Homemade Honey Mustard Mayo Dressing (Old-Style)

PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES

About

The base of this recipe is a homemade mayo prepared using an old-style warm method (over hot water), just like it was done in my family for generations. After looking into this method, I found that it is very similar in technique to hollandaise sauce, just with oil instead of butter. From this rich, old-fashioned mayo, I build a lighter honey mustard dressing by blending in lemon juice, yogurt, and honey. The result is a creamy dressing that works great in sandwiches, wraps, and salads. When I use it as a salad dressing, I like to lighten it further with extra yogurt and lemon juice for a lighter, healthier finish. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the warm homemade mayo:
1 egg yolk
100-150 ml neutral oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1–2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
Salt to taste

For the dressing:
Juice of ½ lemon
1 ½ TSP honey
2 TBSP Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra mustard if desired (See notes)

Instructions

Make the mayonnaise (bain-marie style)

Prepare a double boiler
Start by preparing a double boiler by placing a bowl over a pot of hot water. The water should be hot, but not boiling vigorously.

Warm the egg gently
Gently warm the egg mixture by adding the egg, salt, mustard, and lemon juice to the bowl and whisking constantly until it feels slightly warm to the touch, but never hot. This gentle warming helps stabilize the emulsion.

Start emulsifying
Begin emulsifying by adding the oil drop by drop at first while whisking continuously. Once the mixture starts to thicken, you can gradually add the oil in a very thin, steady stream.

Adjust texture and finish
Adjust the texture if needed by adding a few drops of warm water and whisking again if the mixture becomes too thick. Finish by tasting the mayo and adjusting the salt or acidity to your preference.

Make the dressing
Allow the mayonnaise to cool completely before adding the remaining dressing ingredients. Once cooled, mix everything together until you get a smooth, even dressing. Transfer the finished dressing into a clean glass container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes
You can play with different types of mustard when finishing this dressing. Use Dijon mustard for a classic gourmet feel, whole-grain mustard for texture, mild yellow mustard to make it more kid-friendly, or hot English mustard for sharpness.
If you feel extra creative, add herbs and spices for even more variety. Chives, dill, and tarragon all work especially well with mustard.