Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (2024)

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With this easy Thousand Island dressing recipe, you can create your own homemade dressing in minutes. Use it on salads, burgers, sandwiches or as a dipping sauce.

Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (1)
Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (2)

Thousand Island dressing isn’t just great on salads, it’s great in all kinds of other dishes from burgers to reubens to turkey sandwiches and more.

See how easy it is to whip up your own delicious dressing in minutes using this simple recipe.

Of all types of salad dressing, Thousand Island is one that is most distinct. It has a great combination of smooth creaminess combined with a strong zing of flavor that makes it beloved by many and called for in so many recipes!

And while you can always grab a bottle from the grocery store, the very best tasting dressing is one you make at home.

The dressing gets loads of flavor from sweet pickle relish, chili sauce (or hot sauce if you prefer) and Worcestershire sauce, plus that extra zing from white vinegar.

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Another benefit to making your own dressing, especially if you just need a little bit for a recipe, is that you can make just a small amount of dressing and not end up with a partially used bottle that takes up space in your refrigerator until it’s way past its expiration date and you finally throw it out.

The recipe below makes a couple cups of dressing, but you can easily divide up the recipe and only make one half or one quarter, or even less.

It’s perfect if you want to make a reuben with some leftover corned beef and only need enough sauce for a sandwich or two.

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Two of our favorite recipes using this homemade dressing are our Big Mac Salad Recipe and Corned Beef and Cabbage Bites. It also tastes great in our Copycat Big Mac recipe. (Some people actually refer to this dressing as Big Mac Sauce.)

Now it’s time to actually MAKE that Thousand Island! If you try the recipe, please come back and leave a comment letting me know how it turned out and how you used your homemade dressing.

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Homemade Thousand Island Dressing Recipe

Makes: 1 Pint Jar
Serves: 6

Thousand Island Ingredients Needed:

(See recipe card below for quantities and details.)

  • mayonnaise
  • small white onion, peeled and diced
  • sweet relish
  • chili sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • white distilled vinegar
  • white sugar
  • salt
  • cracked black pepper
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How to Make Thousand Island Dressing:

In a medium bowl, add in mayonnaise, white onion, sweet relish, chili sauce, worcestershire sauce, and vinegar. Whisk well.

Add in sugar, salt, and black pepper. Whisk well.

Pour into a jar and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (8)Ball Mason Jar Pint Wide Mouth Clear Glass W/Lids and Bands, 16-OuncesThousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (9)

How to Store Homemade Salad Dressing:

Place your dressing in an airtight container (such as a pint jar) and seal well. While most of us keep salad dressings in the refrigerator door, they will keep longer on a shelf in the refrigerator where it’s colder.

Use homemade Thousand Island dressing within one week.

Can I Freeze Leftover Thousand Island Dressing?

While not optimal, you CAN freeze the dressing. To do this, place the dressing in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and seal well. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Before using, whisk it well to break up lumps. Dispose of any unused portion after a few days.

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What’s the difference between Thousand Island Dressing and Russian Dressing?

While they are very similar, Russian Dressing is a bit spicier. To make a Russian Dressing from this recipe you could use horseradish in place of sweet pickle relish and add a bit of hot sauce.

Can I make a Vegan Thousand Island Dressing?

Yes! To make this Thousand Island Dressing recipe vegan, just substitute vegan mayonnaise for regular and use a vegan worcestershire sauce.

How to make gluten free Thousand Island Dressing:

This recipe is gluten free as long as you use a Worstechire sauce that does not contain gluten. Some brands contain barley malt vinegar, which you’ll want to avoid. Lea and Perrins Original sold within the United States is gluten free, but in other countries it may not be.

How to Use Extra Thousand Island Dressing:

Besides using it as a salad dressing or on a sandwich, it makes an excellent dipping sauce for french fries, raw veggies, chicken nuggets and just about anything else you can dip!

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Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (11)

More Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes:

Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (12)

Thousand Island Dressing

Chrysa

With this easy Thousand Island dressing recipe, you can create your own homemade dressing in minutes. Use it on salads, sandwiches or as a dipping sauce.

4.33 from 28 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 164 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/2 peeled and small diced white onion
  • 1/2 cup sweet relish
  • 1/2 cup chili sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, add in mayonnaise, white onion, sweet relish, chili sauce, worcestershire sauce, and vinegar. Whisk well.

  • Add in sugar, salt, and black pepper. Whisk well.

