You've Probably Never Heard Of This Rich, Vintage Salad Dressing, But It's Worth A Taste

A stroll down the salad dressing aisle in a modern grocery store shows an abundance of choice. There may, if fact, be too many creamy, rich options out there. But this was not always the case. There was a time when all of these salad dressings were homemade by necessity, and this led to the creation of a lot of interesting recipes that you just don't see much anymore. For an example, we need look no further than boiled salad dressing.

Boiled salad dressing has a thick, creamy texture like many of the different types of modern salad dressings you might find on the shelves at your local market. Unlike those dressings, however, it actually contains very little fat. The secret to this old-school salad dressing might be obvious from the name, but it is cooked, and the rich texture comes from both egg yolks and a starchy thickener.

Most boiled dressing recipes start with egg yolks and vinegar, a bit of butter, and simple seasonings like sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed, and ground mustard. Flour is the most common thickening agent, though cornstarch is also sometimes used. To thin out the sauce, milk, water, or cream can be used. The ingredients are whisked together until combined and then gently heated over a double boiler — whisking all the while — until the starch gelatinizes and it all emulsifies. The result is a lower-fat salad dressing with that same luscious texture that we all love to drizzle over a salad. Once cooked, it is chilled back to room temperature or stored in the refrigerator until it's time to eat.

Because this sauce achieves the luxurious texture of a creamy dressing using simple, everyday ingredients, it was long a favorite of the working class during the 19th and 20th centuries. No expensive oils needed here. But while this may have been seen as a negative at the time, it is also a great reason for boiled salad dressing to find a place in your modern culinary arsenal.

Those creamy dressings you see at the grocery store are typically made from large quantities of emulsified vegetable oil, and contain a host of additives. With a boiled salad dressing recipe in your toolkit, you can whip up a dressing at home that is both creamy and (somewhat) healthier. Plus, it only takes a few minutes with a handful of whole ingredients you probably already have on hand. As it turns out, this sweet, tangy dressing is also quite versatile.

Yes, boiled dressing is a great way to top a green salad, but it is also perfect for a whole host of other foods as well. You can use boiled dressing to boost the flavor of your coleslaw. It's also perfect for pasta salad, classic Southern potato salad, egg salad, broccoli salad — you name it. Some folks even like to just drizzle it straight onto meat or plain boiled potatoes. However you choose to use it in your own kitchen, this vintage salad dressing clearly deserves a place on your plate.