This Whole30 Date Mustard is my favorite dressing and dipping sauce on or OFF the Whole30. I was a honey mustard fiend growing up, it was my all time favorite sauce for dipping or salads. This Whole30 compatible “honey” mustard has been my go-to sauce for years and you will never find my fridge without it!
The dates in the date mustard sauce are a great way to get your kids to enjoy a compliant sauce and/or help them transition away from traditional sweet sauces. I also enjoy the date mustard as an inexpensive delicious salad dressing, stocked with healthy fats!
Easy to Make + Budget Friendly
If you use homemade mayo, this checks in at only $2.50/8 oz* – less than half the cost of many store-bought Whole30 dressings. This one is a keeper! (*Prices are based on current prices at my local NorCal Walmart).
It only has THREE ingredients and takes 10-15 minutes to make. I prefer the method that creates a date paste first. This allows the dates to blend more smoothly into the sauce. And yes, that’s allowed on Whole30 – I double checked with Melissa Urban herself!
Love Easy Sauces?
Then you will love these other budget-friendly sauces, all for under $3 per 8oz bottle:
What do you eat the Whole30 Date Mustard with?
The answer is simple: all. The. THINGS! We love dipping my Garlic Fries or Curly Fries in it. We love it with any chicken strip like my Paleo Chick-fil-a Chicken or 5-ingredient Chicken Strips. I love it as a salad dressing to make like a Whole30 Cobb salad (page 206 of my Cookbook). My boys love it in their gluten-free dairy-free sandwiches. I mean it – this is a must-have sauce on hand!
Ingredients
- Dates or date paste – Dates are mixed with water in this sauce to add sweetness to this sauce. Unlike most honey mustards on the market, this sauce has no sugar or honey. Only sweetened by dates, but still wonderfully sweet in a Whole30 compatible way!
- Mayo – I use mayo as the base of this sauce to give it a creaminess and a solid dose of healthy fats. Many honey mustards are a combination of honey + mustard, which can drive up your blood sugar. Making oil-based mayo the base of this sauce stabilizes your blood sugar and fights off cravings and hunger. Win-win! If on a Whole30 or eat Paleo and need an egg-free or vegan mayo, I recommend this Vegan Mayo from Primal Kitchen. If you shop on primal kitchen.com, use code WHOLEFOODFOR7FAVORITES to save 20%!
- Yellow mustard – Nothing fancy here, just regular old French’s mustard or an equivalent store brand is usually Whole30-compatible and works great in this recipe.
Whole30 Date Mustard
Ingredients
Method 1
- 2-4 tablespoons date paste (see below)
- 1 cup compliant mayo*
- 2-3 tablespoons regular yellow mustard
Method 2
- 4-5 dates
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup compliant mayo*
- 2-3 tablespoons regular yellow mustard
Instructions
Method 1
- Make date paste - see recipe below. Making the dates into a paste first will result in a more even spread to the dates, no large chunks or need for a high powered blender to chop the dates within the sauce.
- COMBINE mayo, mustard and date paste in a blender or with an immersion blender. Blend to combine. Taste and adjust amounts of mustard and dates to yourpreferences (stronger or lighter mustard flavor). I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons mustard and 3 tablespoons date paste and adjusting from there. I like mine with 2 tablespoons mustard + 4 tablespoons date paste.
Method 2
- PLACE dates in 1 cup hot water to soften for 5 minutes. Discard hot water after softening.
- COMBINE mayo, mustard and dates in a blender or with an immersion blender.Blend to combine. Taste and adjust amounts of mustard and dates to yourpreferences (stronger or lighter mustard flavor). I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons mustard and 4 dates and adjusting from there.
- STORE in the fridge. Keeps good until the expiration of your mayo. If homemade mayo, usually that is until the expiration date of your eggs you used to makethe homemade mayo with.
Notes
.
Too thick for your needs? You can always thin down this dressing with any dairy-free milk till you reach the desired consistency. If you use store-bought mayo and don't use the date paste that has water in it, it might be a bit thick, so thin down as desired!
