OPEN any fridge or cupboard in any kitchen and chances are there will be a bottle of salad cream among its contents.
With ingredients including egg yolk, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and dairy or oil, its smooth, creamy base is accompanied by a sharp, tangy kick of spirit vinegar and a subtle hint of mustard
During this hot spell salad cream comes into its own, being widely used as an accompaniment to many light lunches including sandwiches, salads, pasta and baked potatoes.
Salad cream dates back to Victorian times when homemade creamy salad dressings - sometimes called ‘English sauce’ - were staples in cookbooks, with recipes appearing in works by celebrity cooks of the day Isabella ‘Mrs’ Beaton and William Kitchiner.
It was commercially introduced by Heinz in 1914, becoming a beloved, affordable food during wartime rationing.
Salad cream differs from mayonnaise in that it uses less oil and relies heavily on spirit vinegar and water, which accounts for its lighter yellow colour. Mayonnaise is thicker, more mild, and creamy, while salad cream packs a sharp, zesty, and slightly acidic bite. Salad cream is more runny and easier to pour.
I tested eight varieties, buying the cheapest brands I could find in the shops, alongside brand leader Heinz. Here’s what I thought, and I warn you, I wasn’t hugely impressed.
*Bramwells Salad Cream (Aldi), 520g, 99p
A good colour and fairly thick consistency to the egg-based cream but, like Morrisons, it lacked that certain zing that you expect from salad cream. The taste, while pleasant, was more like a weak sandwich spread. A good price for 520g, however, so a bargain if you do like it.
Pros: colour, consistency, price.
Cons: taste.
Marks: 2/5
*Heinz Salad Cream, Original, 425g, £2.50 (bought at Asda)
A decent yellowy colour with a creamy consistency. This was quite sweet, but too sharp - so much so it hit me at the back of my throat and made me cough. I liked the taste, but something - I suspect mustard - which I could taste, was much too strong. I expect a kick from salad cream but not one that has me reaching for a glass of water. Costs more than double some products, and for less weight. I would have scored this higher if it hadn’t been so fierce.
Pros: consistency.
Cons: colour, taste, cost.
Mark: 2/5
*Morrisons Salad Cream, 420g, £1.60
An appetising light butter colour. This one had a thicker, more creamy consistency than some, which I liked, but the taste was lacking - it was very nondescript, without the tangy edge you expect from salad cream. This is more expensive than some, for less product.
Pros: colour, consistency.
Cons: taste, price.
Marks: 2/5
*Batts Salad Cream (Lidl), 510g, 99p
This was slightly paler colour than the others, with a decent, creamy consistency. It had mustardy overtones, but not so much that it was overpowering, like Heinz, it was just a slight tang in the background. It wasn’t the usual salad cream taste, and I debated whether to award it 3 or 4 marks, but I liked it. Good value for money.
Pros: consistency, taste, price.
Cons: some people may not like the mustardy taste.
Mark: 4/5
*M&S Food Salad Cream, 440g, £1.70
The light buttery colour in this one was appealing, and it had a very smooth consistency, so I was disappointed to find that it did not have much of a taste - it was very bland. More costly too, you pay more for less product than some brands offer.
Pros: colour, consistency.
Cons: taste, price.
Mark: 2/5
*Asda Salad Cream, 420g, 85p
The colour was just right - a pale, buttery yellow - and it had a nice, creamy consistency. As for taste, this had a sharp - but not too sharp - edge, which I liked; it was not overly sweet, but it was a little too vinegary, which let it down.
Overall, quite nice, however. Reasonably priced but a smaller bottle than Aldi and Lidl.
Pros: colour, consistency, sharpness.
Cons: taste.
Mark: 3/5
*Stockwell Salad Cream (Tesco), 450g, 85p
This one had a reasonably thick consistency and is reasonably priced but, in common with some other varieties, it lacked the required tang I associate with salad cream. Overall it had quite a cardboardy taste. I wasn’t impressed.
Pros: consistency.
Cons: colour, taste.
Mark: 2/5
*Sainsbury’s Stamford Street Salad Cream, 420g, 80p
A light yellow colour and good consistency to the egg-based cream, but I wasn’t keen on the taste of this one - it was slightly artificial with a bitter aftertaste. It’s not a bad price, but it’s not for me.
Pros: colour, consistency.
Cons: taste.
Mark: 2/5
