Canadian National Dishes

Manitoba Honey Dill Sauce

Honey dill sauce is a sweet, creamy dip closely associated with Manitoba, where it is a familiar partner for chicken fingers. The simple combination of mayonnaise, honey, dill and lemon is easy to tune: this version keeps a balanced three-to-one mayonnaise-to-honey ratio, with fresh dill for a bright finish. Winnipeg restaurant stories are often told about the sauce’s beginnings, but the exact origin is not settled. This small batch makes about 240 mL, enough for eight dipping portions. Chill it before serving so the dill flavour can meld.

Canadian National Dishes
Share
Wide kitchen-table view of honey dill sauce and chicken fingers arranged on the right, with open table space on the left.
A wide view of the Manitoba dip and its familiar chicken-finger pairing.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 0 minutes
Total 25 minutes
Calories About 175 kcal per portion
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Manitoba Honey Dill Sauce

Manitobans often pair chicken fingers with honey dill sauce, a creamy dip made with mayonnaise, honey and dill; some versions add lemon. Travel Manitoba describes several home ratios and traces a commonly repeated story to Mitzi’s in Winnipeg. Local reporting also documents the sauce’s restaurant connections and popularity. Accounts are not enough to claim a single, conclusively established inventor, so this recipe presents the condiment as Manitoba-associated and keeps its origin qualified.

Practical

Practical

  • Use a mayonnaise you enjoy; its salt and tang shape the finished dip.
  • Chop fresh dill finely so it spreads through the sauce instead of clumping.
  • Chill at least 15 minutes before serving. The dill softens into the creamy base as it rests.
  • Start with the listed honey, then adjust a little at a time if you prefer a sweeter or less sweet dip.
  • Stir before serving because the herbs can settle.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Honey dill sauce

  • 180 mL refrigerated commercial mayonnaise
  • 60 mL liquid honey
  • 15 mL fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 10 mL freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 0.5 g fine salt (optional; included in the nutrition estimate)
Directions

Directions

Method

  1. Measure the baseAdd the mayonnaise and honey to a clean small bowl.

  2. Whisk smoothWhisk until the honey is fully blended into the mayonnaise and no streaks remain.

  3. Add dill and lemonStir in the finely chopped dill, lemon juice and optional salt until evenly distributed.

  4. ChillCover the bowl or transfer the sauce to a covered container. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

  5. Stir and serveStir once more and serve cold with chicken fingers, fries or crisp vegetables. Taste only with a clean spoon.

Practical

Practical

Serving

Make ahead: Prepare the sauce up to one day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Stir before serving; the dill flavour becomes more noticeable as it rests.

Make-ahead

Storage: Keep the sauce covered at 4°C or colder and use within 3 days for best quality. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not freeze; the mayonnaise emulsion can separate.

Storage and reheating

Serving: Chicken fingers are the familiar Manitoba pairing. Offer the sauce with fries or crisp vegetables as additional dipping options.

Control points

Control points

  • Too sweetWhisk in a little more mayonnaise and a small pinch of dill; the texture and yield will change slightly.
  • Too thickStir in lemon juice a few drops at a time.
  • Too sharpAdd honey gradually, tasting with a clean spoon after each addition.
  • Dill clumps togetherChop it more finely and whisk again.
  • The sauce looks separatedWhisk firmly while cold. Discard it if it has been left out too long or stored above a safe temperature.
Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Serving sizeAbout 30 mL (2 tablespoons)
  • Calories175 kcal
  • Carbohydrate9 g
  • Protein0 g
  • Fat16 g
  • Fibre0 g
  • Sodium160 mg

These are rounded generic-ingredient estimates for one-eighth of the batch. Mayonnaise brands and the amount of sauce used can change the values; this is not a laboratory analysis or product-label information.

Commercial mayonnaise contains egg and may include other priority allergens depending on the brand. Read the package label. Use commercially prepared mayonnaise rather than homemade raw-egg mayonnaise, keep utensils clean, and return the sauce to the refrigerator promptly.

FAQ

FAQ

Is honey dill sauce a Manitoba specialty?

It is strongly associated with Manitoba, especially as a dip for chicken fingers. Similar honey-and-herb sauces exist elsewhere, so the claim here is about the local pairing and identity.

Was it invented at a Winnipeg restaurant?

Mitzi’s is part of a commonly told origin story, and local reporting describes the restaurant connection. The exact history is not settled, so this recipe does not claim a proven single inventor.

Can I use dried dill?

Yes. Dried dill changes the texture and has a more concentrated, different flavour. Add a smaller amount, chill the sauce, then adjust to taste.

Finish

Finish

  • Put out extra napkins; this is a generous dipping sauce.
  • Add a few crisp vegetables or fries for more dipping choices.