Date Paste
Ingredients
- 1 c. pitted dates packed
- ½ c. very hot water
Instructions
- Combine dates and hot water in a bowl and let sit for 1 minute. I usually press them down into the water a bit to ensure they all are soaking. Place dates and all the liquid in a blender and process for 30 seconds or until completely smooth. Store in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks.
I just made this date mustard today for the umteenth time! It’s so delicious! I put it on all the things. After doing numerous experiments and research on my food freedom, I went back to making the foods I love that make me feel good and your date mustard is one of them and it makes everything taste better.
I broke my fast with a plate of chicken tenders and your date mustard sauce. Deeeeelicious! Had to go back for seconds.
There is nothing I can buy that compares to this condiment! And-it’s super simple to make, goes with almost anything & is delicious!
Could I substitute Date Syrup in this? What would the ratio be in place of the dates?
You can! I am not sure the ratio, you would have to just do it to taste. Everyone likes it a different level of sweetness.
How would you thin this out to make a salad dressing
You can thin it with a DF milk of choice. I usually use coconut milk but almond or oat milk would work too. Add slowly and mix, until reaching desired consistency. Enjoy!
I want to make this but avoiding eggs. Suspicious of an allergy. Any suggestions? It sounds great. Actually looking for more egg free food in this Whole30 plan. It’s been short of 2 weeks on it and I’m feeling many changes for the better!!!! Just a challenge without eggs.
Good question! The best way to make this egg free is for the base to use Primal Kitchen’s vegan mayo (https://www.primalkitchen.com/products/vegan-mayo – you can use code WHOLEFOODFOR7FAVORITES to save 20%) or make your own egg-free mayo (https://whole30.com/plant-based/recipes/mayonnaise). Hope that helps!
Autumn…I wish I could hug you! This is absolutely amazing and I just gave my very picky 11 year old a spoonful and she said “Mom, this is just like my favorite honey mustard from Mc Donald’s! How did you do that?”
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! #momwin
Leslie! This makes me so incredibly happy – a kid win like that is AWESOME! Thrilled to hear it, thank you!
Is there a way to give it 10 stars?!? 🤩 This is THE best naturally sweet sauce. It’s my favorite creamy sauce right after homemade Mayo !
this recipe is fantastic and so versitile! my entire family loves!
This is the BEST! The whole family even the picky one eats this. 10/10 highly recommend
So delicious and easy to eyeball a single serving using bottled date syrup!
This date mustard is AMAZING! I’m on my second whole 30 and it was a staple to have going into it along with plain Mayo. It’s so good and tastes so much like Chik-fil-a’s sauce that my kids steal it all the time. Thank you!
This recipe was outstanding!! A bit of a multi-step process but well worth the effort. Excuse me while I dump this on everything for the remainder of my Whole30. Thanks!
This is very good. I just have one question: if you were going to thicken it how would you go about that?
It should come out pretty thick, depending on the thickness of the Mayo. So, the only way I know to thicken it is to start out with a thicker Mayo.
I’ve wanted to make this recipe for a while and I finally did the other day. All I can say is “WHAT WAS I WAITING FOR?????” This recipe is SUPER! So yummy with some baked veggies, like Japanese sweet potato wedges, or with her fantastic paleo Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets! I may just have to keep this on hand on a regular basis!!! Thanks, Autumn! Your recipes are always great!
I literally just finished making this date honey mustard recipe… omgggggg. I’ve never even been a fan of honey mustard but I made this for my son and I tried it. Wow wow wow. So good!!!
DELICIOUS!!!! I have had this on my list to make for weeks! I am so glad I finally did. It turned my plain old chicken salad into a wonderful new option — like something I would find at a hip restaurant!
This is the absolute 💣!!!! I have seen this recipe countless times on IG and have it saved to make it but never got around to it. I’m not quite sure what the heck took me so long but I’m beyond thrilled I finally made it. I LOVE it for a dipping sauce for the Chic-Fil-A strips as well as so many other foods. Don’t be a fool like I was and wait to make this amazing sauce!! You gotta try this because it is a game changer for sure! This is now a regular staple in my house.
So happy! I tried this again today after failing the first attempt.
It is AMAZING! This will definitely be a consistent item in my fridge. So glad I’ve found another compliant sauce that is easy to make.
