Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Dijon Mustard

Analysing hundreds of thousands of recipes uncovers Dijon mustard's optimal flavour pairings.

Dijon mustard is defined by the unmistakable flavours of mustard and vinegar, but beneath its sourness lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as black pepper, sulfur, and olive, that give it remarkable depth. The key to finding the perfect pairing for Dijon mustard is understanding how these notes harmonise.

To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our analysis reveals, for example, how malt vinegar's acetic tones ground Dijon mustard, and how malt extract's maltol notes create a surprising synergy with its pungent aroma.

An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like acidic, vegetal, and spice, combined with its unique aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim to include a broad variety of core characteristics for a balanced dish. And choose aroma notes that complement each other for a harmonious combination.

Unlocking Flavour Combinations

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

Our analysis shows that the flavour of mustard is strongly associated with the flavour of malt. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a malty flavour, such as malt extract, when pairing with the mustardy notes of Dijon mustard.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing Dijon mustard with malt extract.

Harmonious Flavours Of Dijon Mustard

Just as our analysis revealed that mustard and malty flavour notes are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in Dijon mustard. For instance, the vinegary notes of Dijon mustard are strongly associated with mustardy and capsicum notes.

The accents linked to the various notes of Dijon mustard can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of malt vinegar offers many of the notes complementary to Dijon mustard, including acetic and malty aromas. Because the flavour profile of malt vinegar has many of the of the features that are complementary to Dijon mustard, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of malt vinegar across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with Dijon mustard.

Recipes That Pair Dijon Mustard With Malt Vinegar

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of Dijon mustard, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of Dijon mustard, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma accents complementary to Dijon mustard.

What To Drink With Dijon Mustard

The malty notes in amber lager make it a perfect pairing with dijon mustard. Likewise, the malty flavours in hearty british ale create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of dijon mustard below.