Thousand Island Dressing – a quick and easy homemade dressing. Creamy, sweet, tangy and way better than the store bought version in minutes!
Making dressings at home is super easy, and they’re so much better than store bought! Not only can you control the quality of ingredients, but you can reduce sugar, salt, change spices, etc.
My family is a big Thousand Islands fan. It’s what my guys choose almost 99% of the time. And if we have homemade in the fridge, they’ll ask us for salads all week until they’re gone.

What this recipe works
- This only uses a handful of ingredients, and these are the ones you probably already have in your fridge. Nothing fancy here!
- You control the ingredients. Want to cut back on salt or high fructose corn syrup or other added sugars, use ingredients you like. Use organic, natural or salt-free versions. Use vegan mayonnaise for a vegan version of this dressing.
- It will last in the fridge for about 2 weeks, so you can make it once and it will last for side salads, dinner salads, or if you have corned beef and want to make a faux Reuben sandwich.

What is Thousand Island Dressing
I always wondered where his name came from. Well, it was first made in an area called Thousand Islands. It borders New York and Canada and is an area of stunning beauty, with almost two thousand islands that make up this region.
Versions of this dressing can be found as a “special sauce” on many burger joints across the country. My Big Mac Salad has a very similar version for dressing, with a thousand islands as an alternative.
Is Russian Dressing Right in Thousand Islands
Both dressings are very similar, but a Russian dressing uses horseradish and chilli to add heat to the dressing. Traditionally, a Rueben sandwich uses Russian dressing, but when people make them at home, they often use Thousand Islands because it’s easier to find.

What you will need
- mayo
- Ketchup
- Onion
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- White vinegar
- Paprika
- garlic powder
- Salt
How to Make a Thousand Island Dressing
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for full measurements and instructions!
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined and blended.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until use.

Storage
I like to store homemade dressings in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. It will last in the fridge for 10-12 days.
What to serve with Thousand Island dressing
Besides using it on your favorite green salad, there are so many ways to use it!

Don’t forget to take your salad on top and use homemade croutons!
Yield: 10
Thousand Island Dressing

Thousand Island Vinaigrette – a quick and easy homemade salad dressing. Creamy, sweet, tangy and way better than the store bought version in minutes!
Preparation time 5 minutes
Total time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 5 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined and blended.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until use.
Nutrition information
Yield
ten
Portion
1
Amount per serving calories 163Total fat 17gSaturated fat 3gtrans fat 0gUnsaturated fats 14gCholesterol 9mgSodium 250mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 0gSugar 3gProtein 0g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a guideline.
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