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Dijon Mustard Recipe – Simple and Preservative Free

A quick and traditional Dijon mustard recipe.
Simple Dijon mustard recipe made with homemade wine.
How to make Dijon mustard without alcohol
How to make Dijon mustard without alcohol

This classic Dijon mustard recipe is very easy. It really only takes 5 minutes to make after soaking the mustard seeds. The result is a rich and flavorful mustard that will last for months in the fridge.

Why make mustard?

I have been making homemade mustard for a long time. Here’s why:

  • Nearly every store-bought jar of Dijon mustard contains added sulfites. It’s what keeps the mustard looking bright for the duration of its shelf-life. Since there are sulfite allergies in my household, this Dijon mustard recipe is our best option.
  • Homemade mustard is SO EASY. It takes about 5 minutes and I can make all sorts of different flavors, like this yellow hot dog mustard.
  • Homemade mustard lasts just as long in the fridge as store-bought mustard. So I make a few pints every 6-8 months.
  • Dijon mustard is perfect for adding a sharp and pungent flavor to everything from salad dressing to cheese sauce. So having a large jar of Dijon mustard in my fridge is a culinary necessity.
  • It’s zero-waste! And we’re really trying to do our part to reduce the amount of packaged goods that we buy.

Different Soaking Liquid Options

The traditional Dijon mustard recipe involved mixing mustard seeds with verjuice (basically unfermented wine made from sour fruits). Modern recipes usually involve wine or cider. And store-bought Dijon usually is made with white wine.

Honestly, I’ve been making Dijon for years with whatever I happen to have available. It always works out, and it’s always delicious. Since the goal is to replace the traditional verjuice, with a sour fruity liquid, there are two main options.

1. Wine or hard cider

This Dijon mustard recipe is ideal for anyone who makes homemade wine or cider. Just use whatever you happen to have available.

I’ve made homemade Dijon mustard with plum wine, pear cider, and peach wine. It’s perfect for that bit of liquid that is left over when you’ve racked your wine to a clean jug. Just pass the liquid through two layers of butter muslin to remove the spent yeast and other solids.

If you don’t brew your own wine, then use white wine instead.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar or kombucha

Apple cider vinegar and sour kombucha tea are also perfect for mustard. The trick is to balance the acidity. This is why the Dijon mustard recipe suggests using a mixture of vinegar and water.

Feel free to use other fruit vinegar instead. Just don’t use white vinegar or balsamic vinegar which would both dramatically change the flavor.

Homemade Dijon mustard recipe with kombucha or apple cider vinegar
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Dijon Mustard

Simple Dijon mustard recipe made with homemade wine.
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★★★★★

4.7 from 3 reviews

Homemade Dijon mustard is so quick and easy. Unlike store-bought mustard, it is preservative-free. It’s perfect for salad dressing, sauces, and sandwiches.

  • Author: Emillie
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup 1x
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Fermented
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup mustard seeds (see notes)
  • 3/4 cup of soaking liquid (wine or ACV and water, see notes)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (non-iodized)
  • 2 Tbsp filtered water

Instructions

  1. Mix the mustard seeds with the soaking liquid in a glass container. I recommend a 2 cup mason jar.
  2. Leave the mustard seeds on the count to soak for 2 days.
  3. Add the salt, then using a blender or an immersion blender, grind the seeds and any remaining soaking liquid to the desired consistency. It is fine to have a smooth Dijon mustard or to leave some of the mustard seeds whole.
  4. If needed, add a few tablespoons of extra water as you grind. The amount of liquid needed will depend on the type of mustard seeds and how smooth you want the mustard to be.
  5. Store in a glass jar with an air-tight lid in the fridge. Allow the mustard to ripen for at least 2 weeks before using. Fresh Dijon is very hot, but the flavor will mellow over time.

Notes

  • A mixture of yellow and black mustard seeds is traditional. But using just yellow seeds is fine. Black mustard seeds tend to be hotter. They also require a bit of extra liquid, so expect to add more water when you blend.
  • For a classic Dijon mustard 3/4 cup of dry white wine for the soaking liquid. For alcohol-free, probiotic mustard, use 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. See the section above for more options, including using kombucha or homemade fruit wine.

Keywords: Traditional, classic, vegan, gluten free, keto, probiotic, hot, coarse, fine, salad dressing, sauce, cheese, meat

Filed Under: CondimentsTagged With: French, Mustard, Probiotic

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Comments

  1. Howie Trent

    April 28, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    Great mustard. Went well with the first hotdogs of the season.

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Emillie

      April 28, 2019 at 8:04 pm

      Thanks! It is one of my favourite recipes.

      Reply
      • Brett

        May 10, 2019 at 11:09 pm

        Can i ferment dijon mustard? Jus curious 😉

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Emillie

          May 11, 2019 at 4:51 am

          If you use cider vinegar with a mother, then it’s probiotic. And soaking the mustard seeds certainly breaks them down… but it is not fermented in the traditional sense.

