Classic Dijon mustard is a simple recipe involving presoaking mustard seeds, then grinding them up with white wine. The simplicity of this recipe makes it a perfect mustard for anyone interested in making their own.
Why make mustard?
I have been making homemade mustard for a few years. Here’s why:
- Nearly every store bought jar of Dijon mustard contains added sulfites. It’s what keeps the mustard looking bright for the long duration of its shelf-life. Since there are sulfite allergies in my household, homemade Dijon is our best option.
- Making homemade mustard is SO EASY. It takes about 5 minutes and I can make all sorts of different flavours of mustard.
- Homemade mustard will last just as long as store-bought mustard, so I make a few pints every 6-8 months.
- Dijon mustard is perfect for adding a sharp and pungent flavour to everything from salad dressing to cheese sauce. So having a large jar of Dijon mustard in my fridge is a culinary necessity.
Classic Dijon Mustard
Classic Dijon mustard is so quick and easy to make. Unlike store-bought, homemade Dijon mustard is preservative-free. It’s perfect for salad dressing, sauces and sandwiches, which is why it is necessary for every foodie kitchen.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Fermented
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mustard seeds (see notes)
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar with mother
- 2 tbsp filtered water
- 1/2 tsp salt (non-iodized)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Instructions
- Mix the mustard seeds with the salt, water and cider vinegar in a non-reactive glass container.
- Allow them to soak for 2 days.
- Using a blender or an immersion blender grind the seeds to the desired consistency. Add white wine as you grind to get a smooth consistency. See notes for more details.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Allow to ripen for at least 2 weeks before using. Fresh Dijon is very hot and the flavour will mellow over time.
Notes
- A mixture of yellow
 and black mustard seeds
is traditional. But using just yellow seeds is fine.
- There are a number of brands of cider vinegar with mother available on the market, including: Viva Naturals, Braggs
 and Dynamic Health
(affiliate links.) These will ferment the seeds, however, any cider vinegar will provide enough acidity to break down the seeds.
- The amount of wine required for grinding will depend on a number of things: how coarse or smooth the mustard will be, whether you used just yellow seeds or a mix of yellow and black. Just keep adding wine until you get the right consistency.
 and black mustard seeds
is traditional. But using just yellow seeds is fine.Keywords: Traditional, classic, vegan, gluten free, keto, probiotic, hot, coarse, fine, salad dressing, sauce, cheese, meat
Great mustard. Went well with the first hotdogs of the season.
★★★★
Thanks! It is one of my favourite recipes.
Can i ferment dijon mustard? Jus curious 😉
★★★★★
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.
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.
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/
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.
★★★★★
Sounds yummy! A sour kombucha could also replace the cider vinegar.
when soaking the seeds, salt and vinegar, what do you cover the jar with? sealed ? , airlock? thanks, anxious to try
No need for an airlock. Just cover loosely with the lid or a towel. The vinegar is enough to keep out any contaminates. Enjoy!
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! 🙂
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.
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?
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.
By 1/2 dry white whine do you mean 1/2 cup?
Oops! Yes. Will fix that typo right now. 🙂
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.
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!
How long can you keep this in the refrigerator?
I usually make a double batch and use it up within 6 months. We use a lot of Dijon. 🙂