Thousand Island Dressing is that tasty “special sauce” that elevates salads and burgers and Reubens everywhere … and the great news is that Homemade Thousand Island Dressing is super, duper easy to make.
In fact, it is so easy to make homemade 1000 island dressing, that I’m sort of kicking myself for ever buying it ready-made.
Five minutes and a little chilling time in the fridge, and you’ve got a tangy, zesty, “secret” sauce that’s equally at home on a piled-high burger as it is atop a nice, simple bed of greens.
It’s far less expensive than store-bought and it tastes, well, 1000 times better!
In this Article
- Why is it Called Thousand Island Dressing?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Thousand Island Dressing
- Ideas for Customizing Thousand Island Dressing
- How to Store 1000 Island Dressing
- Can I Freeze This Sauce?
- Dietary Questions
- More Salad & Salad Dressing Goodness
Readers say …
– Ti Kwon
“Absolutely amazing! This is recipe sooo good! And easy! It’s way better than store bought bottled thousand island. Thank you! for this recipe.”
Why is it Called Thousand Island Dressing?
When I first shared this recipe, I didn’t know why! But some research turned up that “the name presumably comes from the Thousand Islands between the United States and Canada in the St. Lawrence River.
In the Thousand Islands area, one common version of the dressing’s origins says that a fishing guide’s wife, Sophia LaLonde, made the condiment as part of her husband George’s shore dinner.” (source)
Reader CJ shared, “They call it Thousand Islands Dressing – originally known as Sophia’s Sauce because the recipe originated in the Thousand Islands. This unique and once the play ground of the very rich during the gilded age was and is a fisherman’s paradise. Today, although and nonetheless beautiful, and still a vacation destination, like most of upstate New York, the evidence of poverty can not be denied … I have a copy of the original, hand written recipe …”
Reader Kathy also shared, “Just wanted to let you know that Thousand Island dressing comes from the Thousand Island area of up state NY. Where are over a thousand island in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Fishing guides would take them out to fish and then cook them a ‘shore dinner’ One of there wives came up with the recipe. They lived in Clayton NY and who can still go there and get the original dressing..I grew up there and when I moved I realized most of the country had no idea that’s how it originated.“
Scroll down to read the comments for even more interesting information about the origin of Thousand Island Dressing.
Ingredients
What’s in Thousand Island Dressing? My recipe calls for ketchup, mayo, and relish; along with some finely minced onion and garlic. Then a bit of vinegar, salt, a dash of hot sauce if you like, and bam. Homemade Thousand Island.
How to Make Thousand Island Dressing
Just mix the ingredients together in a small bowl – yup, that’s it! The flavor develops when you refrigerate it, so it’s even better when you can make it in advance.
Ideas for Customizing Thousand Island Dressing
- To make a vegan version, just swap in some vegan mayo like Vegenaise.
- Many people like to add a finely diced hard boiled egg to the recipe, in fact, the original recipe (mentioned above) apparently included that. The egg adds a nice rich texture.
- Worcestershire sauce adds some nice flavor. One reader adds that and a pinch of ground cloves! Sounds delicious.
- Others like to use tomato sauce or tomato paste instead of the ketchup – the tomato paste would add a nice concentrated tomato element along with a bit of that coveted umami flavor.
- Many readers like to add some horseradish for a nice bit of zip. Others add a bit of cocktail sauce or even substitute the ketchup completely with cocktail sauce.
- To spice it up, add a dash of Tabasco as the recipe suggests. One reader adds chili-garlic sauce; another loves Sriracha. Yum!
So many ideas to make it your own!
How to Store 1000 Island Dressing
Keep your dressing in an airtight container or jar and store it in the refrigerator. It should keep well for up to 7 days.
Can I Freeze This Sauce?
I don’t recommend freezing thousand island because of the mayo. Freezing and thawing it could alter the texture.
Dietary Questions
Does Thousand Island Dressing have dairy?