I didn’t originally want to try this, because I don’t like mustard at all, but when she said it was similar to Chik-Fil-A sauce, I had to give it a try. SO glad I did! Delish!
After really struggling through multiple Whole30 rounds (I hate cooking and am not good at it), I finally decided to invest in an immersion blender and really work to make food I would enjoy instead of feeling like I am surviving 30 days. This date mustard was a huge game changer and is better than ANY store bought Whole30 sauce/dressing I have tried. It has been so versatile and I can put it in and on so many things. I am really grateful to you Autumn that you provide MULTIPLE amazing recipes like this that are affordable, delicious, and so simple. THANK YOU for saving me from dreading Whole30 to actually living and enjoying it!!!
Aw, what a glowing review and it makes my heart so happy that this was a Whole30 game-changer. Wahoo and thank you!
One of the best sauces I’ve ever made. Keeper, for sure.
I’m really keen to get this right as I was also a honey mustard fan. The first time I tried this I used powdered mustard. Not good. What brand of compliant mustard do you use?
Thanks for giving it a try! I haven’t tried it with powdered mustard. I just use French’s yellow mustard for this – easy to find and Whole30 compatible!
This has become my new go to dressing. It is delicious on everything. Also, your date paste hack is so easy.
Can I use date syrup instead of pasted?
I haven’t tried it personally, but I know someone else did and said it worked great for them. Just realize the syrup is going to be more concentrated sweetness, so add slowly until desired sweetness level. Also, just FYI that date syrup is not allowed on Whole30, if you are on one. Enjoy!
The best sauce of all time! I literally lick the spoon. During Whole30 I put it on everything! Can I give it 10 gold stars please?
Aw, YAY! I love that you love it like I do – definitely my all time favorite. Thank you!
This sauce saved me during my Whole30! So easy and a crowd pleaser for my family of 5
I LOVE this dip/dressing. I put it on everything, meat, veggies, anything. It was so easy to make as well. Highly recommend.
Oh my goodness! This has been a great addition! We use it on chicken and I’ve even made sandwiches with it too. So delicious! Just the right amount of ingredients too! Another awesome recipe Autumn!
I’ve seen you post this a million times on Instagram and went for it today for my salad meal prep. I don’t understand why/how it’s so good but it’s. so. good.
My vitamix is too big for one batch (won’t be a problem next time cause I’m doubling the batch) but made it method 2 with an immersion blender without problem!
I’m so happy you finally gave this one a try! Thank you!
This is my new favorite sauce! It’s versatile and delicious as a dipping sauce, a sandwich spread, thinned out a bit for salad dressing, or drizzled over leftover veggies. The perfect balance of sweet and savory.
This sauce is a new family favorite!
So flavorful and very easy to make. Thank you!
My husband would eat this plain by the spoonful if I let him! Such a great option! Thank you!
I LOVE this recipe. I am not a mustard fan AT ALL and I absolutely love this. It was a 100% life saver during my whole 30. I found myself planning meals that I could use this as a condiment for. Yum!!
It’s true, I don’t like mustard either, ha! I’m so happy this came in clutch for your Whole30 – hooray!
YUM YUM YUM! We all love this recipe! All my kiddos approved!
Hooray! So happy your family loves this one!
I just made this using the date paste method. I made it all with my immersion blender! Easy to follow recipe and it’s delicious! Now I’m stalking the website look for what to make next to pair it with!
Thanks for this great recipe! I’ve seen you share it several times on IG and can’t believe I only just made it last week for the first time! I had a huge thing of dates from Costco I’ve been trying to use up, and was doing a January Whole30, and it was the perfect sauce to end it out.
As soon as the hubs and I tried it we knew we had to make a version of our favorite crispy chicken cobb salad with honey mustard – it was perfect. I already made us another batch this week, and since I made the date paste last time, it was super quick to pull together!
Wahoo! I’m so happy you finally dove into this recipe and loved it. And YES, that is one of my favorite salads – so delicious!
WOW! Knock your socks off good. I made this during a W30 and I’ll be making it on the regular well after. I’ve never been a big honey mustard fan, but this date mustard is AMAZING. I’ve had it with your Chick-fil-A nuggets, blackened chicken, salmon, and as a salad dressing. I love it! I’ve tried a lot of the W30 approved dressing and marinades, but I’m quickly realizing homemade tastes the best and is easier on the budget. Thank you!
