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The Kitchn’s Jan Valdez reports that a dressing recipe from Sheldon Simeon’s Cook Real Hawai’i uses a whole sweet onion, which she says helps bring the oil and vinegar together and adds sweetness. Her article describes the result as creamy without mayonnaise or yogurt, but the texture and flavor claims are her assessment, not a published comparative test.
The Kitchn’s Jan Valdez has highlighted a recipe for sweet onion dressing from Sheldon Simeon’s cookbook Cook Real Hawai’i, saying a whole sweet onion gives the homemade dressing sweetness and helps it combine into a creamy texture. The ingredient is an accessible alternative to relying on mayonnaise or yogurt for body, though Valdez’s description reflects her experience making the recipe rather than a controlled comparison with bottled dressings.
Valdez writes that the recipe caught her attention because it called for an entire onion, rather than the smaller amount of minced shallot or grated garlic she had used in dressings before. She tried the recipe after finding it in Simeon’s cookbook and said the experience changed how she viewed bottled dressing. The source does not report a formal taste test or provide evidence that homemade dressing is generally better than store-bought options.
The recipe calls for a sweet onion, with Maui, Walla Walla and Vidalia listed as examples. According to Valdez, blending the onion into a mixture of neutral oil and apple cider vinegar helps emulsify the ingredients, producing a texture she found creamy without mayonnaise or yogurt. The dressing also includes granulated sugar, Dijon mustard and celery salt. Valdez says the celery salt adds a savory note that balances the sweet and tangy flavors.
Valdez says she used olive oil instead of neutral oil and liked the result. She suggests that cooks can try other mustard varieties or replace some of the sugar with honey or maple syrup. Those are serving and ingredient ideas from the report; the source does not give measurements or a full preparation method in the supplied material. Readers should consult the original recipe for quantities and instructions.
A Whole Onion Changes Dressing Texture
The recipe offers home cooks a way to add flavor and body using a common, low-cost ingredient rather than dairy-based additions. Valdez’s account may be useful to people looking for a sweet-and-tangy dressing or a new use for a sweet onion, but the source does not establish a cost comparison or quantify how the onion affects texture.
Its versatility is another practical point in the report. Valdez says she served the dressing with kale and apple and suggests it could also work with Cobb-style salads, spinach, cabbage slaw, roasted vegetables or grain bowls. These are her recommendations, not reported results from testing every pairing.
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From Simeon’s Cookbook to Home Salads
The dressing appeared in Sheldon Simeon’s Cook Real Hawai’i, which Valdez says she already owned and had used for other dishes. In her Kitchn report, she describes testing the dressing after the unusual call for a whole onion stood out from recipes that use smaller quantities of alliums.
Valdez identifies herself as an associate recipe producer at The Kitchn and says she has 10 years of experience in research and development test kitchens and at food publishers. The outlet’s disclosure says it independently selects products and may earn a commission from purchases made through links; it also says listed prices were accurate at publication. Neither disclosure establishes that the dressing was independently evaluated.
““It calls for something I’ve never used in a dressing: a whole onion.””
— Jan Valdez, The Kitchn
Recipe Results Depend on Preparation
The supplied source material does not include the full recipe, ingredient quantities, blending instructions or storage guidance. It also does not specify how long the dressing keeps, whether the onion must be a particular size, or whether different onion varieties produce similar results. Valdez’s statements about creaminess and flavor are personal observations; no blind tasting, nutritional analysis or side-by-side comparison with bottled dressing is reported.
The article suggests several substitutions and uses, but does not establish how changing the oil, mustard or sweetener affects the final texture. Readers should follow the complete recipe for proportions and handling directions rather than treating the ingredient suggestions as tested equivalents.
Consult the Full Recipe Before Mixing
The source reports no scheduled follow-up or additional testing. For cooks interested in trying the idea, the next step is to consult Simeon’s complete recipe or The Kitchn article for the exact quantities and method, then choose a sweet onion and follow the recipe’s preparation and storage directions. Valdez’s suggested pairings offer starting points, while the outcome of ingredient swaps will depend on the specific proportions used.
Key Questions
What is the inexpensive ingredient in the dressing?
It is a whole sweet onion. The recipe names Maui, Walla Walla and Vidalia onions as examples.
What else goes into the dressing?
Valdez lists oil, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, Dijon mustard and celery salt, alongside the onion. The supplied material does not provide ingredient amounts.
Why does the recipe use a whole onion?
Valdez says blending the onion into the dressing helps the oil and vinegar emulsify and adds natural sweetness. That explanation comes from her account of making the recipe.
Can I use olive oil or a different sweetener?
Valdez says she tried olive oil in place of neutral oil and liked it. She also suggests replacing some sugar with honey or maple syrup, but the supplied report does not give tested substitution amounts.
What can the dressing be served with?
Valdez reports serving it with kale and apple and suggests it for other salads, cabbage slaw, roasted vegetables and grain bowls. Those additional pairings are recommendations in her article.
Source: thekitchn.com