No, this recipe is dairy-free.
Does Thousand Island Dressing have eggs?
Mayonnaise has eggs, so, yep! But you can use a vegan mayonnaise to omit the eggs.
Is Thousand Island Dressing vegan?
No, it is not, because the mayonnaise has eggs. But it’s a really easy swap – just use Vegenaise or another fave vegan mayonnaise instead of the classic mayo. Done!
Is it Gluten Free?
Yes! As written this Thousand Island Dressing recipe is gluten free.
More Salad & Salad Dressing Goodness
- How to Make Vinaigrette Dressing – Ratio, Variations, & More (make any salad magic with this easy homemade hack)
- Honey Dijon Mustard Dressing – tangy, sweet, and delicious!
- Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette – one of my favorite variations of vinaigrettes! So lively and vibrant.
- Creamy Vinaigrette: Creamy, zingy, and just delicious.
- Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds
- Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado & Chickpeas
- Epic Winter Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Baby Kale, & Avocado
- Kale Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons & Kalamata Caesar Dressing
Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons finely diced onion (I use red onion but yellow or white would work just fine)
- 1/4 teaspoon finely minced garlic (about half of a small clove)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld. Serve.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
I’ve made this many times and love it! SO much better than store bought.
This is soooo much better than store bought dressing, thanks for the great recipe
This is the perfect thousand island dressing!
This is DELICIOUS and so easy to make. Definitely use a red onion. I doubled the recipe and refrigerated for 3 hours before using. This will definitely be a go to salad dressing in our house.
This looks so yummy! We are going to love this! Can’t wait!
just a little question? why don’t you use chili sauce?
I liked this recipe. And so did my family. Followed the exact ingredients and it was the best!! It’s a keeper!!
My husband and I enjoyed your homemade 1000 Island dressing recipe. We were away from home with no dressing for our salad. He said “oh mix mayonnaise and ketchup “. I looked at your dressing and I thought it would work perfectly for us and it did. Per the comments, I used a pinch of garlic and onion powders to taste , slightly less white vinegar and no Cholula sauce. Thanks!
This recipe is delicious. I find that most store bought 1000 island is to sweet. This is just perfect.
Used about 8 drops of franks red sauce. Really really yum recipe on impossible vegan burgers.
It’s very tasty!
I make mine 1000 Island dressing as my late MIL did using only mayo, ketchup, and hard boiled eggs. We absolutely love it.
I dont think anyone will make your late MILs version.. otherwise they wouldn’t be looking on here for an authentic recipe.. sorry but I don’t understand why this is here really!
Carol Channon,,,,,why are you being so rude to another persons comment ? Just because you are not interested in what they had to say does not mean other people aren’t. The world doesn’t revolve around you, Carol. In fact , I don’t understand why your comment is even here.
Yummy, just very, very yummy!
I have made this dressing several times. Here in the UK, I couldn’t find sweet pickle, and have tried several different substitutes. In my last batch I used Sainbury’s sweet picalilli and it was scrumptious. I will definitely be using this sub in all my future creations. I could never buy a shop bought Thousand Island dressing.. neither will you if you’re making this for the first time!
Could you clarify how you determined the calories for this dressing? Mayonnaise is 100 calories per tablespoon, so 1/2 cup of mayonnaise is 800 calories. Divided by 6 servings, the mayonnaise alone is 266 calories for each 2 tablespoon serving, before adding the additional ingredients. Did you use light mayonnaise in the recipe?
Math. 800/6=133 calories not 266
I apologize for my poor math. Of course you’re right that 800 divided by 6 is 133.
But my question remains: how did you determine 6 servings at 57 calories each? The mayonnaise in each serving exceeds 57 calories. When I calculate the calories it comes to 146 calories per 2 Tablespoon serving.
This is our recipe of choice for dressing. When our adult son is coming for a visit I quadruple the amount-he loves it.
