What kind of salad dressing do Germans use?

They put the most tasty dressing on all the salads here; anyone know what it's called or what's in it?

Hi Jessica,

I think you could try this dressing - "Dill Kräuter." from "Knorr" and I think the registered trade mark is "Salat Krönung." They are sold in packets of four and are found in most supermarkets. You could try "Real" I normally buy them there. Just ask a member of staff. On the front - a picture of cucumbers. But you can use it on all salads. I've tried the various others, but find this salad dressing the best. All you have to do it add 1tbs waterand 3tbs. oil. The instructions are on the back.

Let me know what you thought.

Have fun,

St.Tina

There are lots of different dressings and vinaigrettes used - what did yours taste like? Herby, garlicy, vinegary?

I once had a great dressing, the secret ingredient of which was sugar.

My ex-mil made her dressing with sugar - salt, vinegar, oil as the base - not sure if there is really much else in it though.

My personal one is equal amounts of olive oil to balsamic vinegar plus some grainy Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

That's mine as well, except I change up the vinegars depending on my mood and add a bit of sugar if not using balsamic.

olive oil, balsamico, salt, pepper and oragano. if you want to get interesting mix up the vinegars, lemon juice works paticularly well. Did you have your salad dressing at a home or at a restaurant?

too much, is what they use.

The "magic" ingredients in salad dressing are almost always salt, and sugar. People rarely season dressings enough, and may use overly harsh vinegar which, sorry to any french chefs for the blasphemy, will need sugar.

We tend to go for simple dressing at home for the most part - 1 part italian red wine vinegar, whisk it up with salt and pepper (salt dissolves in vinegar, not oil) then add in oil bit by bit, continually whisking, unitl it is creamy.

It is true that in Germany they like their dill dressing stuff made from sachets, and also, as many people have no doubt noticed, balsamic vinegar is EVERYWHERE here, and used alot. They also seem to quite like a thick honey mustard dressing, which is basically made as above, but wqith the addition of, duh, honey and some mustard. Try and use decent dijon mustard though, not the hot dog rubbish.Also, don't think you can be all clever, and add a bavarian "twist" to your dressing by using that sweet leberkase susssenf stuff. Delicious as it is, it makes salads taste weird.

A lot of what you're getting in schnitzel joints is jogurt mixed with pickle juice and a bit of seasoning.

My b/f taught me how to make a yummy healthy dressing:
Natural yoghurt whipped with some tomato sauce, a grind or two of chilli, S & P, little sugar, little mustard, little milk and a decent amount of ground paprika. If I have it, I add in a tny dash of pineapple juice. Yum!

As only a few people have actually addressed the OP's question, I will.

There are 3 or 4 dressings that are predominantly found in German restaurants.
1) Herbs and jogurt.
2) American (Thousand Island without the chunks and lacking flavor so basically more like French dressing to Americans)
3) Italian (this is usually over herbed crap olive oil and cheap ass balsamic vinegar)
4) House which is more often than not a cream based version of number one with lemon and garlic added and maybe some other herbs and spices.

I would say the number 1 or number 4 is what you are talking about as you would have instantly recognized 2 and 3. As mentioned, a lot of Restaurants simply use mixes or pre-made versions of this stuff. All, and especially 1 and 4, can run the gambit from really pretty good to total shit. The packets are over priced and always need a little extra "help", but if you wanted this at home it is easy enough to make yourself from scratch.

actually Eurovol we don't really know what the OP question is specifically, if it is johgurt/cream or vineger based, or for that matter if it was at home or in a restaurant.

Ditto.

And no matter what the bottle or packet says, it's all either vinegar or jogurt.

Logical deduction from the small amount of info presented with. Just call me Sherlock.

Surely if it was at home the op would know what kind of dressing it was

it didn't have to be her home. As in she could have had it at someone elses home.. I don't really give a shit anyway tbph

True, but at anyones home if you really liked it wouldn't you just ask??? Now here is an idea, go back to the establishment that you had the tasty dressing and ask what kind it is!!

I don't know, but it's fucking amazing.

Anyone know where one can find Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing? Thanks.

ugggghhh, wouldn't put vinegar near a green salad. Just makes it soggy and sweet. personally I prefer olive oil with ground pepper and ground dried lemon rind. the leaves stay crisp and fresh and it brings out the flavours of everything in the salad. Yumm!

Pretty sure you can find Ranch at Foodfromhome.de. Not so sure about Blue Cheese, though...

A slug of Maggi sauce makes it into quite a lot of oil, mayonnaise and vinegar dressings, I detect. Use it myself too.

the block house sells both varieties (in Hamburg anyway)

try squeezed lemon with olive oil and powdered sugar - our local italian restaurant seasons its green mix salad with it and it tastes fantastic.