In less than 5 minutes, you can make a jar of Thousand Island dressing that is better than any store-bought variety.
With only a few simple ingredients, this homemade dressing is so easy.
Thousand Island dressing is a favorite and one I’ve loved since I was a kid
So, what is Thousand Island dressing? This dressing is named for the Thousand Islands region, which is located between Canada and the US on the east coast near New York. This creamy dressing has a bit of sweetness (from sugar) and some tang. The color comes from ketchup (or tomato paste) while vinegar adds some zing.
You’ll Love This Dressing Because…
- It’s so easy to make, ready in about 3 minutes.
- Homemade Thousand Island dressing tastes so much better than bottled dressing (with fewer additives and preservatives).
- It uses ingredients you likely have on hand.
- It’s a great addition to burgers too.
Ingredients for Thousand Island Dressing
Creamy Base – Sour cream and mayonnaise are the base of this dressing. You can replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
Tang – Vinegar and ketchup give this dressing a little tangy zing.
Sweetness – Sugar and sweet pickle relish balance the tang in this dressing.Dill pickle relish is great too.
Variations
- Add some lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, finely chopped black olives, garlic, or horseradish to change the flavor profile.
- Swap ketchup for chili sauce or tomato paste. Add a little smoked or sweet paprika.
- Make it low-carb by swapping the sugar for sweetener and the relish for finely diced dill pickles.
Tips & Serving
- Homemade Thousand Island dressing will keep up to a week in a container with a tightly fitted lid or a jar (as long as your sour cream is fresh). A mason jar is the easiest option.
- Thin it out with milk or buttermilk if desired.
- Serve it over a tossed salad or a classic wedge salad or as a veggie dip. (We love it in our Big Mac salad too!).
- Use it as a secret sauce on hamburgers, Reuben sandwiches in place of Russian dressing or wraps.
- Serve it as a dip for French fries or other favorite appetizers.
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Did you make this Thousand Island Dressing? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
5 from 44 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Thousand Island Dressing
The best Thousand Island Dressing has a few simple ingredients like mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 10 minutes minutes
Servings 1 cup
Author Holly Nilsson
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons ketchup or chili sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish or 1 ½ tablespoons very finely diced dill pickle
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- salt & pepper
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Whisk until smooth.
Refrigerate for up to one week.
Notes
Nutrition information is for 1 tablespoon of dressing.
Make it low carb by replacing sugar with sweetener and using finely diced dill pickles in place of sweet relish.
- Homemade thousand island dressing will keep up to a week in a container with a tightly fitted lid or a jar (as long as your sour cream is fresh). A mason jar is the easiest option.
- Thin it out with milk or buttermilk if desired.
Serve it over a tossed salad or a classic wedge salad or as a veggie dip.
Use it as a secret sauce on hamburgers, Reuben sandwiches.
Serve it as a dip for French Fries or other favorite appetizers.
5 from 44 votes
Nutrition Information
Calories: 62 | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 13mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dip, Dressing
Cuisine American
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Categories:
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About the author
Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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