“Knock your socks off good” – I love it! I’m so happy this is a new favorite and won you over. Thank you!
We fell in love with this when we finally made it. I used Just Date Syrup that I had bought and it worked perfectly. We put this stuff on everything!
Me asking me 4 yo if he likes these (and the date mustard): Does mommy’s food taste like Chick-fil-a?
4yo: It IS Chick-fil-a.
Best review in the house. And so easy to make.
What the cute?! That is the best review, I love it. Thank you!
This is a WHOLE30 change maker. Thank you for this versatile deliciousness.
I’m so happy you love this sauce like we do, thank you!
Very delicious and satisfying.
This is outstanding! Better than any honey mustard I’ve ever had. We had it on our roast for dinner tonight. So delicious!!
This sauce was a game changer for our family! Seriously so good and we make it all the time! Thank you!!!
So happy you loved it, thank you!
This Date Mustard is AMAZING. Honey mustard is one of my favorite condiments, so to be able to have a much healthier version is wonderful. This recipe is absolutely delicious. Thanks, Autumn!
Thank you Amani! I’m so thrilled you love this one like we do!
So good! We finished the whole batch in one sitting!! My blender isn’t the greatest and didn’t chop up the dates that well. Do you think this would work with date syrup in place of the dates? Can’t wait to make again!
You can use date paste! *Date Paste – Combine 1 cup dates and 1/2 cup hot water in your blender. Let sit for 1 minute. I usually press them down into the water a bit to ensure they all are soaking. Process for 30 seconds or until completely smooth. You will only use 2 tablespoons for this recipe – store remaining in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks.
This was a great idea! Thank you!!
Super easy, why did I not try it before. My kids love it! Thanks!!!
Love this recipe! So simple, but so tasty. I use it often on my daily salads.
Added this to de sauce repertoire in our house!
I live in Curaçao and clean sauces are limited or expensive, so I’ve been making our own and this is awesome😋!
I love that you have been making this sauce in Curacao, how great! Thank you!
Do you prefer medjool dates or deglet Noor dates?
I usually used medjool dates as they are the most accessible for me. But other dates could work too!
I am such a sauce person and this one is SO easy! It is absolutely delicious and I will even put it on veggies when I am not feeling like eating them.
This recipe did not disappoint! Such a perfect balance of spice and sweetness that totally satisfied my honey mustard craving. I did end up thinning it out a little with full fat coconut milk. This was the perfect dipping consistency.
I made a half batch the first time. Making a whole batch this time. It is delicious!
So happy you loved it, thank you!
Delicious! I bought dates just to make this recipe and it was so worth it. Yummy!
I make this sauce at least twice a week or more. I use It for dipping sauce for your chick fl A nuggets. This sauce is to die for.
Thank you! It’s such a favorite in our household and happy it’s a favorite for you too!
This mustard is where it’s at. I made it for nuggets and fries but was so glad I had leftovers to put it on everything. Veggies, salad, everything.
The first time I made this I just stared at the bowl in astonishment…I had just made homemade 2 minute mayo for the first time and turned it into THIS??? A must have – I would buy this by the case, but it’s so easy and delicious to make yourself!
Woot that this was such an empowering win – making your own better-for-you sauces is like a superpower! This is a must-have in our house!
I could for real drink this stuff. My cousin told me about it, and I said “Hard pass, cause I hate honey mustard.” Then a month later I thought I’d give it a whirl and OH! MYLANTA!! If she would have said it tastes like a Whole30 Compatible Chick-Fil-A sauce I for SURE would have been on board immediately. 🤩
That’s interesting you think it tastes like Chick-fil-a sauce, I wouldn’t have thought of that. So glad you gave it a try and loved it, thank you!
This is one of my favorite dipping sauces ever! I love keeping a jar of it in my fridge. 🙂 Great with roasted potatoes/fries, on burgers, even slathered on sweet potato toast. Yum!
This sauce is delicious! Just made it with your chicken strips and some homemade French fries, and my kids were shocked that I made everything-they haven’t been impressed with homemade BBQ and ketchup yet. The hardest part is not eating the entire batch in one sitting!
