Dijonnaise substitutes
Dijonnaise substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Mayonnaise plus Dijon mustard
3 parts mayonnaise to 1 part Dijon, giving a 1:1 replacement for Dijonnaise
Whisk three tablespoons of mayonnaise with one tablespoon of Dijon mustard and you have a quarter cup of Dijonnaise. That three-to-one ratio is the entire answer, and homemade tastes fresher and slightly richer than the bottle. Go four to one if you want it mild enough for a child's sandwich, two to one if you want it to bite. Plain yellow mustard works in the same ratio but tastes brighter and sweeter with a more obvious vinegar tang, and Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise gives a lighter, tangier spread that will split if it gets hot. The job Dijonnaise is doing in a sandwich is fat plus gentle acid plus mustard sharpness in one spreadable layer, which is why straight Dijon on its own tastes so harsh in its place: you have kept the sharpness and thrown away the fat that was carrying it.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- sandwiches and wraps
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of dijonnaise | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayonnaise plus Dijon mustardsandwiches and wraps | 3 parts mayonnaise to 1 part Dijon, giving a 1:1 replacement for DijonnaiseWorks | Works |
| 2 | Mayonnaise plus yellow mustardburgers and hot dogs | 3 parts mayonnaise to 1 part yellow mustardTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Mayonnaise plus whole-grain mustardroast beef and pork sandwiches | 3 parts mayonnaise to 1 part whole-grain mustardTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Aioli or garlic mayonnaise plus Dijonsteak sandwiches | 3 parts aioli to 1 part DijonTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Greek yogurt plus Dijon mustardsalad dressings | 3 parts Greek yogurt to 1 part DijonYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 6 | Plain Dijon mustard on its ownham and cheese sandwiches | Use about half as muchYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Mayonnaise plus Dijon mustard
similar taste and texture
Three tablespoons of mayonnaise whisked with one tablespoon of smooth Dijon mustard makes a quarter cup of finished spread.
- Best for
- sandwiches and wraps, burgers, potato salad, chicken and egg salad, dipping sauce for fries and nuggets
This is not an approximation, it is the same product made at home, and it takes about twenty seconds. What differs from the bottle: shop-bought Dijonnaise is usually a little thinner and slightly more vinegary because of added water and stabilisers, so your version will taste creamier and more mustardy. Whisk the mustard into the mayonnaise a little at a time rather than the other way round, and taste before adding salt, since both ingredients are already salty. Keeps about a week covered in the refrigerator.
Mayonnaise plus yellow mustard
different taste, similar texture
Standard American yellow mustard stirred into mayonnaise, the version most kitchens can make without a special trip.
- Best for
- burgers and hot dogs, ham sandwiches, coleslaw, macaroni and potato salad, children's lunches
What changes: yellow mustard is milder in heat but much brighter in acidity, with turmeric doing most of the colour and flavour work, so the spread comes out yellower, sweeter and tangier. A ham sandwich made with it tastes like a diner sandwich rather than a bistro one, which is fine, just different. Because yellow mustard is thinner than Dijon, the mixture is looser, so use a touch less if you are spreading it on soft bread.
Mayonnaise plus whole-grain mustard
similar taste, different texture
Coarse-grain mustard stirred into mayonnaise, keeping the seeds whole.
- Best for
- roast beef and pork sandwiches, pretzel and sausage dipping, potato salad, salmon
Flavourwise this is very close to the Dijon version, since whole-grain mustard is usually the same mustard seed in a coarser grind. What changes is entirely texture: the seeds pop between your teeth and the spread looks speckled rather than smooth. That is a bonus on a roast beef sandwich and a problem in a smooth salad dressing or anywhere a child will notice the bits. If you need it smooth, blitz it briefly with a stick blender.
Aioli or garlic mayonnaise plus Dijon
different taste, similar texture
The same build using a garlic mayonnaise as the base.
- Best for
- steak sandwiches, grilled chicken, burgers, roasted vegetable dipping
What changes: the garlic is loud and it stays with you, so this is richer and more assertive than plain Dijonnaise. It is very good on grilled meat and too much on a delicate turkey and lettuce sandwich. Because aioli is often thicker and more emulsified than jarred mayonnaise, the spread sits up more and does not soak into bread as fast, which is genuinely useful in a packed lunch.
Greek yogurt plus Dijon mustard
different taste and texture
Thick plain Greek yogurt stirred with Dijon, for a lighter, lower-fat spread.