Recently I was trying to make a turkey burger taste like my mothers hamburger s which always were better than the the ones from the drive through places. Then I remembered mixing Catchup with Mayo! Better but still missing something. I bought a Rubin yesterday and that was it! The magic flavor. So I hunted down the sauce and bingo! There you were in all your delicious glory! Thank you so much!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe. I will make it one of these days.
Here where I live, I also have to make the mayo myself, but that is no problem either.
Hmmm. And yes. I also have to make the pickled gherkins for then to make the relish, but the vegetables are easy to find. I really look forward to get started.
Great recipe, thanks! I love homemade dressings and salsas and such… but to clarify, reuben sandwiches use Russian dressing, not thousand island.
Might depend where you live… in Wisconsin, USA, Reubens are made with Thousand Island dressing. Every culture and geographic area is different. 🙂
I knew I liked Wisconsin for a reason! 🙂
I love this recipe! I don’t care for a really sweet 1000 island dressing, and most of the recipes I’ve seen have added sugar. I tried this one because it doesn’t have sugar. It’s perfect!
Haven’t made this for over a dozen years. Your recipe is just as my mother made ( and I’m over 80) with a few added ingredients. I might try your modern extras. Can’t go wrong with mayonnaise, ketchup and relish.
Best of ever had
Best ever! I used Branston pickle, spring onions and red chilli sauce. Yum!
I’ve made this over a dozen times and it’s always a hit! I love thousand island and this recipe is quick and delicious.
Oh this is a keeper, I added a bit more relish, half teaspoon sugar, it’s really the best thousand I’ve ever had. Big thank you!! Cheers!
Hi Jeanette, I’m so glad this one was a hit for you! I love the idea of more relish – always a good thing! Great idea to sweeten it up a bit too. Thanks so much for the review!
Great recipe. When I tried to make this, I realized I only had Hotdog Relish, which is sweet relish with regular mustard already mixed together. Decided to give it a try and it’s a little more tangy than sweet, which is perfect. I also added a little paprika to make it a little darker. Tastes great!
Thank you so much for the review! I love the idea of adding paprika for gorgeous color and a little added flavor.
Great for Reuben sandwiches!!!
We added Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Tabasco, black pepper, celery seed and substituted shallots since we ran out of onions.
Amazing! 😋
Thank you so much for sharing about your additions – that sounds amazing!
This was SO GOOD. Used it for “cheeseburger salads” and it was perfect. Tasted like an In-n-Out burger in a bowl. This is a recipe you make for a lifetime. Thank you!
I needed Thousand for Rueben’s for the weekend and found your site. I have never made dressing of any kind before. Before popping the jar in the fridge, I licked the spoon. I just stopped with my eyes wide, starting at that jar of dressing. Wowsers this is delicious. Its so delicious I can hardly stand it. I will NEVER buy from the store again, never. Thank you for posting such an easy recipe.
Hi Steffany, I’m so glad this was a hit! Thank you so much for the review. 🙂
OMG, this recipe is fantastic! I recently became a fan of 1000 island dressing and was looking for a healthier version. I did leave out the onion, garlic, and Tabasco, just because I wanted to keep it really simple. I added 1/2 Tbsp more of relish and used white wine vinegar instead cause it’s my fave vinegar. I also added 3/4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice for some extra zing. I did make my own homemade mayo from downshiftology website. I try to make my recipes clean as possible, and wanted mayo made with avocado oil. I found relish and ketchup not made with high fructose syrup. It tastes perfect. I know I didn’t follow recipe exact, but I wouldn’t have been able to make this so delicious without this as a great base! It takes exactly how I imagine it should! Thank you SOOO much!!
Hi Dawn, I’m so glad this one was a winner for you! I love that you made the mayo from scratch too. I’ve never tried that, but lately, especially with grocery prices, it’s been on my radar to try – I’ll have to check out that recipe! Thanks so much for the review!