Is Mustard Gluten-free? Find out if mustard is safe for a gluten-free diet

If you love to add a layer of mustard on your hamburgers, hot dogs, or bratwursts, you’ll love this post. Find out if mustard is gluten-free and what brands to look for.

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Mustard is probably the second most popular condiment behind ketchup, and rightfully so! This tangy, spicy spread can be used as a spread or a squiggle on your favorite barbecue food, added to salad dressings or marinades, or used in some popular cold salads, like potato salad and macaroni salad. It packs a ton of flavor in just one small food!

What’s great about mustard is that you can find it in a number of varieties, so even if you don’t love super spicy mustard, there may be an option for you in honey mustard or yellow mustard. Some mustards are sweet, while others are more tangy than spicy. There’s really something for everyone!

If you follow a gluten-free diet, you know that every food, including condiments, needs to be reviewed before enjoying it without abandon. In this post, we’re going to talk about mustard and find out if this versatile and delicious condiment is safe for a gluten-free diet.

Learn what mustard is made of, the different types of mustard, and of course determine which of these are gluten-free. We’ll also dive into some gluten-free mustard brands, if your favorite brands are safe for a gluten-free diet, and a few recipes for you to try at home if you get adventurous!

What is mustard?

Mustard is a condiment that’s made with mustard seeds and vinegar. It is incredibly easy to make and can be created in a number of different ways by adjusting the recipe of vinegar, mustard seeds, and additional ingredients to the recipe.

What is mustard made of?

The most basic ingredients of mustard are mustard seeds and vinegar. Other ingredients include water, lemon juice, beer, white wine, honey, or sugar.

Depending on the type and brand of mustard you’re eating, the ingredients will vary so you can find out more about different ingredients by looking at the ingredients lists of each mustard you buy from the store.

Is vinegar gluten-free?

Vinegar may or may not be gluten-free and safe for a gluten-free diet. Vinegars that are made with wheat ingredients or other gluten ingredients need to be distilled in order for gluten-free folks to not react to them. Even so, some people do react to distilled vinegar, so keep this in mind if you’re extremely sensitive to gluten or if you are Celiac.

Most other vinegars are made with naturally gluten-free ingredients, like white wine, apple cider, and grape juice (balsamic vinegar).

The main types of vinegar you’ll want to avoid on a gluten-free diet are malt vinegar, rye vinegar, flavored vinegars, and some Asian rice vinegars. Look for these on mustard ingredients lists so you know what to avoid.

Types of mustard

There are so many different types of mustard, and believe it or not their ingredients don’t vary too widely. The main differences between types of mustard are somewhat in the ingredients, but also in how the mustard seeds are treated.

Mustard seeds can be used whole, crushed, cracked, and pureed to create entirely different textures and flavors from the mustard seeds.

Here are some of the most common types of mustard you can find at the store:

Yellow mustard (also called American mustard)

This type of mustard is the most common in the US and is a very mild tasting mustard. It is bright yellow from the addition of turmeric in the recipe. This type of mustard is made with completely pureed mustard seeds so the texture is smooth.

This mustard is used most often on sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and salad dressings.

Read on: Are hot dogs gluten-free?

Dijon mustard

This type of mustard is made with mustard seeds and white wine. This mustard gets its name from the creator Jean Naigeon from Dijon, France named it after it’s origin city. Even though it originated in Dijon, dijon mustard these days can be manufactured anywhere in the world.

This mustard can be used on sandwiches, barbecue hot dogs or hamburgers, in salad dressings or marinades.

Read on: Gluten-free Salad Dressing: Types & Brands

Spicy brown or deli mustard

This type of mustard has a more coarse-grained texture than yellow mustard, but is also very popular in the US. This mustard is spicier than yellow mustard, but still quite mild compared to other mustards available on the market.

Many people like spicy brown mustard or deli mustard on sandwiches.

Whole grain mustard

Whole grain mustard is made with the whole mustard seeds intact. Instead of crushing or pureeing the seeds, this mustard uses the full seed and the mustard is a paste rather than a spread.

According to Wikipedia, “different flavors and strengths can be achieved through different blends of mustard seed species.” This type of mustard is used on sandwiches, bratwursts and sausages.

Stone ground mustard

Stone ground mustard is similar to whole grain mustard in that it’s made with whole mustard seeds and wine vinegar or vinegar, but some of the seeds have been crushed to create a different flavor and texture than that of whole grain mustard.

You can use stone ground mustard on sandwiches, hot dogs, or salad dressings.

Honey mustard

Honey mustard is made by mixing together prepared mustard and honey. You can use any type of mustard to create honey mustard, but dijon is often the most commonly used.

This type of mustard is used mainly as a dip, marinade, or in salad dressings.

Read on: Does honey mustard have dairy?

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.

You can find gluten in whole grains, but also in many processed foods as well. If you purchase wheat bread, there will be gluten in it, because wheat by nature has gluten.

