What is cooked dressing?

A cooked dressing is a mixture of ingredients, such as oil, vinegar, herbs, spices, and thickeners, that is heated over a stovetop or in an oven before being used to add flavor and texture to a salad, meat, or other dish. These dressings are often thicker and richer than uncooked dressings due to the addition of heat, which intensifies flavors and allows for the incorporation of ingredients that would otherwise be unpalatable in a cold dressing. Examples of cooked dressings include mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, and béchamel sauce.