Vegan Honey Mustard

This easy vegan honey mustard is made with no mayo and it’s oil-free.  Use it as a dip for fries, veggies, or a dressing.  It’s sweet, tangy, and creamy!

Besides soaking cashews, the recipe comes together quickly.  It’s made without oil and uses dijon mustard to deliver the sharp tanginess you taste in honey mustard. You can also add a little water to thin it out and you’ve got a vegan honey mustard dressing.

The cashews have a neutral flavor and work well to balance and tone down the bold flavors of dijon mustard and maple syrup.  For more cashew-based dressings try the vegan chipotle sauce, cilantro cashew dressing, or creamy dijon cashew dressing.

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• Tips
• Ingredients
• Substitutions
• Instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Recipe
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Tips

• Soak the cashews, preferably overnight or boil water in a kettle and soak the cashews for about 20 minutes.  If you have a high-speed blender, that will create a creamier dipping sauce.
• If you know your high-speed blender can puree those cashews into a smooth sauce, you may be able to skip the soaking process.
• If your dip comes out too thick add a small amount of water to thin it out.

Ingredients

Raw cashews - Raw cashews are used instead of mayo.  Use raw (not roasted) unsalted cashews. 

Plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt- Please use plain unsweetened yogurt.  While testing I really liked the combination of cashews for their mild creaminess and a thinner tangy yogurt to replace the mayo.

Maple syrup - The maple syrup replaces the honey in “vegan honey mustard” for that sweet tangy combination. 

Dijon mustard - Using dijon will give the sauce tang of honey mustard.  Since dijon mustards vary in flavor depending on the brand, you may need to adjust the recipe's apple cider vinegar and maple syrup.  While testing, some brands I tried that were made with vinegar were much milder than the brands made with white wine. 

So if your brand of dijon mustard is made with vinegar, you’ll probably want to add the apple cider vinegar for more tang and sharpness.  If your brand is made with white wine, mix the cashews, yogurt, mustard, and maple syrup together first.  Taste, then add more maple syrup or apple cider vinegar, if needed.

Cayenne pepper - This is optional if you like a little heat with your vegan honey mustard.

Substitutions

• The yogurt can be substituted for another ¼ cup of raw cashews plus 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin it out.  This substitution does create a thicker more mellow sauce.  You can always add more dijon mustard and maple syrup.
• The cashews can be substituted for a nut-free version with vegan mayo or more plain unsweetened yogurt.  Using all yogurt creates a thinner sauce and it’s a bit tangier.  Try one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, then add more if needed.
• Agave syrup can be used instead of maple syrup.
• Apple cider vinegar can be substituted with white distilled vinegar.

Instructions

To make the vegan honey mustard, first, soak the cashews. Either soak them overnight or use a quicker soaking method. Boil water and pour it over the cashews in a heat-proof container and soak them for 15-20 minutes. Then drain them and add them along with yogurt, maple syrup, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper (if using) to a blender and blend until smooth. 

As per the note above in the ingredients for the dijon mustard section, you may need to alter the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup.  This is because dijon mustards vary in degree of sharpness.

Serving suggestions

• Try it with fries or roasted potatoes.
• Use it as a spread for veggie burgers, sandwiches, or wraps.
• A dip for fresh vegetables.
• Use it as a dip for vegan sausage balls.
• Thin it out with a bit of water to make a vegan honey mustard dressing for a salad or grain bowl.

Storage

The vegan honey mustard can be made in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator for about a week. Cashew-based sauces thicken once chilled in the refrigerator. If it has thickened, add a little bit of water to thin it back out.

Related recipes

• Spicy peanut dressing (oil-free)
• Vegan nacho cheese
• Oil-free hummus

I hope you enjoy this recipe for vegan mustard dipping sauce! If you liked the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

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