Emulsifying ingredients for vinaigrettes
My weekday vinaigrette recipe goes something like:
- 1 part olive oil
- 1.5-2 parts seasoned rice vinegar
- dollop of Dijon mustard
- put into sealed container, shake, pour
This emulsifies nicely thanks to the mustard, allowing for quick and easy preparation (instead of a laborious whisking of oil a drop at a time).
I'd like to try other flavors for salad dressing. In particular, I'd like to make some sesame oil + soy sauce + rice vinegar dressings, and the Dijon mustard would be out of place.
My question is: Are there other common ingredients that have this emulsifying property?
Best Answer
According to Serious Eats, mayonnaise is even better! Honey or egg yolk work too. Whatever you do, use some kind of emulsifying agent. The same article shows the havoc a non-emulsified dressing will play on a perfectly innocent salad.
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What emulsifier is usually used in vinaigrettes?
The most common emulsifiers in your kitchen are likely egg yolks, mayonnaise, prepared mustard (preferably Dijon), honey, and tomato paste (though I'm not a fan of raw tomato paste, the flavor works quite well in a vinaigrette). For a more neutral flavor, use mayonnaise.How do you make vinaigrette emulsify?
Make a cornstarch slurry with a 1:1 ratio. E.g. one tablespoon cornstarch to one tablespoon liquid. Heat the mixture on a low heat in a small saucepan until it 'blooms' (i.e the cornstarch takes up the water, and you get a thick paste). Add this paste to your vinaigrette and mix it in until the mixture thickens.How do you thicken vinaigrette?
The best emulsifying ingredients for salad dressings and vinaigrettes are egg yolks, mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and mashed avocado. Other options include miso, tahini, tomato paste, agave nectar, and maple syrup. A small amount of these binding agents is enough.Science: How to Make Salad Dressing Vinaigrette That Doesn't Separate or Break by Using an Emulsion
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Answer 2
Read about emulsifiers here . As per @joe's comment you don't need to worry about an emulsifier if you are using your dressing soon after preparing, only if you plan to keep it longer. Personally I would go for flavor rather than storage time. However, the reference gives several choices for an emulsifier if you so choose.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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