French dressing

French Dressing is a term used in Britain and the U.S. in particular, to describe the most common salad dressing in France: the vinaigrette, and its many variations. The dressing is usually accepted to be a type of vinaigrette but often includes different ingredients. The term is not used in France, where this salad dressing is only ever referred to as a vinaigrette.

In the United States "French dressing" is almost always a reddish orange color (never true red, never white). It is a homogenized, pureed, uniform viscous sauce with a tangy sweet flavor. Unlike a typical French vinaigrette, there are no bits of herbs or spices floating in it. It is generally made from vegetable oil, vinegar, ketchup (or tomato puree), water, paprika, other spices, and sweeteners, all thoroughly blended.