Hot Honey Vinaigrette

This Hot Honey Vinaigrette combines hot honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic for a sweet, spicy, tangy dressing that's ready in minutes!

This Hot Honey Vinaigrette delivers a lot of flavor from a short ingredient list!

The combination of hot honey (honey infused with chili) with extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic creates a dressing that's sweet, tangy, savory, and gently spicy all at once.

If you don't have hot honey pre-made, don't worry, I'll show you how to make it yourself in under a minute!

The honey softens the sharpness of the vinegar, while the heat adds just enough kick to keep things exciting.

The Dijon helps everything come together into a silky dressing that clings beautifully to salad leaves, roasted vegetables, and grain bowls.

It's also incredibly versatile. I use it on everything from kale salads to roasted sweet potatoes. Sometimes I drizzle it over grilled tofu or spoon it onto roasted vegetables.

It works in so many situations because it hits several flavor notes at once.

The best part is that it takes only a few minutes to make. A quick whisk in a bowl or a shake in a jar and it's ready to use.

Try it on Broad Bean Salad, Grilled Zucchini or Roasted Baby Potatoes.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Hot Honey
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Variations
• Storage
• Recipe Tips
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Sweetness, acidity, richness, and spice all work together in a balanced way.
• Homemade dressing tastes fresher than many bottled alternatives.
• Five minutes of prep creates a versatile condiment for multiple meals.
• Hot honey adds complexity without needing extra spices.
• Apple cider vinegar provides brightness and a subtle fruitiness.
• Dijon mustard helps create a smooth, creamy texture without dairy.
• The recipe is naturally gluten-free when using gluten-free Dijon mustard.
• Easy ingredient swaps make it adaptable to different preferences.
• Works as both a dressing and finishing sauce.
• A small batch goes a long way because the flavor is concentrated.

Hot Honey

Hot honey has exploded in popularity over the last several years, and it's easy to understand why.

It combines the floral sweetness of honey with varying levels of chili heat, creating a condiment that adds complexity without requiring multiple ingredients.

In this vinaigrette, hot honey acts as both a sweetener and seasoning.

It balances the acidity of apple cider vinegar while adding a gentle warmth that lingers pleasantly on the palate.

Different brands vary in heat level, so don't be afraid to adjust the amount to suit your taste.

You can also make your own homemade Hot Honey in minutes!

Ingredients

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil The foundation of the dressing. Choose a good-quality olive oil with a flavor you enjoy. Avocado oil can be substituted if preferred.
• Apple Cider Vinegar Provides tanginess and brightness. White wine vinegar or champagne vinegar can be used instead.
• Hot Honey Adds sweetness and heat in one ingredient. Regular honey plus a pinch of chili flakes works well if needed. Or make your own Hot Honey
• Dijon Mustard Helps emulsify the dressing while contributing gentle sharpness. Whole grain mustard can be substituted for a more textured dressing.
• Garlic Fresh garlic adds depth and savory flavor. Garlic powder works in a pinch, though fresh is best.
• Sea Salt Enhances all the flavors and helps balance sweetness and acidity.
• Black Pepper Adds subtle warmth and complexity.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Add all ingredients to a bowl.

Whisk until blended (alternatively add the ingredients to a jar and shake until combined).

Pour into a jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy as a salad dressing, or as a drizzle for roasted vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

• Toss with mixed greens.
• Dress a kale salad.
• Drizzle over roasted carrots - try it on Maple Glazed Carrots with Cayenne.
• Spoon over roasted Brussels sprouts - Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts.
• Serve with roasted sweet potatoes or Roasted Turnips.
• Add to roasted cauliflower.
• Dress cabbage slaw.
• Pair with roasted squash.

Variations

• Add fresh lemon juice for extra brightness.
• Use white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.
• Stir in finely chopped fresh herbs.
• Add a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Include crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.
• Mix in finely grated shallot.
• Replace Dijon with whole grain mustard.
• Add a spoonful of Greek yogurt for creaminess.
• Blend with roasted garlic.
• Use maple syrup instead of honey for a different sweetness profile. Try making your own Hot Maple Syrup.

Storage

Store the vinaigrette in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator.

It will typically keep well for up to one week.

Because olive oil solidifies when chilled, the dressing may become cloudy or partially firm in the refrigerator. This is completely normal.

Before serving:

• Let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Shake or whisk again before using.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Freezing is not recommended. The texture of emulsified vinaigrettes often changes after thawing.

For meal prep:

• Make a batch at the beginning of the week.
• Store in individual jars if packing lunches.
• Shake before each use.

FAQs

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you love this recipe, please leave a five-star rating and review in the comments below! And if you make any modifications, let us know how it went so that we can all benefit from your experience. Happy cooking!

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