillings. The flavor pops against cold cuts, cheeses, vegetables, and sauces.
Premade Sandwiches
For buying premade sandwiches, wraps, and subs at delis or restaurants, request honey mustard as the condiment. It will jazz up turkey, ham, roast beef, pastrami, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, and veggie sandwiches.
Burgers
Spread honey mustard on burger buns or mix it into burger patties before grilling. It’s also a great dipping sauce for sweet potato or regular french fries served alongside burgers. Drizzle honey mustard over bacon cheeseburgers too.
Salads
As a salad dressing, honey mustard’s sweet tanginess livens up the flavor. It works on all kinds of salads including green, pasta, potato, coleslaw, chicken, and tuna salads. The honey mustard pairs well with lettuces, veggies, cheeses, beans, grains, nuts, fruits, and proteins.
Green Salads
For green salads, whisk together olive oil, honey mustard, vinegar, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Toss with mixed greens, spinach, kale, arugula, or romaine lettuce along with toppings like cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, red onion, croutons, etc.
Coleslaw
To make honey mustard coleslaw dressing, combine honey mustard, mayo, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the sauce with shredded cabbage and carrots. You can also add onion, bell pepper, apple, or dried cranberries.
Appetizers
Honey mustard can add flavor as a dip, drizzle, or sauce for many appetizers and finger foods. It pairs well with pretzels, chips, chicken wings and nuggets, meatballs, egg rolls, and more.
Chicken Wings
As a chicken wing dipping sauce, honey mustard is delicious. Mix it with Ranch dressing for a tangy flavor combo. For oven-baked wings, coat them in honey mustard before cooking.
Pretzels
Soft pretzels dipped in honey mustard are a classic combination. Honey mustard can also be used as a topping on pretzel rolls and pretzel croissants instead of plain mustard.
Sides
Aside from salads, honey mustard pairs nicely with many other vegetable side dishes. It can be drizzled over cooked or raw veggies. As a sauce, it adds flavor to roasted, sautéed, steamed, or grilled vegetables.
Grilled Vegetables
For grilled veggie skewers or planks, brush the vegetables with honey mustard before or during cooking. Try it on zucchini, squash, eggplant, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. The charring enhances the honey mustard flavor.
Roasted Vegetables
Before roasting vegetables, coat them with a mix of olive oil, honey mustard, and herbs/spices. Or drizzle the honey mustard over the cooked veggies afterward. It’s delicious on cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, beets, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, and more.
Dips
In addition to being used as a veggie dip, honey mustard can be incorporated into all kinds of other dips and spreads. Mix it into warm queso, spinach artichoke dip, bean dips, and more.
Queso Dip
Stir some honey mustard into warm queso to add tangy flavor. Try it with spicy queso for more of a kick. Serve with tortilla chips, pretzels, or fresh veggies.
Hummus
For a honey mustard hummus, blend chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and honey mustard together until smooth. You can also swirl some honey mustard on top of plain hummus.
Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Honey mustard can be incorporated into all sorts of salad dressings and vinaigrettes. It adds a nice tangy sweetness. Try using it in homemade ranch, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, Italian dressing, and more.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
To make a honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey mustard, minced garlic, and herbs/spices.
Ranch Dressing
Mix some honey mustard into homemade ranch dressing for added flavor. Buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper are also typically included in ranch.
Baked Goods
Sweet and savory baked goods can benefit from the addition of honey mustard. It works well in bread doughs, biscuits, scones, muffins, rolls, and more. Honey mustard’s tanginess contrasts nicely with the sweetness.
Breads
When making bread doughs, mix a few tablespoons of honey mustard into the liquid ingredients. It adds moisture and a subtle flavor. Try it in wheat bread, white bread, rolls, and baguette doughs.
Muffins
For savory muffins like cheddar chive, stir some honey mustard into the batter before baking. It will add moisture and a flavor punch. You can also swirl honey mustard on top of sweet muffins before baking.
Sauces
Beyond its use as a condiment, honey mustard can be incorporated into sauces for entrees, pastas, salads, sandwiches, and more. Mix it into cheese sauce, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, or salad dressing recipes.
Cheese Sauce
When making an easy cheese sauce for vegetables, pasta, etc., stir a tablespoon or two of honey mustard into the melted cheese. It adds extra flavor.
Pasta Salad
For pasta salads with veggies and proteins, make the dressing with a mix of olive oil, vinegar, honey mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian herbs. Toss it with the cooked pasta and other ingredients.
Glazes
As a glaze for meat, seafood, or vegetables, honey mustard adds wonderful sweet, tangy flavor. It helps seal in moisture when brushed on before and during cooking. Honey mustard glazes pair especially well with salmon, chicken, and pork.
Pork Tenderloin
Coat pork tenderloin with a honey mustard glaze before roasting. Mix together honey mustard, brown sugar, garlic, and rosemary. The flavors caramelize beautifully on the pork.
Chicken Thighs
For juicy baked chicken thighs, coat them with a mixture of honey mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper before cooking. Bake at 400°F until cooked through and lightly browned.
Marinades
Honey mustard makes an excellent ingredient in marinades for meats, seafood, and vegetables. The acidity helps tenderize proteins. Let foods marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight before cooking.
Flank Steak
For flank steak, combine honey mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to make a marinade. Let the steak marinate for 1-2 hours before grilling.
Chicken Breast
Mix together honey mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and black pepper to marinate chicken breasts. Let sit 30 minutes before baking, grilling, or sautéing.
Conclusion
In summary, honey mustard is extremely versatile. It pairs well with a wide variety of foods including meats, seafood, vegetables, sandwiches, salads, dips, baked goods, and more. As a condiment, ingredient, sauce, dressing, glaze, or marinade, honey mustard livens up the flavor of many dishes. Keep this tasty condiment on hand to jazz up all kinds of recipes.