How To Make Mustard Caviar (2024)

Published: Sep 15, 2017 · Modified: Mar 4, 2021 by Genevieve Morrison · This post may contain affiliate links

Mustard caviar, also known as “Cleveland caviar,” adds pops of flavor and such an exciting texture to your appetizers, and it couldn’t be easier to make yourself! Here’s how to make different kinds of mustard caviar for all of your appetizer recipes.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the delightful caviar on almost all of my deviled eggs. It’s, by far, my favorite deviled egg garnish.

You can use all kinds of sauces like soy sauce, chili sauce, BBQ Sauce, curry sauce, salad dressings, you name it! It’s only a matter of which “pop” you want to give your appetizers. They really absorb a lot of flavor, so you only need to add a tiny bit to really make an impression.

Mustard caviar lasts for at least a year in a sealed container, so feel free to make a nice batch. I like to keep 3 on hand to use throughout the year. A hot sauce (Sriracha) a pickle juice (McClure’s pickle juice) and balsamic vinegar.

How to Make It

It couldn’t be easier to make! You simply take 1 tbsp. dry mustard seeds, and soak them in 3 tbsp. of your desired sauce. Allow the mustard seeds to absorb the sauce or liquid for a full 5 days, giving it a stir from time to time to make sure it absorbs evenly.

Keep in mind, some liquids absorb better than others, and you may need to add a little extra sauce than 3 tbsp. For example, I notice sriracha absorbs quickly and deeply into the seeds, and I often need to add a little bit more than 3 tbsp. But for balsamic vinegar, 3 tbsp. seems to be just about right.

Also note, you can’t add too much liquid to your mustard seeds. They’ll simply absorb what they can, and remain a lovely texture, even if they are sitting in a puddle of your sauce.

A Few Sauce Suggestions

• Pickle juice
• Balsamic vinegar
• Tabasco
• Buffalo wing sauce
• Sriracha
• Cholula
• Soy sauce
• Chili sauce
• BBQ sauce
• Curry sauce (mix of curry paste and water)
• Salad dressings (Italian, lemon vinaigrette, apple cider vinaigrette or honey mustard)

How to Use It

1. Deviled Eggs

It’s a wonderful topper for deviled eggs! I find pickle juice caviar to be best for most deviled eggs because the flavor complements the mustard in deviled egg filling. But if you’re making a spicy deviled egg, go for a tabasco or Sriracha flavor! It makes them so much more exciting! I used a chipotle hot sauce for this spicy Mexican deviled egg!

2. Canapés

Mustard caviar is a fantastic way to spruce up simple canapés! I used a little bit of pickle juice caviar on this spring pea and goat cheese canapé. Now, this 3 ingredient appetizer has gone from basic to couture!

3. Amuse Bouches

I love surprising guests with special amuse bouches before dinner. I used balsamic caviar on this pesto scallop amuse-bouche. Another simple recipe of just scallops, pesto and cream transformed into such a pretty work of art by those little balsamic pearls.

Have fun with your mustard caviar! And if you use them on appetizers or any way at all, please take a picture and tag me on Instagram! I love to see what YOU create!

Now, help yourself to more mustard caviar inspiration!

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