Best Whole Grain Mustard for a Seedy Sammie

The best whole grain mustard isn’t easy to find.  You’ll find plenty of “country” Dijon, stone ground mustard, etc. in the condiment aisle at the grocery store, but actual whole grain mustard is more elusive. Anecdotally, my grocery store only stocks one whole grain mustard and, like, 800 other types of mustard (that second figure is an exaggeration, but my point stands). 

So, what is whole grain mustard, anyway? In short, it’s mustard made with whole (or nearly whole) mustard seeds. Usually, mustard seeds are ground down so the mustard achieves a creamy consistency. Whole grain mustard is seedy by design—often, it’s just mustard seeds suspended in a concoction of vinegar, salt, and (ideally) wine. Personally, I love whole grain mustard. It’s good for turkey sandwiches, sure, but it’s great for charcuterie boards, because it contributes texture along with that signature mustard tang. We sourced all the best whole grain mustard brands at the grocery store and judged them on overall taste and texture. The next time you need a fancy, seedy mustard, reference this list.

Best for a Board

Maille Whole Grain Mustard

World Market

We absolutely love Maille’s original Dijon, so I sort of expected their whole grain mustard to be the best whole grain mustard we’d try. It wasn’t, but it still deserves a spot on this list. Maille and Trader Joe’s whole grain mustards are the only ones we tried that contain wine, and that white wine flavor really comes through in Maille. But I will say if you like mustard with body—by which I mean something besides liquid and seeds—this is not the whole grain mustard for you. Still, it’s delicious and fancy and perfect for a charcuterie board. In fact, the jar is so nice, you can just plop it next to your board and let people serve themselves with a little spoon.

Credit: Merc / World Market

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best for a Sandwich

Aplenty Whole Grain Mustard

Amazon

This is an Amazon product, and I like it way more than I thought I would. It’s tart and vinegary and the mustard seeds are nice and tender. Texturally, it’s very lovely, with a strong Dijon mustard flavor. I would mix this with mayo to make a sandwich spread. 

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

9/10

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Best Spreadable

Bornier Whole Grain Dijon Mustard

Pavilions

This is the second best whole grain mustard we tasted. It’s very tangy and vinegary (it also has citric acid). It leaves an almost garlicky taste in your mouth, even though it doesn’t contain garlic—I get the impression the mustard seeds are just very flavorful. I like that this has some body. It’s spreadable and will add some texture to a fancy turkey sandwich.

Credit: Merc / Pavilions

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Trader Joe’s Whole Grain Dijon Mustard

Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s sells some great imported condiments, and this is one of them. I absolutely love the unique blend of spices in this mustard. It almost tastes like it has a little bit of sweetness—something warm that you don’t get from other whole grain Dijon mustards. It’s imported from France so it’s fancy, but it’s from Trader Joe’s so it’s cheap. It’s the perfect thing to put on a charcuterie board to go with fancy cheeses and meats. People will comment on it, I promise. It’s literally $1.99 and it’s so nice!

Credit:

Rating:

10/10

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