This easy maple Dijon dressing comes together in a few minutes with six simple pantry ingredients. Sweet, tangy and beautifully balanced, it's delicious drizzled over green salads, grain bowls and roasted vegetables, or served as a dip for fresh vegetables. It's dairy-free, egg-free and so much better than most store-bought vinaigrette.
I rarely buy store-bought salad dressings. I'm all for shortcuts (believe me), but I find many commercial dressings here in Australia are too vinegar-heavy or one-note. Making your own means you can customise flavours to your taste, and this maple Dijon vinaigrette is a classic worth having in your repertoire
Having a staple of dressings and sauces is a must for any cook - but particularly for plant-based cooks. Without a good dressing, we're pretty much eating plain tofu and vegetables. Maple dijon dressing is a classic vinaigrette for a reason. Its sweet, tangy French-inspired flavours work beautifully across a variety of dishes. Plus, it's quick to make with just six ingredients. We love that.
Other dressings and sauces to try →
Ingredients for Maple Dijon Dressing
Dijon mustard has a sharp, slightly pungent flavour and acts as a natural emulsifier, helping bring the oil and vinegar together into a smooth dressing. It's made with brown mustard seeds and white wine or verjuice, giving it a more complex flavour than yellow mustard.
Maple syrup adds sweetness and a subtle smoky depth to dishes. Use pure maple syrup rather than flavoured pancake syrup for the best flavour.
Vinegar and lemon provide two layers of acidity, giving the dressing a brighter, more balanced flavour. If you only have one, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar work beautifully.
Olive oil brings a fruity, slightly peppery flavour to the dressing. I recommend a good extra virgin olive oil.
Garlic adds savoury depth. We'll use a simple technique to mellow its raw bite before adding the other ingredients.
Chef's Techniques for Better Vinaigrette
Mellow the garlic. Add the minced garlic to the lemon juice and vinegar and let it sit for 3 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. The acidity takes the edge off raw garlic, leaving a lovely savoury depth without an overpowering garlic bite.
Add hot water. A spoon or two of hot water helps loosen the dressing and creates a smoother, silkier consistency. It also softens the sharper flavours, bringing everything into better balance.
How to Make Maple Dijon Dressing
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1.
Add the lemon juice and vinegar, to a small bowl and add the minced garlic. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. When I make this, I prefer letting the minced garlic sit in the acid for a full 3 minutes-it tempers the raw bite of garlic. And provides enough time to put the kettle on.
Step 2.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the hot water.
Step 3.
Whisk the ingredients until emulsified.
Steps 4.
Add the hot water (just a teaspoon or two) and give it a quick whisk again.
You can also make your dressing in a jar with a lid, giving it a good shake until it all comes together.
How to Make it a Dijon Maple Dipping Sauce
To thicken your maple Dijon dressing to a dipping consistency, add another tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a touch of maple to taste. Alternatively, add a tablespoon of mayonnaise to create a thick, creamy dipping sauce, perfect for serving with pretzel buns.
How to Store Homemade Vinaigrette
In the refrigerator. Store homemade vinaigrette in a glass, sealed container in the fridge for up to 5-days. Olive oil may solidify in the cold, so to re-emulsify your dressing leave it at room temperature for 10-minutes and give it a good shake for serving.
Ways to Use a Maple Mustard Dressing
FAQs
It's sweet, tangy and slightly savoury, with a sharp mustard flavour balanced by maple syrup and fresh lemon. The result is a versatile vinaigrette that works beautifully with salads and vegetables.
Store in a sealed glass container, maple mustard dressing will last in the fridge for up to 5-days.
While you can make a maple Dijon dressing without oil, it will have a different vibe. Adding a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and tahini instead of oil, and increasing the water will make a creamy, nutty mustard dressing.
While this recipe is for a maple Dijon mustard dressing, it will work beautifully with seeded mustards or any gentle mustards like Bavarian or Sweet German.
Need More Salads?
Sign up to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Insta for all the latest news. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook "Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family" It's full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.
Make This Recipe
5-Minute Maple Dijon Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 20ml, or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 20ml
- 1 garlic clove small, minced
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup 20ml
- 4 tablespoon olive oil 80ml
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- cracked pepper
- 1-2 teaspoon hot water
Instructions
- Sit the garlic in acid. Add the vinegar and lemon juice to a small bowl and add the minced garlic. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. When I make this, I prefer letting the minced garlic sit in the acid for a full 3 minutes-it removes the raw bite of garlic.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the hot water.
- Whisk. Whisk the ingredients until emulsified.
- Add the hot water. Add the hot water (just a teaspoon or two) and give it another quick whisk again before serving.
- You can also make your dressing in a jar with a lid, giving it a good shake until it all comes together.
Nutritional Disclaimer
The nutritional information is an estimate only and is automatically calculated using online tools. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Comments
No Comments