Delicious. This is probably my favorite sauce because 1. It’s delicious and 2. It’s super easy! Honestly, it takes so much self control to stop just eating it straight with a spoon. 😋
The date mustard has become my new favorite dipping sauce! I made extra to have with homemade potato wedges and zucchini fries. I originally made it for the zucchini chicken tenders and my kids loved it. Thank you for the great recipe!
Everything in moderation – EXCEPT THIS! 🙂 Seriously, this sauce is perfection and could not be easier to make. After feeding it to my teenagers, they hands down prefer this to any nationwide chain dipping sauce.
This has become a new family favorite! Thank you for providing a clean & easy alternative.
Whaaat?! I LOVE that your teens love this over store bought dipping sauces. That makes my heart so happy!
I cannot thank you enough for this recipe! We make it in large batches and use it on EVERYTHING! Honey mustard is something I love and miss when on whole30 and now I don’t use anything but this!
My husband and I absolutely love this sauce and we have made it several times. Love that I can make a batch in a mason jar and store it in the fridge that way. The last time I made it I couldn’t get my hands on dates for it, but I had fresh figs and it worked great with that too!
I made this for a healthy alternative for my family and my honey mustard connoisseur (he’s 6) won’t touch the store bought stuff now. We have some in our fridge at all times.
That’s so wonderful that your 6-year-old now prefers this! Aw, I love it!
This is SO good!!! I made this along with the Chic fil a nuggets and it was a perfect combination. It’s so delicious that I use it on appetizer platters for dipping or if its on the thicker side a spread. This is on repeat in my home and a go to when asked to bring an appetizer…no one knows it’s a Whole30 compliant sauce!
A MUST make for whole 30 (and beyond)!
Since I made this the first time, its been a staple in my house. My kids and I love it, going to miss it for my round of whole 30 😭.
So happy this is a household staple! And it’s Whole30 compatible, so it can come with you on your Whole30! : )
This was a great way for me to use up the extra date paste that I had from the Mini Meatloaves recipe. The date mustard was delicious on our chicken 5 ingredient chicken!
SO GOOD. Hands down my favorite sauce I’ve ever made at home. Just make it. You won’t regret it.
I’m so happy this is a favorite, thank you!
This is my new go to dressing. It is so good and tasty! I love to have the chick fi la paleo chicken with this!!
Aw, yay! This is my staple dressing too and it’s so good with that chicken!
I made a half batch and it was delish. Even the mother-in-law liked it and she is super picky!
Wahoo! I’m so happy it was a winner – this is a must-have sauce in our house!
This was super yummy… even if I didn’t soak my dates first. Don’t be like me – soak your dates! You’ll thank yourself later.
Great tip – the soaking of the dates really will help them blend well to avoid large chunks of dates. Happy you enjoyed nonetheless!
This is the best sauce!! I have tweaked a couple things to make it a “dump” recipe (like dump ranch) and I make it so often now! Thank you!
It’s a must-have in our house – so happy you enjoy it too, thank you!
Would using dijon mustard work??
It depends on what flavor you are going for. I don’t love dijon so a sweet dijon wouldn’t be my scene, but if you enjoy dijon it could be right up your alley!
I truly love this recipe! I wasn’t sure how it was going to taste but I made it to dunk your chik-fil-a nuggets in and WOW! I was blown away by how yummy (and easy) it was to make. We had it on a Saturday night and during a whole 30 Saturday’s are hard because we usually do take out on those nights. This date mustard and your nuggets felt like we were! I’ve been scouring all of your content and you speak to my whole 30 spirit animal!
Lol, I love that our Whole30 souls speak the same food language. So happy these hit the spot during your Whole30, thank you!
I made this today and it is SO GOOD. I had leftover date paste that I used and I also mixed spicy brown mustard with regular yellow mustard. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!
It’s one sauce we always have to have on hand, so thrilled you found it a keeper too!
All I can say is DELISH! Definitely helping me through my whole30 journey, this second time around. Your recipes are always easy and healthy. Thanks you!
I just made this sauce tonight and YUM! Tastes just like honey mustard from a restaurant.
Thank you, so happy it was a keeper! It’s my all-time favorite sauce.