Many processed foods have hidden gluten in them in the form of gluten or wheat derivatives. These are also in the form of flavorings, binders to keep ingredients together, or other additives.

Is mustard gluten-free?

Most mustard, in theory, is gluten-free. That is to say that mustard seeds are gluten-free themselves, but other ingredients in mustard aren’t always. The vinegar used in mustard may or may not be gluten-free, especially if it is malt vinegar. Review ingredients lists or look for gluten-free labels before buying.

In addition to that, some say that where mustard seeds come from may have the potential for cross contamination with wheat while on the farm and when being manufactured.

If you are extremely allergic to gluten, then mustard may be one of those foods that you do some extra research on before adding it to your gluten-free sandwich.

Is yellow mustard gluten-free?

Yellow mustard is commonly gluten-free as it contains mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, water, distilled vinegar, spice, natural flavor, and garlic powder.

Of course, if you have questions about a specific brand of mustard, you can look at the packaging for a gluten-free label, review the ingredients list, or look up the specific brand of mustard to see if you can find the answer.

Is dijon mustard gluten-free?

Dijon mustard is commonly made with brown mustard seeds, white wine, wine vinegar, water, and salt. All of these ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but it never hurts to review the ingredients list or look for a gluten-free label on the packaging before buying.

Is spicy brown mustard gluten-free?

Spicy brown mustard (from the French’s brand) is made with distilled vinegar, mustard seeds, water, salt, spices, turmeric, and natural flavors.

Out of all of these ingredients, you’d need to be most concerned with “natural flavors” containing gluten. In the case of French’s, they make a gluten statement saying their mustards are gluten-free so you won’t need to worry about this brand.

Review ingredients lists or find a brand with a gluten-free label just to be sure.

Is whole grain mustard gluten-free?

Whole grain mustard can be made with a variety of different ingredients, but the most common are whole mustard seeds, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and/or white wine.

This type of mustard is generally gluten-free, but it never hurts to review ingredients lists and find a brand that has a gluten-free label on the package.

Is stone ground mustard gluten-free?

Stone ground or coarse ground mustard is made with mustard seeds, white or red wine vinegar, white wine, and honey or sugar.

This type of mustard is usually gluten-free and will be if you make your own at home, but you can also look for a brand at the store that has a gluten-free label or no gluten-containing ingredients.

Is honey mustard gluten-free?

Honey mustard is a combination of prepared mustard and honey. The honey portion of the honey mustard is naturally gluten-free, so as long as you use (or buy) a naturally gluten-free mustard variety, this is safe for a gluten-free diet.

Is mustard flour gluten-free?

Mustard flour is the flour or powder that is made from crushing mustard seeds. It’s the ingredient responsible for giving mustard its bite and spiciness. This ingredient doesn’t contain any gluten and is considered safe for a gluten-free diet.

You may find this ingredient in ingredient lists for various packaged foods, like sauces, condiments, and various flavored crackers or snack foods.

Is mustard dairy-free?

Mustard is naturally dairy-free, as it doesn’t contain any milk products. If you follow a dairy-free diet, this is a safe condiment to enjoy regularly.

When is mustard not gluten-free?

There are times you’ll want to be aware of gluten in mustard. Obviously, if you are Celiac, you’ll want to be looking for a gluten-free label and a brand of mustard that has a very clear allergen statement that there is no gluten in the product.

Mustard may not be gluten-free if the vinegar used in the mustard contains gluten. As a general rule, distilled vinegar is safe because it has been distilled and the gluten does not come along after the distillation process.

If the mustard is made with malt vinegar, however, this is a type of mustard you’ll want to avoid as malt contains gluten.

Mustard also may not be gluten-free if it is made with beer, ale, or other brewed beverages. Beer and ale that has not been distilled will contain gluten from the barley that is used for the mash to create the beer. Avoid these types of flavored mustards if you are following a gluten-free diet.

Gluten-free mustard brands

If you’re looking for a brand of mustard that will work for your gluten-free diet, try one of these options next time you’re at the store.

Annie’s Naturals

Organic horseradish mustard
Organic honey mustard
Organic dijon mustard
Organic yellow mustard

Boar’s Head

Delicatessen style mustard
Honey mustard
54% lower sodium yellow mustard

French’s

The McCormick allergen statement says that this brand will always call out any allergens in the ingredients list but they don’t say any of their products are gluten-free on their website except the classic yellow mustard.

If the product has no clear statement about gluten being in the ingredient list, then you can assume it’s not hidden under other names. That said, this doesn’t mean there is no potential for cross contamination, but that these products contain no specific gluten ingredients.

It looks as though they don’t make statements about gluten, because each processing and manufacturing plant may vary from product to product and perhaps over time. Look at packaging every time!

