Xanthan Strengthened Maple Vinaigrette Recipe

Maple vinaigrette

This is a simple modernist vinaigrette to make and utilizes both xanthan gum and lecithin to strengthen and thicken it. I really like the sweet maple syrup with the tangy balsamic vinegar. This goes well on salads, especially ones with berries. You can also add a little more xanthan gum and use the vinaigrette as a sauce on fish or chicken.

The lecithin helps to stabilize the vinaigrette while the xanthan gum thickens it, as well as stabilizes it. This combination of ingredients works very well with many different vinaigrette recipes.

Xanthan Strengthened Maple Vinaigrette Tools Needed


If you like this recipe you can get more than 80 other recipes from my book Modernist Cooking Made Easy: Getting Started. The book covers many of the popular modernist techniques such as gelling, spherification, and foams. It also explores modernist ingredients like agar, sodium alginate, tapioca maltodextrin, and xanthan gum. It is all presented in an easy to understand format and I think it's the best way to learn about modernist cooking.

Also, if you are just getting started experimenting with molecular gastronomy and modernist cuisine then I highly recommend one of these molecular gastronomy kits. They have everything you need to do many different dishes.

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Xanthan Strengthened Maple Vinaigrette Recipe

  • Published: December 28, 2012
  • By Jason Logsdon
  • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes active time
  • Makes: 1/2 cup

Maple Vinaigrette Ingredients

Because they use modernist ingredients, these amounts for this component are given in metric by weight. Learn more about how to measure modernist ingredients in this article.

45 grams balsamic vinegar
15 grams lemon juice
20 grams maple syrup
90 grams olive oil
Salt and pepper
1.0 grams lecithin powder, 0.6%

0.3 grams xanthan gum, 0.2%

Maple Vinaigrette Instructions

Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a narrow bowl or mixing container that works well with your immersion blender. Blend in the olive oil with an immersion blender or whisk attachment.

Taste the vinaigrette for seasoning and adjust the olive oil and vinegar to control the acidity.

Once the vinaigrette tastes balanced, add the xanthan gum and lecithin then blend well to combine. Taste the vinaigrette and make sure the mouthfeel and thickness is what you prefer. Add more xanthan gum or liquid to adjust the thickness.

It is now ready to be served.
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Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
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