  • Pour into a jar and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

Store in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 164kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 447mgSugar: 5g

I am not a nutritionist. These values were calculated automatically with the Spoonacular Food API.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Thousand Island Dressing Recipe - You'll Never Use Bottled Again! (2024)

FAQs

How long can you use Thousand Island dressing after expiration date? ›

If unopened and properly stored, it may even last until the manufacturer's intended expiry date on the package, which is usually a year from the manufacturing date. Once opened, however, it's best to consume it within 2-3 months, and always check the consistency and aroma before use.

Is Big Mac sauce just Thousand Island? ›

Is Big Mac Sauce the same as Thousand Island Dressing? The two are similar, but they have different ingredient ratios. Also, Thousand Island dressing is made with ketchup and diced onions. Big Mac sauce doesn't use either of these ingredients.

What is a good alternative to Thousand Island dressing? ›

Russian Dressing is another ketchup and mayo-based salad dressing. It's very similar to Thousand Island Dressing with two main differences – it's made with horseradish instead of (or in addition to) relish and often includes chili sauce.

What is 1000 island dressing made of? ›

Thousand Island Ingredients: It's mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, red onion vinegar, sugar, garlic, and salt and pepper. All ingredients are combined by hand to make a perfect, thick, and creamy dressing, dip, or sauce.

Is it OK to eat expired Thousand Island dressing? ›

Don't Eat Thousand Island Dressing If The Smell is Off

Other indicators that it's time to toss the jar of Thousand Island is if you notice changes in the color or texture, Randhawa says. Thousand Island has a creamy mayo base and can spoil and potentially cause foodborne illness, she says.

Do you have to refrigerate Thousand Island dressing after opening? ›

Unopened jars of mayonnaise and salad dressing may be stored in the pantry. After opening, keep refrigerated up to 2 months.

Is Russian dressing the same as Thousand Island? ›

The ingredient that differentiates Russian dressing from Thousand Island is—drumroll, please—horseradish. When you have Russian dressing accenting a hearty sandwich like a Reuben, the horseradish can be hard to detect, especially when you've got the sharp, funky flavors of sauerkraut to contend with.

Is Chick-Fil-A sauce the same as Thousand Island? ›

As the company tweeted out in 2012, the Chick-fil-A sauce is just a mixture of honey mustard, barbecue sauce, and ranch dressing. Yes, that's it.

Is Secret Sauce just Thousand Island? ›

McDonald's initially kept the ingredients of the Big Mac's secret sauce vague, but they've since revealed the contents to be mayonnaise, relish, vinegar, spices, and sweeteners—which is basically a riff on Thousand Island without the tomato.

Is Chick Fil A sauce Thousand Island dressing? ›

As the company tweeted out in 2012, the Chick-fil-A sauce is just a mixture of honey mustard, barbecue sauce, and ranch dressing. Yes, that's it.

Does McDonald's use Thousand Island dressing? ›

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce is similar to Thousand Island dressing, but they're not the same. Thousand Island dressing normally incorporates ketchup, while a lot of Big Mac Sauce recipes incorporate French dressing. French dressing gives it a bit of a tangier flavor than ketchup does.

What country is Thousand Island dressing from? ›

History. According to The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, the dressing's name comes from the Thousand Islands region, along the upper St. Lawrence River between the United States and Canada.

What is the difference between French and Thousand Island dressing? ›

French dressing tends to be a tangy vinaigrette with a liquid or semi-liquid consistency, while Thousand Island dressing is a creamy and tangy dressing with a thicker texture, often containing mayonnaise and sweet pickle relish.

Who made the original Thousand Island dressing? ›

Miss Irwin, a renowned cook and cookbook authoress in her own right, was particularly impressed with the dressing and asked George for the recipe. The dressing was actually created and made by George's wife Sophia, who was flattered by the request and willingly gave the recipe to Miss Irwin.

What are the ingredients in Hidden Valley Thousand Island dressing? ›

Soybean oil, water, high fructose corn syrup, sweet relish (cured cucumber, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, salt, onion*, red bell pepper*, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate as preservatives, calcium chloride, natural flavor, polysorbate 80, oleoresin turmeric [color]), tomato paste, ...

What happens if you use an expired dressing? ›

Consuming expired food, including salad dressings, can be risky because the ingredients may have degraded or become contaminated with harmful bacteria, leading to foodborne illness. The expiration date on the ranch dressing is an indicator of when the product is no longer at its peak quality and flavor.

Can you eat salad dressing a year after expiration date? ›

A: Most commercial bottled salad dressing will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Since salad dressings are so high in acidic ingredients, particularly vinegar, there isn't much that can make it spoil.

How safe is salad dressing after expiration date? ›

After all, food sellers want to get products in the hands of customers as quickly as possible after they arrive. Instead, most salad dressing can easily last anywhere from one to four months past the expiration date once it's open as long as you keep it refrigerated.

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