French’s classic yellow mustard
French’s brown sugar bourbon stone ground mustard
French’s dijon horseradish stone ground mustard
French’s chardonnay dijon mustard squeeze bottle
French’s dijon hickory smoked stone ground mustard
French’s honey dijon mustard squeeze bottle
French’s honey mustard
French’s honey mustard dipping sauce
French’s horseradish deli mustard squeeze bottle
French’s roasted garlic stone ground mustard
French’s spicy brown mustard
French’s stone ground dijon mustard
French’s sweet & smoky barbecue mustard dipping sauce
French’s sweet buffalo mustard dipping sauce
French’s sweet onion stone ground mustard
French’s true organics classic yellow mustard

Grey Poupon

Similar to the French’s brand of mustard, Grey Poupon does not contain any gluten ingredients, however their products are not labeled as gluten-free. The Kraft Heinz company, the manufacturer of Grey Poupon, has a history and reputation for sharing allergens on their packaging when it calls for them.

If you’re comfortable with the possibility of cross contamination in transit or during manufacturing, then this is a safe option for you. If you’d rather find a brand that makes a statement about whether or not there is gluten in the product, then find a brand with a gluten-free label.

Country dijon mustard
Dijon mustard

Gulden’s

Bold yellow mustard
Honey mustard
Spicy brown
Sriracha mustard
Stone ground dijon

Read on: Is Sriracha gluten-free?

Heinz

100% natural honey mustard
100% natural spicy brown mustard
100% natural yellow mustard
Organic yellow mustard

Koop’s Mustard

Original yellow mustard
Stone ground mustard
Spicy brown mustard
Dijon mustard
Honey dijon
Honey mustard
Dusseldorf mustard
Jalapeno mustard
Organic dijon mustard
Organic stone ground mustard
Organic spicy brown mustard
Organic yellow mustard

Organicville

Stone ground mustard
Dijon mustard
Yellow mustard

Plochman’s

Original mild mustard
Chicago fire mustard
Chili dog mustard
The Works Chicago hot dog flavors mustard
Spicy brown deli style mustard
Carolina BBQ blended mustard
Champagne blended mustard
Bourbon blended mustard
Classic dijon blended mustard
Cuban style blended mustard
Horseradish blended mustard
Tequila blended mustard
Harvest honey blended mustard
Honey dijon blended mustard
Cranberry craft mustard
Sweet fig craft mustard
Stone ground craft mustard
Kosciusko country style coarse grain mustard
Kosciusko the original spicy brown mustard

Note: their Craft Beer blended mustard and Kosciusko lager beer mustard are NOT gluten-free!

Sir Kensington’s

Spicy brown mustard
Yellow mustard
Dijon mustard
Honey mustard

Tessemae’s

Organic honey mustard
Organic dijon mustard
Organic yellow mustard

Wegman’s

Yellow mustard
Spicy brown mustard
Traditional dijon mustard
Organic spicy brown mustard
Organic yellow mustard
Honey dijon mustard

Zatarain’s

Hearty spicy brown mustard
Creole mustard

Are my favorite brands of mustard gluten-free?

If you have a favorite brand of mustard, you may be wondering if it’s safe for you to keep enjoying your gluten-free diet. Find out if these popular mustard brands contain gluten.

Is Colman’s mustard gluten-free?

Colman’s mustard contains wheat flour, therefore it is not safe to enjoy on a gluten-free diet. Look for another brand to use on your sandwiches, hot dogs, etc.

Is French’s classic yellow mustard gluten-free?

According to the McCormick website, the creator of French’s mustard, this brand contains no gluten and is safe to enjoy on a gluten-free diet.

Is Grey Poupon mustard gluten-free?

The ingredients in Grey Poupon are distilled white vinegar, mustard seed, water, salt, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, fruit pectin, sugar, and spices. None of these ingredients contain gluten, however the Grey Poupon brand doesn’t make any statements regarding gluten.

Is Masterfoods dijon mustard gluten-free?

None of the Masterfoods mustard varieties contain gluten ingredients. Their website states that they “are introducing a contains summary statement to make the allergens more identifiable for the consumer and we also include a precautionary allergen statement indicating potential allergen on the line, to ensure the consumer can make an informed decision.”

If you are looking for a gluten-free option, review the ingredients list, but it doesn’t’ look like you’re likely to find a glutenf-ree label on these products.

Can you make your own gluten-free mustard at home?

Of course! If you love the idea of making your own condiments and sauces, you can definitely try your hand at making gluten-free mustard in your kitchen. Here are a few recipes to get you started!

What condiments are gluten-free?

Now that you know that most mustard is safe for a gluten-free diet, you may be wondering what other condiments are gluten-free. Be sure to check out my post: Gluten and Dairy-free Diet: 17 Condiments to Stock Your Kitchen

Read on: Gluten and Dairy-free Diet: How to Stock Your Fridge

Read on: Gluten and Dairy-free Diet: How to Stock Your Pantry

I hope if you’ve been looking for answers as to whether you can continue enjoying mustard on your gluten-free diet that this post has helped you!

There are so many great mustard brands that are gluten-free, and you can confidently look for a gluten-free label or read ingredients lists to be sure what you’re buying is good for you and your diet. Grab a bottle of mustard and get to spreading on your favorite foods!

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