This homemade Thousand Island Dressing recipe takes just 5 minutes to throw together. Store-bought dressing, who? Use this delicious twist on the classic “secret sauce” as a dip, sauce, or salad dressing.
I love all things dressings and dips. Any opportunity to dip whatever I’m eating, I’m in! This recipe just gets better the longer it has an opportunity to sit and let all those ingredients get to know each other.
This dressing is fantastic for so much more than a simple mixed salad! When I made this recipe, we dipped absolutely everything we ate in it until it was all gone. Including these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders and smothered all over some classic Reuben Sandwiches. You can also use it as a “secret sauce” for burgers.
What is thousand island dressing?
The beloved secret sauce comes from, no surprise, the Thousand Island region, made of 1864 islands to be exact, along the St. Lawrence river between Canada and the USA.
While there are a few versions of how exactly this recipe came to be, there is a crowd favorite. It’s fabled that a fishing guide’s wife made the condiment for a diner party, which led to actress May Irwin requesting the recipe. No one is sure which origin story is correct, but it sure makes for an interesting recipe!
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise – You can try this recipe for an easy homemade mayo or use a jar from the store.
- Ketchup – Use more or less if you’d like.
- Apple cider vinegar – Wine vinegar or regular white vinegar will work too if that’s what you have.
- Salt & sugar – To taste.
- Onion – I grated the onion for a really fine consistency. Mild onion like white, yellow, or shallot work best.
- Chili powder and hot sauce – Use any type you like best.
How to make thousand island dressing
- Mix the ingredients: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk well. While it can be served right away, the flavors get better after they sit together (refrigerated) for at least 1 hour.
That’s it! Homemade dressing is so easy, and so much better for you. Now there’s no excuse to use bottled dressing anymore!
What to serve with it
Give these recipes a try with your fantastic dressing/ dip:
- Cobb Salad
- Fried Pickles
- Potato Skins
- Crispy Baked Salt and Pepper Wings
- Chopped Salad
- Crispy Fried Zucchini
- Pigs in a Blanket
- Sweet Chicken Bacon Bites
Leftovers
Store your dressing in a sealable bottle or airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last 4 days. That is, if you haven’t eaten it all in the first day!
Looking for more homemade condiments? Try these!
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Thousand Island Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp pickle relish
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp onion minced
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp hot sauce
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a medium sized bowl and whisk until combined. It can be served right away but it taste better after a few hours in the refrigerator, ie. 12 to 24 hours.
- Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- Yields about 1 1/2 cups. Nutritional information is per tbsp.
- Store your dressing in a sealable bottle or airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last 4 days.
What kind of pickle relish do you use – sweet or dill? It’s in the ingredients photo and recipe, but missing from the list below the ingredient photo. I read the post three times and it doesn’t specify what kind of relish. Please clarify?
You can use either or! Whatever you preference is. We used a sweet pickle relish for this one because it’s more traditional.
Thank you for the incredibly fast reply! I appreciate you! ☺️
No worries! That’s what we’re here for 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
I love this on hamburgers and have cut the recipe down to 1/3 still tastes great
I really don’t and never have like commercial Thousand Island dressing. But, I took a chance on this homemade version for our Reuben sandwiches, and it turned my opinion upside down! This recipe is delicious! This will definitely be my go-to recipe for this dressing.
So happy to hear this, Jeff!
Try this easy recipe ! We loved it and couldn’t resist eating it by the spoon full ! Next time I will leave out the salt. Watching hubby salt intake. I’ve made several of your recipes and you never disappoint !
We’re so glad you loved it! We ate it up in no time at all. Happy cooking to you 🙂
i love it
Why does it only last up to four days when the all the ingredients used our long-term stable?
It completely depends on which brands of these ingredients you’re using, and whether any of the ingredients are homemade for example, the mayo.
We’d rather shoot under than over. Feel free to use your own discretion!