There are several different stories about how thousand island dressing was developed, but they all seem to agree on a few things… it was developed in the early 20th century near Thousand Islands, a beautiful chain of islands on the Saint Lawrence River running along the New York and Canada boarder. While there are several different people that are given credit for first bringing this dressing together, the bottom line is that is a delicious addition to everything from reuben sandwiches to wedge salads and its an important component of the Big Mac’s “special sauce”.
Let’s get started…
This dressing, like most others, is really easy to bring together. Simply combine 2/3 cup of mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons of ketsup, 2 tablespoons of sweet relish, 1 tablespoon of finely minced shallot (or yellow onion), 1/2 teaspoon of finely minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Whisk to combine and give the dressing a little taste…
I prefer my thousand island dressing to be a mild with a hint of sweetness and this is exactly what it is like at this point. If you prefer a little more acidity, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar. If you want a little more spice to your dressing, adding a pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper will give your dressing more warmth.
The first thing this dressing reminds me of is a big reuben sandwich, but there are many other uses for this tangy dressing. It is great over a wedge of iceberg lettuce with some crispy bacon bits and as a sauce for burgers or deli sandwiches.
However you use your thousand island dressing, I am quite positive that you will love the flavorful textures that this uniquely delicious dressing adds to so many dishes.
Thousand Island Dressing
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup of mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons of ketsup
- 2 tablespoons of sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon of shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, finely minced
- a pinch of salt
- lemon juice or white vinegar (optional)
- paprika or cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a small bowl
- Add fresh lemon juice or white vinegar, if additional acid is preferred
- Add paprika or cayenne pepper, if additional spice is preferred
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator
