An aqueous-based food coloring concentrate is formed by blending a food-grade emulsifier with a food-grade organic solvent to form a blend which is then mixed with an aqueous solution of a food-grade colorant. The co-solvent must both disperse the emulsifier and be miscible in water. The formed concentrate is a single-phase product that can be mixed with oil or fat. If mixed with fat, it disperses evenly throughout the fat providing a uniformly-colored product without streaks or splotches. When combined with the oil it forms a single-phase product that remains stable for a period long enough to be applied to color the surface of other food products.