          Reply
  2. Judy

    July 7, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    Is there a way to make it without the wine as I can’t use it? Like just add water and let it ferment outside the refrigerator. Thanks. wine.

    Reply
    • Emillie

      July 7, 2019 at 8:23 pm

      The wine is what provides that Dijon flavour… You could make it with water, but you might enjoy a different flavour of mustard instead? https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/fermented-yellow-mustard/

      Reply
      • Melanie

        July 20, 2019 at 12:14 pm

        I used 1/4 c kombucha and 1/4 c sauerkraut juice instead of white wine. It turned out well! I am making the next batch with just kombucha.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Emillie

          July 21, 2019 at 6:21 pm

          Sounds yummy! A sour kombucha could also replace the cider vinegar.

          Reply
  3. Terry Justison

    January 31, 2020 at 11:04 am

    when soaking the seeds, salt and vinegar, what do you cover the jar with? sealed ? , airlock? thanks, anxious to try

    Reply
    • Emillie

      January 31, 2020 at 12:34 pm

      No need for an airlock. Just cover loosely with the lid or a towel. The vinegar is enough to keep out any contaminates. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. James

    March 31, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    This definitely beats the store-bought stuff! I love dijon mustard, but don’t have it too often because of the added Sodium Metabisulphate. Great recipe, thanks for sharing this, I’ll have to give it a try if I can get some mustard seeds! 🙂

    Reply
    • Emillie

      April 1, 2020 at 8:59 am

      Thanks! We don’t do well with sulfites, so I’ve been using this Dijon recipe for years. You can find mustard seeds online, or try an Indian or South Asian grocery store. They’ll sell large bags of spices.

      Reply
  5. Stephanie

    April 6, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    Love your website 🙂 Question: I don’t have a grinder, only a stone grinder. Why do the mustard seeds have to be grindered after the 2 days soaking? Would it be possible to grind them at the beginning of the process?

    Reply
    • Emillie

      April 7, 2020 at 7:33 am

      Thanks! It is easiest to make smooth mustard by grinding after soaking. However, you could use your stone grinder to crack the mustard seeds ahead of time. Or if that’s too much work, you could leave it as a grainy mustard. If you’re making grainy Dijon, then I recommend draining the mustard after soaking to reduce the amount of liquid.

      Reply
      • Ivanto

        May 8, 2022 at 2:41 pm

        I fermented the seeds for 6days in water/salt brine and added a culture capsule. The smell was horrendous. Why? I blended it with apple viniger after and waiting for results…

        Reply
        • Emillie Parrish

          May 9, 2022 at 7:53 am

          Hi Ivanto, I haven’t tried fermenting with a culture capsule, nor for that long. Does the flavor smell fermented or perhaps a strong sulfur smell? (That could be the capsule). Though mustard seed can smell strong, it shouldn’t smell horrendous. I recommend sticking it in the fridge for 2 weeks, then try smelling it. Hopefully, it smells like mustard. Good luck!

          Reply
          • Ivanto

            May 13, 2022 at 11:18 am

            Hi. Tnx for the feedback. Well, i do think its a ferment smell… sulfur for sure but also something else. I read few articles and it says its the normal ferment smell. I do thing it has mellowed down.
            Now to your instructions with a new batch.
            Thx again!

            Reply
            • Emillie Parrish

              May 14, 2022 at 10:06 am

              Sulfur is fine… but it shouldn’t smell rotten. Maybe try fermenting for a shorter period of time. Good luck!

              Reply
  6. Emillie

    June 2, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    Oops! Yes. Will fix that typo right now. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Han

    July 10, 2020 at 5:22 am

    I wanted to cut the recipe in half because I don’t use mustard a lot. Followed the instructions but the next morning I discovered all the liquid was gone from the jar during the initial 2 day soak. So I added extra liquid which would add up to the original recipe, but I only used 4 TBS of mustard seeds. Hoping for the best because your recipe sounds really good.

    Reply
    • Emillie

      July 10, 2020 at 9:09 am

      Wow! That is interesting. However… it might be your mustard seeds. I’ve found that different types (yellow, brown, black) absorb different amounts of liquid. Really, you only need enough liquid to get the right consistency for you. It won’t affect the flavour that much. If you plan on grinding the mustard seeds, then you will definitely need to add more liquid. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  8. Jacqueline D’Sa

    August 12, 2020 at 8:30 am

    How long can you keep this in the refrigerator?

    Reply
    • Emillie

      August 12, 2020 at 2:30 pm

      I usually make a double batch and use it up within 6 months. We use a lot of Dijon. 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emillie, an island-dwelling fermentation enthusiast. Fermenting For Foodies features healthy recipes designed to feed your microbiome.
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