Best American Mustard Brands in India – A Delicious Condiment

All mustards, but poles apart! There is a lot of difference between English mustard, American mustard, and Bengali Kasundi. The difference lies in the type of mustard seeds used, the way they are fermented and seasoned.

Unlike English mustard and kasundi, American mustard lacks the pungency and sharp flavor of mustard seeds. It is intended to be tart with a mild turmeric flavor. 

To find the best American Mustard, we picked five brands. We blind tasted them as it is and then over a batch of hot dogs. We chose French’s Mustard as one of the best American Mustard brands in India in the premium section. American Garden American Mustard is our overall Top Pick.

In this section, we discuss the price, quantity, shelf life and main ingredients of American mustard brands in India. Here is tabular information about all the brands we reviewed. 

Here is all that you need to know about American mustard brands in India.

1. Packaging

Associated with the bright yellow color, most American Mustard comes in squeezy bottles which makes it extremely simple to use on a batch of hot dogs, burgers or as a dressing for potatoes, salads and fried foods.

2. Available Sizes

While most brands only offer a single sized bottle, some have bigger and smaller packs too. The most commonly available ones are between 250 grams to 400 grams. 

3. Price Range

The brands we included in our review were a mix of Indian and international brands. The international brands are imported and thus priced on the higher side. Our contenders were priced between Rs 69/- and Rs 490/- for a bottle.

4. Shelf Life

On an average the shelf life of American mustard can vary between 6 months to 24 months. The amount of vinegar content it has determines the shelf life. Some brands may also use preservatives to increase the shelf life.

Related Reading – Health benefits of mustard seeds

To find the tastiest American mustard brand in India, we divided the review process into three stages – 

• Visual inspection – During this inspection stage, we checked all the brands for their texture, consistency, and aroma.

Blind tasting (Plain taste test) – We marked all the brands with numbers and our team tasted them without the knowledge of the brand name. This helped us check the flavor and mouthfeel of the sauce by itself.

• Mishry Secret Sauce (Tasting with hot dogs) – This is as American as it can get! We cooked a batch of chicken sausages in olive oil, and placed them between warm Britannia Hot Dog buns. We did not add butter or any strong-flavored fat to cook the sausages as that might have altered the tasting experience of the mustard sauce. Each sauce was directly drizzled on top of the hot dog from the squeezy bottle. This helped us test it for its ease of ‘drizzling’ on top and ultimately its consistency. This stage was also crucial taste-wise, as it helped us understand the flavor of the sauce with its ideal, intended partner.

We gauged all the sauces on six parameters – 

1. Ingredients

A classic American mustard recipe uses five prime ingredients – vinegar, yellow mustard seeds, water, turmeric, and salt. Apart from this some may experiment with seasonings and add garlic, paprika, or even different mustard seeds. But, the basic recipe remains the same—American mustard sauce used yellow mustard and not brown or black seeds.

We checked the ingredient list to see if the brands use the basic ingredients or sway away from them.

2. Flavor

Yellow mustard seeds are milder and don’t lend the piquant heat we expect from black or brown seeds. This is why American mustards are all about tartness. 

American mustard is mild on the mustard heat and pungency. It should have a bold tart flavor coming from the vinegar. These aren’t supposed to have the pungency, bitterness, or heat of mustard-like we expect from Kasundi or English mustard. This is what makes it the perfect contender to be used with meats and fried foods, which help cut down the richness.

From eye-squinting sharp to a milder, subdued tartness – All the brands have varying levels of ‘tang’. Our review looked for the most well-balanced American mustard sauce with the right amount of tartness, seasoning, turmeric flavor, and a subtle mustard seed flavor. 

3. Consistency + Texture

American mustard should have a consistency that is easy to squeeze out of a bottle and doesn’t clot or become lumpy. In addition, it should be smooth and not grainy. 

We checked all the contenders for their consistency and texture.

4. Color

Vibrant and yellow! American mustard has a bright yellow color. So which brand offers the most vibrant-looking mustard sauce?

5. Price (Value For Money)

Even if the brand comes in the premium category and is priced much higher than its competition – Is it tasty enough for us to spend that extra buck on a bottle of mustard? Is it value for money?

French’s mustard sauce is an American favorite! Easily available across multiple online grocery shopping portals as well as at fancy supermarkets in urban cities. 

Our experience with French’s Classic Yellow Mustard was top-notch, and that’s why this is our Premium Pick. The mustard sauce squeezed out with ease from the bottle and drizzled like a dream on our hot dogs. It has a non-grainy, smooth, almost creamy texture and a vibrant yellow color.

Coming to taste! The tartness is very well-rounded and doesn’t irritate your throat. The vinegary kick we expect from American mustard was definitely present. This sauce has mild notes of turmeric and the seasoning is spot on! The mustard flavor is subtle, just like it should be.

Features

• A 226-gram bottle cost us Rs 490/-. This is an imported product and we bought it off an online shopping site. The prices may vary as per sellers and place of purchase for you.
• Shelf life – On the bottle we received, the best before date was mentioned (October 2022). The time frame (eg: 6 months/24 months) was not specified.
• Ingredients – Distilled Vinegar, Water, #1 Grade mustard seeds, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice, Natural flavor, Garlic powder

Likes

• Ease of spreadability.
• The texture of the sauce is smooth.
• The consistency is just right, neither too thick nor too flowy. 
• We loved the vibrant yellow color.
• The seasoning and tart flavor of the mustard sauce is spot on.
• This is the most well-balanced American mustard sauce.

Dislikes

• Imported or not, the MRP and shelf life should have been mentioned clearly.

