Russian Dressing is not that popular anymore, having been replaced by the more consumer-friendly Thousand Island dressing instead. However, the sweet-spicy flavors of Russian Dressing are still worth making yourself, as you probably won’t be able to find it elsewhere.

Use this classic dressing for the perfect condiment on a Classic Reuben Sandwich, or try something else like a homemade Italian dressing!

More Homemade Salad Dressings

I love a good homemade salad dressing! Try some of these reader favorites!

Russian Dressing

Making Russian Dressing is actually incredibly easy, despite how rare it is to find these days. It is essentially a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup, alongside a few sour and spicy extras like chili sauce, horseradish, and hot sauce.

The exact ingredients tend to change depending on where you buy your Russian Dressing and who makes it. Here is what I would say is the best, most balanced Russian Dressing you can make – spicy, sweet, and just a little bit tangy; this Russian Dressing goes well with everything.

Ingredients for Russian Dressing

The trick is that you are going to have to adjust a few key ingredients to YOUR LIKING. Some people like a really horseradish loaded Russian dressing, other’s like a sweeter one. I am giving you the ingredients that you need, and you can adjust to your liking! You can adjust all of them but I am pointing out the three key ones for taste adjusting,

Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Chili sauce
Horseradish sauce (this will be to taste)
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Sweet Paprika
Onion
Hot sauce (something basic like Frank’s works well here – adjust to taste)
Sugar ( to taste)

How to Make Russian Dressing

Just like other dressing and sauces, this recipe is as easy as combining everything together!

Mix together all of the first 8 ingredients together until completely homogenous.
Season to taste with hot sauce and sugar until it is as nice as you like it

How to Store Russian Dressing

A bit of a problem with sauces like this is that they don’t usually keep very well. The best way to store this is to keep it in the fridge, well covered with plastic wrap.

If you really want to keep it fresh for a few weeks at a time, transfer it into a sealable container with a really tight lid. The key with this sauce is to make sure no moisture from your fridge can get into your sauce and ruin it, so ensure it is always well protected against the elements.

What to Use Russian Dressing For

While everyone knows Russian Dressing as the classic accompaniment for a really good Reuben sandwich, it actually has a huge number of uses.

If you love that spicy and sweet taste, you can just use it as a thick dipping sauce for everything from fries to pizza crust. A good tip here is to try and thin it out just a little bit with some water when you are mixing it together – stirred together properly; this will keep the sauce a little bit runnier and make it easier to dip a thin cut French fry in.

You can also just use it as a salad dressing! Topping any of your favorite salad ingredients with just a dollop of Russian Dressing transforms the whole thing into a flavor explosion.

Hope you enjoy this! Russian dressing is impossible to find here in Canada, so we have to make our own!

Love,

Karlynn