The Sweet And Spicy Condiment That Gives Sweet Potatoes A Delicious Kick

When the holidays creep up, I always start scrambling for something new to cook, preferably the kind of dish I can pull together without making extra trips to the grocery store. The best additions to my rotation usually come from the stuff that's already sitting in the pantry — the combos I never bothered trying until one day they just ... clicked. Hot honey mustard falls squarely into that category. It's a condiment with kick that adds dimension without requiring a full recipe overhaul. Plus, it also solves a common fail: Underseasoning, which is one of the mistakes people make when cooking sweet potatoes.

Drizzle hot honey mustard over a warm sweet potato — your oven isn't the best for baking sweet potatoes, but your slow cooker is — and the whole dish wakes up. The acidity, sweetness, and heat cut through the root vegetable's cozy, mellow vibe. The mustard brings a sharpness that can be nutty, fruity, or both, while the hot honey adds a sweet, spicy punch. Together, they give you contrast instead of loading even more sweetness onto a potato that's already rich and plush. With a little contrast, heat, and tang, you can turn a simple side into the unique and inventive show-stopper.

To make your own hot honey mustard, start with a simple three-ingredient honey mustard recipe using equal parts mustard, mayonnaise, and hot honey. If you don't have hot honey on hand, a dash of your favorite hot sauce creates a similar sweet-spicy effect; or you can make your own hot honey exactly how you like it, by simmering your favorite standard honey with chili pepper.

If you'd rather buy a ready-made bottle, Trader Joe's Hot Honey Mustard Dressing offers a similar flavor profile. You might remember this popular TJ's dressing was briefly recalled in March 2025, due to a labeling issue involving potential allergens — but the matter was resolved, and it remains a favorite TJ's condiment. 

Once you have the sauce, it becomes an easy add-on to all kinds of sweet potato-based dishes. Toss it into a bowl of chicken, greens, and feta for lunch; or go for the same sweet-heat mindset — even without mustard in the mix — with baked sweet potatoes topped with hot honey, a dollop of creamy cheese, and pecans. In case you were wondering, the hot honey mustard-and-sweet potato combo works with just about anything.