How to make traditional British salad cream at home ~ this easy recipe yields the perfect tangy flavorful salad dressing ~ think mayo with benefits!
what’s salad cream?
Salad cream is a creamy condiment used as a salad dressing, sandwich spread, and dip in the UK. It’s made from egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, and veg oil, along with a few seasonings. It has a distinctive tangy flavor that I really love. Heinz salad cream was introduced in 1914 for the British market, but interestingly was never marketed here in the US.
salad cream vs mayo
Salad cream and mayonnaise are both creamy condiments, but salad cream is tangier and more flavorful, with a thinner, pourable consistency. Mayonnaise, on the other hand, is richer and creamier with a more neutral flavor.
What I love about salad cream is that it’s an instant dressing for potato salad, coleslaw, shrimp, tuna, or chicken salad, pasta salad, etc. Basically you can use it in all of the ways you use mayonnaise or creamy salad dressings, which means it’s super convenient to have in the fridge during the summer salad season.
You’re going to need:
- vegetable oil
- a neutral vegetable oil is traditional, I used safflower oil. You could use avocado oil, or even a light olive oil if you like.
- egg yolks
- the egg yolks are used raw in this recipe so be sure to use pasteurized eggs for safety. Look for them with the regular eggs in your supermarket.
- vinegar
- while white vinegar is traditional, I used a sherry vinegar, one of my favorites.
- lemon juice
- English mustard powder
- I use Colemans. If you don’t have mustard powder you can use prepared mustard.
- white pepper
- salt
how to make salad cream
I use an immersion blender. If you don’t have one, you’ll need a small food processor or regular blender.
- Put all your ingredients ~ oil, egg yolks, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, white pepper, and salt ~ into a jar that just fits the head of your immersion blender.
- With the head of the blender at the bottom of the jar, start blending, moving the blender head slightly up and down to get everything creamy and emulsified.
- Refrigerate the salad cream for several hours to fully chill. It will thicken more as it chills.
what to expect (think mayo with benefits)
After chilling your salad cream will be slightly thick, very creamy, with a pourable consistency. It has a really nice tangy flavor that reminds me of the classic dressing for coleslaw or macaroni salad, which is exactly how I use this condiment. It’s a summer salad hero.
Stir in fresh or dried herbs, or any spices you like to vary it up throughout the season.
related: Homemade mayonnaise in 30 seconds
how to use your salad cream
- As I said, it makes a great complete dressing for any creamy coleslaw.
- Use it to dress veggie salad like Creamy Cucumber Salad or Broccoli Honeycrisp Slaw.
- It’s also great as a dressing for classic salads like Wedge Salad or Chopped Salad.
- Use it to dress a simple Potato Salad. It would be really nice in my Deviled Egg Potato Salad.
- Try it with Curried Chicken Waldorf Salad or Ham Salad.
- Probably most of all I love to use this homemade salad cream on summer sandwiches like Tomato Toast, New England Shrimp Rolls, and Ham and Cheese Sliders.
more 30 second dressings and sauces
Salad Cream Recipe
Equipment
- immersion blender (stick blender)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large egg yolks, pasteurized for safety*
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar, I like to use sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp English mustard powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into a jar with a circumference that snugly fits the head of your immersion blender. This is important because the small space encourages a more powerful blend.
- Place the head of your immersion blender down to the bottom of the jar. Turn on the blender and blend, wiggling the head slightly up and down, side to side, until everything is thickened and creamy. Note: keep in mind this sauce is meant to have a pourable consistency. It will not be as thick as mayonnaise.
- Refrigerate your salad cream for at least several hours to allow it to become thoroughly chilled. It will thicken a bit more as it chills.
- Keep your salad cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Use Pasteurized Eggs: Choose pasteurized eggs for recipes that call for raw or lightly cooked eggs, such as hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise, or salad dressings. Look for pasteurized eggs with the regular eggs in your supermarket.
Closest to the Heinz version of any other recipe I’ve tried, in terms of flavor and consistency. Heinz is running at $14 a bottle, so this is a very easy to make alternative! Also I used the yolks from hard boiled eggs, which worked just fine. Also you can add another yolk, if it’s not thick enough.
Thanks for the review and the tip!