Salad Dressing Doesn't Mean What You Think In Vintage Recipes

We hear salad dressing today and think of balsamic vinaigrette, ranch, Caesar, Italian, all the basics. But back in the 1950s, salad dressing was a universal term for the tangy, creamy spread that most Americans knew as Miracle Whip. Cream-heavy dressings were the norm back then, and Miracle Whip was basically the brand name for salad dressing. The original packaging even labeled the jar as salad dressing, with Kraft ads dubbing it as "the largest selling salad dressing in America." Kraft continued pushing Miracle Whip as the perfect dressing, which helped lead to its widespread adoption in recipes. Cookbook authors never imagined the wildly popular condiment would go out of style, so they simply listed "salad dressing" as the generic name for the ingredient. 

Before Kraft launched Miracle Whip in 1933, many early 1900s-era cookbooks featured "mayonnaise dressing," which was essentially the foundation for Kraft's branded creation. Elizabeth O. Hiller's 1925 cookbook "The Calendar of Sandwiches & Beverages" features a mayonnaise dressing calling for egg yolks, olive oil, cider vinegar, lemon juice, powdered sugar, salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

While similar in looks and consistency, mayonnaise and Miracle Whip have distinctively different tastes. Miracle Whip has the same foundation as mayonnaise (egg yolk, oil, and vinegar) but with the addition of sugar, some spices, and far less oil. It became a popular sandwich spread, but its sweet tanginess really made it the perfect dressing to jazz up crunchy veggies and greens.

The inspiration behind the whipped condiment was to stretch ingredients further, providing a cheaper alternative to traditional mayonnaise. The versatility of Miracle Whip made it an American sensation, especially given the limited funds and ingredients during the Great Depression. Its unique blend of ingredients made it the secret to the best potato salad, breads, and even moist cakes. The one of a kind zingy dressing is still sold and celebrated today, but people are usually pretty opinionated when it comes to the mayonnaise vs. Miracle Whip debate.