- Best for
- salad dressings, slaws, chicken salad, cold vegetable dips, lighter sandwiches
What changes: yogurt brings a clean lactic tartness in place of the round oiliness of mayonnaise, so the result tastes noticeably sharper, thinner and less indulgent, and it does not coat bread the same way. Two important limits: it will thin out and weep if it sits on a sandwich for hours, and it will split and go grainy if you heat it, so keep it away from anything hot. A teaspoon of olive oil per quarter cup puts back some of the richness.
Plain Dijon mustard on its own
different taste and texture
The least-bad answer when you have Dijon but no mayonnaise, yogurt or oil of any kind.
- Best for
- ham and cheese sandwiches, sausages, pairing with an already rich filling
This is honestly not a substitute so much as a different condiment, and it is worth saying so. Dijon alone is three or four times as sharp, has none of the creaminess and does not moisten bread, so a sandwich made with it can taste dry and aggressive. Halve the amount and it works, especially if the filling is fatty enough to do the mayonnaise's job for it, such as cheddar, salami or roast pork. On a lean chicken sandwich it will taste bare.
Questions
5 questionsWhat is the exact ratio for homemade Dijonnaise?
Three parts mayonnaise to one part Dijon mustard by volume, so three tablespoons mayonnaise to one tablespoon Dijon makes a quarter cup. That lands close to the bottled product. Four to one is noticeably milder and creamier, and two to one is properly sharp and good on rich meats. There is no reason to be precise about it, since the whole point is that you can adjust it to your own taste in a way the bottle cannot.
Can I just leave it out?
On a sandwich, leaving it out entirely usually makes the whole thing taste dry, because the spread is doing two jobs at once: moisture and tang. If you have no mustard, plain mayonnaise plus a squeeze of lemon covers most of it. If you have no mayonnaise, Dijon thinned with a little olive oil works. In a potato or egg salad you cannot really skip it, since the dressing is structural, but you can swap the whole thing for a vinaigrette and get a good, different salad.
Is Dijonnaise the same as honey mustard?
No. Honey mustard is mustard sweetened with honey, sometimes with a little mayonnaise, and it tastes distinctly sweet. Dijonnaise is not sweet at all, it is creamy and tangy. If you only have honey mustard and need Dijonnaise, stir a tablespoon of it into three tablespoons of mayonnaise and accept that the result will still be sweeter than the real thing, which is fine on chicken and odd on roast beef.
Can I use Dijonnaise in potato salad or coleslaw?
Yes, and it is one of the better uses for it. It is already mayonnaise and mustard, which is the backbone of most creamy potato salad dressings, so you can use it as a straight replacement for both and then adjust with vinegar, salt and pepper. For coleslaw, thin it with a tablespoon of vinegar or pickle brine per half cup so it coats the cabbage rather than clumping.
Is there a dairy-free or egg-free version?
Yes. Any vegan mayonnaise substitutes directly for the mayonnaise in the three-to-one build, and most Dijon mustards contain only mustard seed, vinegar, water, salt and wine, so the finished spread is vegan. Vegan mayonnaise is often slightly sweeter and looser than the egg version, so start with a four-to-one ratio and add mustard until it tastes right.
Tips for substituting dijonnaise
5 tips- Three to one, mayonnaise to Dijon, is the ratio worth memorising, but treat it as a starting point rather than a rule. The strength of Dijon varies a lot between brands, so taste after mixing and add mustard a quarter teaspoon at a time. Once it is too sharp the only fix is more mayonnaise, which means you end up with more spread than you wanted.
- Add the mustard to the mayonnaise, not the mayonnaise to the mustard. Starting from the thicker, larger volume keeps the emulsion smooth and stops you overshooting on mustard, which is the mistake almost everyone makes the first time.
- Do not salt it before tasting. Mayonnaise and Dijon are both already salted, and a homemade batch usually needs nothing at all. If it tastes flat rather than salty, what it wants is a squeeze of lemon or a drop of vinegar, not more salt.
- Keep it away from heat. Both the mayonnaise version and the yogurt version will separate if you cook them, so if you want a mustard cream sauce for a pan of chicken, use Dijon plus cream or creme fraiche instead and stir the mustard in off the heat at the very end.
- A batch made from mayonnaise and Dijon keeps about a week in a sealed jar in the refrigerator, no longer than whichever of your two ingredients expires first. It is worth making only a quarter cup at a time, because it takes twenty seconds and fresh tastes better than day-five.