Salad dressings are the sauces for salads, and its concept varies across cultures. There are two different types of salad dressing in Western culture, which are vinaigrettes and creamy dressings. But aside from those salad dressings, there are many more you can find around the world. It’s because when it comes to salads, the possibilities are endless. They can be for appetizers, for a hearty meal, or for a light snack.
Have you ever wondered which salad dressings are the most popular around the world? If you’ve been wanting to know about popular salad dressings as you’d like to try them, you’re in the right place. Today, we are giving you a list of the most popular salad dressings around the world.
1. Ranch Dressing
This salad dressing is made of a mixture of buttermilk, mustard, herbs, salt, garlic, onion, and spices, which are then mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or oil emulsion. Aside from those, this dressing is sometimes added with sour cream and yogurt. Since 1992, ranch dressing has been a very popular and best-selling salad dressing in the United States. It’s not only used in salads but as a dip and flavoring for chips and other foods as well, such as pizza, baked potatoes, tacos, and hamburgers. In fact, about 40% of Americans named ranch as their favorite salad dressing in 2017.
2. Caesar Dressing
Caesar salad is one of the most famous salads in the world, and so as its dressing. Caesar salad dressing is traditionally made of olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, pepper, egg yolk, lemon, and mustard. The salad itself is a mixture of romaine lettuce and croutons. It is usually prepared and served table side.
3. Blue Cheese Dressing
Another one of the most popular salad dressings in the world is the blue cheese dressing. Aside from being a salad dressing, it is also famous as a side sauce and a dip in the United States for other foods such as crudités and Buffalo wings. This dip is made of a combination of blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and vinegar. You can also opt for the blue cheese vinaigrette for salads, which is made of salad oil, blue cheese, seasonings, and vinegar. This dressing has many variants that are commonly produced by major salad dressing producers and restaurants in the United States.
4. Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette is another popular salad dressing around the world. It is made of a mixture of oil and vinegar or lemon juice. It can be enhanced using herbs, spices, and salt. Aside from being a salad dressing, vinaigrettes can also be used as a marinade. It traditionally consists of 3 parts oil and 1-part vinegar, which are mixed into a stable emulsion. There are also times when mustard is used as an emulsifier and as an added flavor as well. Many different oils can also be used in making vinaigrettes. In France, they use walnut oil and cider vinegar. In the United States, vinaigrettes are added with many ingredients such as truffles, raspberries, cherries, garlic, and sugar.
5. Thousand Island Dressing
Thousand Island is another very popular salad dressing around the world, most notably in the United States. It is a dressing and condiment that is based on mayonnaise. Some of the ingredients used to enhance its taste are lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, tabasco sauce, and paprika. This dressing is also similar to Russian dressing. That’s why it can be an alternative spread for a Reuben sandwich, as well. Thousand Island dressing may also include finely chopped pickles, onions, hard-boiled egg, bell peppers, and as well as chopped nuts.
6. Italian Dressin
Another one on the list of the most popular salad dressings around the world is Italian dressing. It is a vinaigrette type of dressing that is popular in the United States and Canadian cuisine. This dressing is a mixture of water, vinegar, vegetable oil, and a blend of different herbs and spices. In Italy, salad is just usually dressed with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sometimes balsamic vinegar. Italian dressing can also be used as a marinade for meat, and as well as on sandwiches. There’s also a variety of Italian dressing called creamy Italian. It has the same ingredients, but with added milk products and stabilizers to make it creamy.
7. Salsa
Salsa is popularly used as a dip alongside tortilla chips, or as a condiment for burritos. But aside from that, it is also popular as a salad dressing in many countries around the world. It’s because there are hundreds of different kinds of salsas, and they are used in a variety of culinary applications as well. You can make salsa for salads using many ingredients, and it is perfect, especially for taco salads.
8. Olive Oil
Olive oil is also a very popular salad dressing around the world. This oil is obtained from olives and produced by pressing them. Aside from being a salad dressing, olive oil can also be used for cooking. For salads, extra virgin olive oils are mostly used as a dressing, and as an ingredient in salad dressings as well. This is the number one choice of salad dressing for most people who are into living a healthy lifestyle.
9. Honey Mustard
Honey mustard is a blend of mustard and honey. It is popularly used as a dip for finger foods, such as fries, burgers, chicken fingers, and chips. But aside from that, it can be used as a salad dressing as well, when mixed with olive oil or vinegar. Honey mustard is also one of the most popular salad dressings around the world.
10. French Dressing
French dressing is another delicious and popular salad dressing around the world. It is a creamy, ketchup-based dressing which color varies from orange to bright red. This salad dressing can be made by mixing vinegar, olive oil, ketchup, brown sugar, paprika, salt, and tomato paste. It has a manufactured version which is sweet and colored orange to red. In Canada, French dressings should be made using vegetable oil and vinegar or lemon juice.
These are some of the most popular salad dressings around the world. Due to their popularity, countries have come up with different versions of these dressings, but they can still all make salads taste better.