Best Suited For

French’s mustard sauce is meant for those who truly love classic American mustard flavor and are willing to shell out some extra bucks for it.

American Garden’s Mustard is very easy to get your hands on and comparatively pocket-friendly. It was easy to drizzle the sauce over hot dogs, but the process wasn’t as smooth as French’s. American Garden’s mustard has a smooth, thick texture that is not grainy.

The turmeric-like aroma and the vinegary sourness are dominant. Taste-wise, the mustard pungency is low and the tang is high. This sauce has a very sharp tartiness which helps cut down the richness of the meat.

Features

• A 227 gram bottle is priced at Rs 145/-.
• Shelf life – 2 years
• Ingredients- Vinegar, Water, Mustard seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika
• This is gluten free.
• Refrigerate after opening. 

Likes

• This sauce has a distinct turmeric aroma.
• The tart vinegary sourness reflects very well in the taste.
• This is a classic recipe.
• It is easy to drizzle the sauce.
• Easy availability.
• We liked the balanced seasoning.

Best Suited For

This is a pocket-friendly option for American mustard lovers!

Funfoods American Mustard is high on mustard pungency and lacks the turmeric flavor. Amongst all the contenders, this was definitely the sauce with the strongest mustard flavor. Unlike the American classics, this wasn’t vibrant yellow in color and we could see specs of black/brown mustard seeds. Traditionally, American mustard is made using yellow seeds which are lower in pungency and bitterness. Funfoods, although tasty, isn’t really ‘American’.

Features

• A 260 gram bottle is priced at Rs 69/-.
• Shelf life – 6 months
• Ingredients – Water, Mustard powder (24%), Iodised salt, Acidity regulators, Mixed spices, Stabilisers 
• Refrigerate after opening.

Likes

• It is a well-seasoned sauce.

Dislikes

• The signature tart flavor was missing.
• It doesn’t have a vibrant yellow color.
• It has a grainy texture.
• The mustard flavor is prominent.

While we liked the flavor of Veeba’s mustard sauce, it did not win because it wasn’t really ‘American’ mustard. This is not vibrant yellow in color, and neither is it smooth. It had a grainy texture with a bold mustard flavor which wasn’t what we were looking for. This would go well with Indian flavors, but not so much in a classic Hot Dog.

The tang we expect from American mustard was missing and this was noticeably higher on the mustard pungency. This sauce has very Indianised flavors (not that we didn’t like it), and it wouldn’t be fair to pit it against brands that follow a classic American recipe.

Features

• A 320 gram bottle is priced at Rs 119/-.
• The shelf life is 8 months.
• Ingredients -Water, Synthetic vinegar, American mustard powder (8.0%), Iodised salt, Refined wheat flour, Sugar, Spices and Condiments, Mustard powder (2%), Stabilisers, Preservative

Likes

• The sauce is well-seasoned.

Dislikes

• The color is not vibrant yellow.
• It is grainy.
• The mustard flavor is prominent.
• This has the thinnest consistency.
• It is low on the tart flavor.

Abbie’s Mustard sauce delivered on American flavors. This sauce has a nice turmeric flavor, the correct acidity and is not high on the mustard flavor. It has a thick, smooth consistency.

Flavor wise, it wasn’t as concentrated as our winners which is why it did not win. 

Features

• A 397 gm bottle is priced at Rs 190/-.
• Shelf life – 24 months
• Ingredients – Distilled vinegar, #1 mustard seeds, Salt, Turmeric, Spices 

Likes

• We liked the smooth texture of the sauce.
• The tart flavor of the sauce is spot on.
• This sauce has good spreadability. 
• We could taste and smell the turmeric.

Why did we choose French’s (Premium) and American Garden as our Top Pick?

American mustard should be tart, well-seasoned, and have a vibrant yellow color. We were looking for the brand that came closest to the original American Mustard recipe which is low on the mustard pungency and high on the ‘tang’ and turmeric flavor.

During our taste tests, we found French’s Mustard Sauce (Premium) and American Garden (Pocket friendly) as our Top Pick. They both excel flavor-wise and have the signature tart flavor. Both our winners showcase good spreadability and are easy to squeeze out of the bottle. We loved the smooth texture and consistency of these sauces! 

Here are some interesting FAQs on Indian American mustard brands.

1. Does it require refrigeration?

Yes. Once opened, all the above-mentioned brands should be refrigerated. 

2. What is the difference between American and Dijon mustard?

Dijon mustard is made using a mix of brown and yellow mustard seeds. It has a far stronger mustard flavor in comparison to American mustard which is made using yellow mustard seeds.

3. How to use American Mustard?

American mustard can be used in multiple ways – 

• Drizzle over hot dogs
• Add it between your burgers
• As a condiment with fried food
• Use it in salad dressings
• Add it to other sauces 

4. How to use mustard sauce in Indian cooking?

In Indian Cooking, the mustard sauce can be used as a base for chapati rolls, add to marinades for your tikka’s, use it as a dip for kebabs, fish fritters, and pakoras. You can also use it as a spread for your aloo/paneer sandwiches.

Three tests conducted at the review lab led us to the best American Mustard available in India. A dry inspection, blind tasting, and tasting with hot dogs revealed that French’s American Mustard is the tastiest, most authentic American mustard in India in the premium section. American Garden mustard is our Top Pick which is comparatively easier on the pocket. They are both vibrant-looking sauces with a distinct tart flavor.

Which type of mustard is your favorite? Are you a fan of American mustard or do you incline towards English mustard?

* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

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* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.