Sauces & Dressings

Serving

Mustard Dill Sauce

Name: Mustard Dill Sauce
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Sauces & Dressings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard; 6 Tbsp sugar; 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar; 2 tsp dry mustard; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

A tangy, sweet mustard-dill sauce perfect for drizzling over salmon, gravlax, or roasted vegetables.

30 minutes

Serves 8

Side

14 min prep

23 min cook

Contains common allergens

mustard

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

4 steps

1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the spicy brown mustard, sugar, white vinegar, and dry mustard until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.
2
While whisking constantly, gradually drizzle in the vegetable oil until the sauce thickens and emulsifies.
3
Stir in the chopped fresh dill until evenly distributed.
4
Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.

Mustard Dill Sauce — plated and served — Serving moment. How Mustard Dill Sauce looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

68/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 35

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 58

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

170

Calories

1 g

Protein

10 g

Carbs

14 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Mustard dill sauce, known in Sweden as hovmastarsas, is the classic accompaniment to gravlax, the cured salmon central to Scandinavian holiday tables. It balances sharp mustard against sweetness and a generous amount of fresh dill. The sauce is meant to echo the dill in the cure while cutting the richness of the fish.

Listahan note

This version keeps the Swedish balance of two mustards, sweet against sharp, with enough dill to make it unmistakably a partner for cured salmon.

Technique cues

Whisk the oil in slowly so the sauce thickens into a loose emulsion rather than separating into a slick.
Use both a smooth and a coarse mustard if you can; the seeds give texture while the smooth mustard carries the heat.
Stir the dill in at the very end so it stays bright green and grassy rather than wilting into the acid.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Chop the dill while the mustard, sugar, and vinegar sit together to dissolve.
Make-ahead: Make the mustard base a day ahead and whisk in fresh dill just before serving.
Leftover move: Use leftover sauce as a sandwich spread or a glaze for roasted salmon or potatoes.
Cleanup rhythm: Just a bowl and a whisk; rinse them before the mustard dries on.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Dijon mustard

sharp base

Purpose: Dijon brings the clean heat that defines the sauce.

Handling: Whisk it with the sugar and vinegar before adding oil.

Adaptation: A spicy brown mustard gives a similar sharpness.

whole grain mustard

texture and depth

Purpose: The seeds add pops of texture and a milder, rounder mustard flavor.

Handling: Stir in alongside the Dijon.

Adaptation: Extra Dijon works, though you lose the seedy texture.

fresh dill

signature herb

Purpose: Dill is the herb that links the sauce to gravlax and gives it its Nordic character.

Handling: Chop the fronds finely and fold in last.

Adaptation: Dried dill in a pinch, using about a third of the amount.

sugar

balance

Purpose: Sweetness rounds the mustard's edge into the smooth, slightly sweet profile of the original.

Handling: Dissolve into the vinegar first.

Adaptation: Honey adds sweetness plus a floral note.

neutral oil

body

Purpose: Oil whisked in slowly gives the sauce its thick, pourable, emulsified texture.

Handling: Drizzle in while whisking constantly.

Adaptation: A light olive oil works if you want a fruitier finish.

Technique notes

Letting the finished sauce rest twenty minutes lets the mustard's raw bite settle into something rounder.
A splash of cold water loosens the sauce if it tightens up after sitting.
Taste and adjust the sweet-to-sharp ratio to match how strong your mustard is, since brands vary widely.

Ingredient swaps

Lower-sodium direction: Choose a low-sodium mustard and add no extra salt; the mustard already carries plenty.
Dairy-free note: This sauce is naturally dairy-free as written, making it a safe pick for mixed tables.
Lighter direction: Replace half the oil with plain yogurt for a tangier, lower-fat sauce.

Serve alongside

Gravlax on rye crispbread
Boiled baby potatoes with dill
Cucumber salad
Pickled beets
Aquavit
Crisp pilsner
Sparkling elderflower

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to four days; the flavor deepens but the dill fades, so add a little fresh dill before serving leftovers.
Whisk to recombine if it separates.
It does not freeze well.

Equipment

Whisk
Mixing bowl
Sharp knife
Airtight jar

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