Russian Dressing

5 from 21 votes
24 Comments

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You gotta try this amazing Russian dressing recipe! It is creamy, tangy, and way better than anything you can find in any store. It’s quick and easy with 10 minutes prep time.

Russian dressing in a bowl topped with chopped pickles
Featured With This Recipe
  1. What is Russian Dressing?
  2. What’s in Russian Dressing?
  3. How to Use this Russian Salad Dressing
  4. Tips for Making this Russian Dressing Recipe
  5. More Dips and Dressings to Try
  6. How to Make Russian Dressing
  7. Russian Dressing Recipe Recipe

Russian Dressing is similar to Thousand Island Dressing and is also comparable to the In-N-Out “spread”. It is most well-known as a dressing on a Classic Reuben Sandwich or Corned Beef Sandwich.

What is Russian Dressing?

Ironically, Homemade Russian Dressing originated in New Hampshire, not Russia, and was invented by a grocer named James E. Colburn. He created it as a spread and sold it to retailers and hotels throughout the United States. He was not Russian, but it is said he liked to use the dressing on a Russian salad, giving it the name “Russian” dressing.

Known for its creamy texture and vibrant reddish-orange hue, this rich dressing combines mayonnaise, chili sauce and various seasonings. With its versatile nature, Russian dressing is perfect for enhancing sandwiches, salads, burgers, and more.Once you taste Homemade Russian Dressing, you will never want to buy store-bought dressing again!

Russian Dressing being poured on a salad


What’s in Russian Dressing?

  • Mayonnaise
  • Chili Sauce
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Garlic Powder
  • Paprika
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
  • Dill Pickles or Dill Pickle Relish

How to Use this Russian Salad Dressing

There are so many ways to use this incredible homemade salad dressing! Here are just a few of my favorite ideas.

  • Use it as a sandwich spread. This spread is amazing on a sandwich. Especially on our Corned Beef Sandwich on rye bread with some coleslaw or sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. It is also famously used on a Rueben or Rachel sandwich.
  • Dip potato chips into it. Or pretzels, or tortilla chips, or fries…it all works!
  • Use it on a veggie tray. Rather than reach for ranch dressing, use this homemade Russian dressing as a dipping sauce instead. Or, even better, make both!
  • Spread it on your burgers. This sauce gives so much added flavor to hamburgers.
  • Use it on a salad. Of course, this dressing will make your salads taste amazing!
A corned beef sandwich on a cutting board with Russian Dressing dripping down the sides

Tips for Making this Russian Dressing Recipe

  • When looking for chili sauce, get the thicker sauce. It should be thick, like ketchup. I used the Heinz brand of chili sauce and it was perfect for this recipe.
  • Make sure to give this recipe time to chill before serving. Three hours is the minimum – more is even better!
  • I made this entire recipe in my blender and it worked perfectly, except for the pickles. I still like to chop those by hand and stir them into the dressing. You don’t want the pickles blended in, just nice little pieces.
  • If you manage to have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or less.
  • Other ingredients such as diced onion, ketchup, hot sauce, or horseradish can also be added to give the dressing a slightly different flavor profile or to add more of a kick.

More Dips and Dressings to Try

If you love this Russian dressing recipe, you’ve gotta try some of our other favorite dressings!

How to Make Russian Dressing

Russian Dressing being poured on a salad

Russian Dressing Recipe

5 from 21 votes
This Homemade Russian Dressing is the best I have ever had. It is creamy, tangy, and way better than anything you can find in a store!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Refrigerate 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Dip, Dressing
Cuisine Russian
Servings 8

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients, except chopped pickles, in a blender. Blend until smooth.
    Mayo, Chili Sauce, and spices in a blender bottle
  • Pour into a medium sized bowl and stir in the chopped pickles. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set up.
    Russian Dressing in a bowl topped with chopped pickles

Nutrition Information

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 446mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Comments

  1. This was good – my only thing – I would reduce the mayo to 3/4 cup. I added a bit extra pickle and red wine vinegar to get that tang when I used the cup of mayo.

  2. 5 stars
    Sounds wonderful and so does your many recipe sandwiches to go with this delightful sauce. Than you for all the wonderful delicious recipes you offer to the world. Keep em coming
    and I’ll keep cooking and fixin!!!😋

  3. 5 stars
    This dressing is the BOMB! Making mahi mahi Reuben sandwiches for dinner tonight (like we had at Bloody Mary’s on Bora Bora) and I know they’ll be amazing because of this tasty dressing. I used about 2/3 of called for chili sauce so it won’t blow my honey’s socks off.

  4. 5 stars
    I made this dressing tonight for my husbands corn beef sandwich on marble rye. Boar’s Head corn beef brand is what i used. I had sirracha spice but only used 1/8 tsp for the chili sauce. I was quite surprised how delicious this recipe tasted. I will make this again. Thank you for sharing.

  5. 5 stars
    This is really good. I recently had to throw out my store-bought dressings because of a newly discovered food allergy.

    I don’t want to only have vinaigrette forever. Boo!

    So I needed something to replace my beloved 1000 Island and French dressings. This recipe does that perfectly. Thanks for developing it and sharing it. I appreciate your hard work. ~ j

  6. I loved it. I made it for the first time on St. Patrick’s Day for sandwiches. Also, I later used as a salad dressing. Will make again. Thanks.

  7. 5 stars
    Loved this SO much. My husband is a big fan and we use it for all kinds of stuff in our house. Love having such an easy and tasty homemade option on hand! Thanks!

  8. My mother made her own Russian Dressing when I was a small child. I remembered the main ingredient was Heinz chili sauce. I think she may have used relish in hers. That was more than 40 years ago. Thanks for reminding me of this recipe. I will use it to make Reubens instead of buying store bought dressing.

  9. 5 stars
    This home made Russian dressing is the bomb!!! Can’t wait for sandwiches for dinner, corn beef and Swiss with Russian dressing.

  10. Thanks for sharing. I have a recipe I make with this dressing and couldn’t make it the other night I was all out. I’ll have to give this a try; the color is not as bright as the store bought. Thanks

    1. No artificial dyes or coloring additives in this recipe versus commercial products.
      Compare the taste and the better quality ingredients that are used and decide for yourself.
      Enjoy, it taste great on anything you want to try it on.