Brits baffled after learning difference between salad cream and mayonnaise

07 May 2024 , 10:30

1215     0

There's a big difference between salad cream and mayonnaise (Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Us Brits love a condiment - but have you ever wondered what the difference between salad cream and mayonnaise is?

While many people might not give it a second thought as they dollop it onto their food, there is quite a difference between the two sauces. They can be easily confused as they appear to be similar, but it's clear the two have a distinct difference in taste, despite being made with nearly identical ingredients.

So whether you're a mayonnaise fan or a salad cream lover - here's an insight into two of the nation's favourite sauces and how they differ.

Salad cream has almost identical ingredients to mayo (Internet Unknown)

When it comes to ingredients, they are very similar. However, salad cream is made up of a lot more vinegar than oil, whereas mayonnaise is the opposite and has more oil than vinegar. According to Daily Star, Heinz Salad Cream is made up of 22 per cent Rapeseed Oil while Heinz mayonnaise is made up of around 68 per cent.

However salad cream has a lot less fat compared to mayonnaise, and there is a difference in the amount of egg yolk used in the recipes which also affects the flavours. Mayo has more egg contents than salad cream - and this also impacts the taste. As well as this, mayonnaise is a lot thicker in consistency and usually added to sandwiches, burgers, salads or even accompanying a portion of chips.

Bloke who ate 124 kebabs in 31 days says it left him 'psychologically' damaged

While salad cream is made up of vinegar and water, it's a lot runnier, but both sauces contain sugar, mustard, salt, thickener, spices, flavouring and colouring. It's believed mayonnaise was created in 1806 - but is debated as to whether it originated from France or Spain - and has been a food staple ever since.

Salad cream originated in the UK in 1914 and is used as a sandwich spread and salad topping. Back in the day, it was first made up of "hard-boiled eggs puréed with cream, mustard, salt and vinegar", as reported by Daily Star. Heinz Salad Cream was the first to be designed purely for the UK and the jars would be stacked in straw-lined barrels with 12 dozen in each, and around 180 dozen jars would go out each day.

Niamh Kirk