In this article, I will be going over how to make salad dressing thicker. Salad dressing is often thin, which makes it hard to keep the salad dressing on the salad.
While some people like this consistency, others prefer their dressing thick like a paste or honey.
If you want your salad dressing thicker, there are many ways to make it thicker without using mayonnaise or adding another fatty ingredient. These methods will work with any kind of oil-based dressing and even vinegar-based dressings.
If you want your salad dressing thicker without making it more oily or fattening, try these suggestions that use ingredients already in your kitchen!
What makes salad dressing thicker or thinner than usual?
Salad dressing thickness is determined by the amount of oil emulsified into the ingredients that make up the salad dressing.
The more oil that is emulsified, the thicker it will be, and vice versa.
You can thicken up your new favorite salad dressing with simple tricks using items you already have in your kitchen!
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How To Make Salad Dressing Thicker?
As a salad lover, I know how frustrating it is when you make the perfect batch of homemade dressing only to find out that your dressing has separated and turned watery after sitting in the fridge for a few days. This doesn’t have to be the case!
There are several simple things you can do to thicken your homemade dressings. Keep reading for five easy ways you can thicken salad dressing at home!
1. Reduce vinegar
Reducing the vinegar in your salad dressing can help make it thicker and more uniform. Vinegar is one ingredient that will be the first to separate from your new, delicious creation!
If you want a thick dressing, cut out some of the vinegar and replace it with lemon juice (or a complimentary fruit juice) to attain a nice thick consistency.
2. Add an emulsifier
You’ve probably heard of the term “emulsifying” before and maybe have even made mayonnaise using this technique! Well, guess what?
You can also use this as a great way to thicken your salad dressing too. To make your life even easier, use a store-bought, premade emulsifier like this one here:
To make your salad dressing thicker using an emulsifier:
Add some food-grade lecithin and simply shake the ingredients together. Make sure to add it last when mixing up your new creation!
3. Thicken with oils
I know what you’re thinking; “How can I make my salad dressing thicker when there is already oil in it?” The secret to this trick lies in the thickness of the oils that go into the salad dressing.
If your homemade dressing includes all light tasting oils, try grabbing a bottle of avocado oil for this recipe. Using avocado oil with a higher density will give your salad dressing a thicker, more desirable consistency.
4. Add some gelatin
Gelatin is commonly used to thicken jellies and puddings- perfect for making homemade versions of popular items at the grocery store!
This trick works well if you are trying to get an item ready quickly. You can add gelatin right into your salad dressing and mix it up! You can add about ¼ of a teaspoon to get the desired thickness of your homemade salad dressing.
5. Use xantham gum
This is another one of my favorite thickeners for making healthy food items like sauces and dressings at home! Xantham gum is a gluten-free thickener that is extremely versatile. To use this trick, simply add about 1/4 to ½ a teaspoon of xantham gum for every cup of salad dressing you are trying to thicken.
There are many items that you have in your kitchen that can be used to naturally thicken your favorite homemade salad dressings! The key is to experiment with different items that complement your dressing’s flavors.
When you are making homemade dressings, make extra and store them in the fridge. Make sure to let it sit out for a few minutes before serving so that the flavors can really marry together!
I hope this helps get you excited about creating healthy salads at home again! Let us know ahead of time if you have any tricks that we haven’t mentioned here!
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