They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Salad dressing is one such flavouring, which echoes the same words mentioned above. It not only looks tempting but it is also good on our body. We all have heard about salad. But what really is salad dressing?

What is it Salad Dressing all about – It is a condiment, which is rarely eaten as a principle food, but is used in salads so as to enhance the texture and flavour of the same. Dressings are available in varied styles, flavours and fragrance depending on the culture and community.

Italian Dressing
Italian dressing is a vinaigrette style of dressing, widely popular in the cuisines of Canada and United States. Originated from the United States, it is commonly used in salads, but can also be used in various recipes and numerous cooking techniques. The ingredients includes water, lemon juice or vinegar, vegetable oil, chopped bell peppers, some drops of sugar or corn syrup and and a blend of varied kinds of herbs and spices like oregano, fennel, dill and salt. Common foods, which include Italian dressing are pasta salads and sandwiches.

Thousand Island Dressing
Thousand island dressing is a salad dressing originated in the hotels of Philadelphia and North America in 1900. Frequently, used in salads and sandwiches it is a condiment whose ingredient is based mainly on mayonnaise and also includes lemon juice, olive oil, orange juice, paparika, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, cream, chilly sauce, tomato puree and ketchup. It is widely used in restaurants and diners in America. Available in all grocery stores, this dressing is commonly used in burgers and for marinating meat.

French Dressing
Having a British film in 1964, and an American film in 1927 of the same name, French Dressing is a term used for different salad dressings used in different countries. In North America, the ingredients ranges from oil, vinegar, ketchup, sugar and paprika while in Europe it is based on oil, vinegar, tomato, mayonnaise, garlic, Dijon mustard and some kinds of herbs. It is mainly used in sandwiches with avocado toppings.

Ranch Dressing
It is a one of the most popular salad dressings of the United States. Legend has it that this dressing has been discovered by Steve Henson, while working as a plumbing contractor in the Alaskan Bush in the early 50’s. It is a type of salad dressings made of butter milk, salt, garlic, onion, herbs and spices mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion. This easy to make dressing is used mostly as dip with snacks.

Caesar Dressing
Originated in Mexico, Caesar Salad Dressing, the salads creation can be attributed to restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated in restaurants in Mexico and United States. The ingredients of this salad includes romaine lettuce and croutons, dressed with Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and black pepper.

Russian Dressing
Russian dressing is a salad dressing, invented in Nashua, New Hampshire in the year 1910. It is having a pungent smell and it typically needs a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup, and is further complimented with horseradish, pimentos, chives and spices.

Blue Cheese Dressing
Blue cheese dressing and dip is indeed a blue eyed boy of the foodies of United States. It’s ingredients consists of mayonnaise, sour cream, yoghurt, blue cheese, milk, vinegar, mineral and garlic powder. It is commonly used as dip with buffalo wings and raw vegetables.

Honey Mustard Dressing
Honey mustard dressing is a tangy, very tasty golden colored dressing made of just 4 ingredients. It is the easiest of all the dressings to prepare which includes-honey, dijon mustard, cider vinegar, sliced cheese and mandarin orange juice.

Greek Dressing
Greek salad recipe is commonly used for travels and picnics as it does not require any refrigeration. The ingredients for it is olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, pepper salt, onion powder, dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. It is mostly used over pasta.

Sesame Ginger Dressing
This dressing is widely used in Asian dishes. This sweet and light dressing is made up of ingredients which is always available in a kitchen. The ingredients includes olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sodium soy-sauce, garlic and cloves chopped, honey or brown sugar, minced ginger and toasted sesame oil.

Catalina Salad Dressing
This dressing is one of its kind as the name itself suggest. It is not a very commonly used dressing but when made, it can be kept and carried outside in picnics and travels as it does not contain mayonnaise. The ingredients include vinegar, salad or olive oil ketchup, salt, onion powder and paprika.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
This easy to make prepare, sweet and savoury dressing is made by using balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, salt, ground black pepper, olive oil and blue cheese for garnishing. It is best when used as a dip with noodles and snacks.

With constant research, new and unique ingredients are making its place in the lock. So, without going into too much detailing, we will share some distinct information about the most famed dressings, adored by foodies throughout the world.