Want to make a great homemade dressing? An ice cube is the secret ingredient you’re missing

This humble little ingredient can help you cook like a professional chef

By Lindsay Parrill August 5, 2023

Ice cubes — Pixabay/Pexels

If you’ve ever wondered why your homemade salad dressings just don’t have the same silky smooth texture of those you find at restaurants, this simple trick could very well be the reason. It turns out, the secret ingredient is probably something you have lots of at this very moment, right in your freezer. And it didn’t cost you a thing. Ice.

In the following video, YouTube Chef Carla Lalli Music demonstrates how to make three fabulous homemade salad dressings — Spicy Buttermilk, Herby Miso Ranch, and a Savory Citrus Vinaigrette. She explains that these three dressings are the only ones you’ll need to get you through every possible summer dish, and makes every viewer’s mouth undoubtedly water in proving her point. She then expertly mixes up a batch of each, sharing tips and tricks along the way. And one of those tips is something every home chef should know — using an ice cube as a key dressing ingredient.

The Only 3 Salad Dressings You Need For Summer

Around the 6:20 mark of the video, Chef Carla drops an ice cube into the dressing that she’s mixing with an immersion blender. She explains that if the heat from a blender is warming the emulsification, the herbs can begin to brown. Ice will not only help to thin a dressing, but to cool it down as well, preventing the ingredients from oxidizing.

Ice can actually improve a salad dressing in many ways. Not only does the sudden chilly burst help the ingredients to stay fresh, but it aids in the emulsification process as well. The cold will help the ingredients to thicken and blend, making for a silkier, more velvety texture in your dressing. The ice will also help to hold the mixture together, keeping your dressing from breaking, which is always disappointing.

So if you’ve been wondering how to make restaurant-quality dressings from your own kitchen, this simple little trick will help you look like a professional chef every single time.

Salad dressing — congerdesign/Pixabay

Homemade ranch recipe

This is our favorite recipe for homemade ranch dressing, but the ice trick will work perfectly for any emulsified dressing you’re craving. Just pop an ice cube in the blender about halfway through the process, and you’re done.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cultured buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 garlic cloves
Juice from half a lemon
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Ice cube

Method

Place all of the ingredients except for the ice into a bowl and process with an immersion blender until combined. Alternatively, you can use a blender or food processor for this process.
Add an ice cube and continue to process until the mixture is smooth.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Lindsay Parrill

Contributor

Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…

Food & Drink

Cold brew vs iced coffee: What’s the difference?

The difference between cold brew coffee and iced coffee, explained

Pouring cold brew coffee

Us coffee lovers know there is no bad time for cold coffee beverages; it is perfect for any time of the year. Although cold coffee beverages have been enjoyed for decades, the iced coffee trend took off in the 1990s when nationwide coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin' started offering these coffee drinks.

Since then, all types of cold coffee beverages have hit the market, including cold brew, nitro cold brew, and more. Cold brew coffee and iced coffee are often confused with one another based on their similar appearance, yet each has its flavor profile. Below, we'll break down the differences between cold brew and iced coffee, including each drink's caffeine content and acidity.
What is cold brew coffee?

Health & Fitness

What foods are high in iron? These staples will help you live a healthier life

Add these high-iron foods to your shopping list today

Ribeye caps topped with garlic and herbs cooked in a cast iron pan over charcoal.

What foods are high in iron? We all know that iron is important for a healthy, balanced diet, but did you know you can find two different kinds of iron in food: heme and non-heme. Your body can absorb iron from heme (animal-based) food better than from non-heme (plant-based) food sources. Where can you find heme food sources? Read on to find out about foods high in iron.

If you eat a plant-based diet, you’ll get a lot of non-heme types of iron. As a result, your body might need a bit of help to absorb it properly. Sometimes vitamin C can aid with the absorption of plant-based kinds of iron. Regularly consume both plant and animal-based sources of iron to get the best of both for your body.
What is iron?

Health & Fitness

Benefits of ginger: 6 reasons why you should add it to your grocery list today

Learn how ginger could be an essential superfood for your diet

Ginger on cutting board.

All over the world,ginger is consumed in many ways; these include as a spice, in teas and soups, and more! No matter how you choose to enjoy the superfood, it cannot be denied that there are many benefits of ginger. Due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, there are six significant ways that ginger can positively affect your health.

It doesn’t require a lot of ginger to make a difference, either! Three to four grams of ginger daily is optimal for the average healthy adult. Any more than this can lead to gastrointestinal distress and heartburn. So as long as you stay within the guidelines, you can include ginger in your diet in various ways and reap the many health benefits it provides.