Homemade Thousand Island Dressing Recipe
Published January 20, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
No reason to ever buy this homemade easy to make delicious thousand island dressing from the store again, because this is the real deal.
Whether you’re eating a steak or even vegetables, it’s all about the sauce. If you are a sauce fan then definitely try using this Thousand Island dressing on my cheeseburger recipe or grilled chopped salad.
Thousand Island Dressing
Thousand island dressing is a tasty creamy dressing or sauce in some instances, that is jam-packed with pickles, hard-boiled eggs, spices, and vegetables for an incredibly delicious flavor. The dressing got its name from the area in which it was created, Thousand Island, New York, and was created by a fisherman’s wife, Sophia Lalonde. Originally created as a sauce, it quickly became popular to use as a dressing on salads.
Here are some of the original ingredients in this generation’s old recipe:
- Mayonnaise
- Chili Sauce
- Green Bell Pepper
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Pimentos
Believe it or not, pickles are not a part of the early versions of this recipe, but instead finely minced bell pepper was used. It has since expanded and there are quite a few more ingredients that are featured in a thousand island dressing.
How to Make Thousand Island Dressing from Scratch
Use these simple to follow procedures for how to make this tasty dressing recipe:
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
Using a rubber spatula or large spoon, fold together all of the ingredients until completely combined.
Is This the Same as Russian Dressing?
Russian dressing is different from thousand island in both flavor and ingredients. It most often uses ketchup instead of chili sauce and in addition uses prepared horseradish. Russian dressing definitely has more of a zip to it while thousand island is much tangier in taste.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
chef notes + tips
- Instead of using sweet relish, try using minced bread and butter pickles as I did.
- If you’re having a hard time finely chopping the hard-boiled eggs, try running them on a cheese grater.
- In case you do not have access to pimentos, sub out with roasted red bell pepper.
More Dressing Recipes
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Video
Homemade Thousand Island Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ peeled and small diced yellow onion
- ½ cup small diced bread and butter pickles
- 2 tablespoons pimentos
- 2 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs
- ¼ cup chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon fold all of the ingredients together until they are completely combined.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time.
- How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Instead of using sweet relish, try using minced bread and butter pickles like I did.
- If you’re having a hard time finely chopping the hard-boiled eggs, try running them on a cheese grater.
Yummy . A zing from the hot sauce, pizazz with the pickle . I love homemade dressings. Easy to make, fresher, small batch.
This is the first accurate thousand island recipe I’ve found. I worked in a Latin food restaurant in 1980, and we used to mske it this way. I forgot about the chili sauce though. Thanks for knowing how to cook!
Loved it! Have made it a couple times.
Thanks!
Delicious
Excellent
many thanks!
I never buy 1000 island anymore. This is the BOMB!
it’s so good!!
Soooo good! Thank you!!!
Many Thanks!
This dressing is amazing with your Cobb salad recipe!!!! Or probably with most any salad!
so good!!
Best Thousand Island I’ve ever had ! So yummy!! Thank you for this recipe!
fantastic
Great recipe! Love the flavor and texture!
Chef Billy , I will try this .
Completely and absolutely awesome! Thank you for posting your recipes.
So good!!
Thank you chef!