We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
This Russian Dressing Recipe is creamy, tangy, a little sweet, and so much better than anything from a bottle. It comes together with simple pantry ingredients and makes the best spread for Reuben sandwiches, burgers, salads, wraps, and even dipping fries or chips.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This dressing is the BOMB! Making mahi mahi Reuben sandwiches for dinner tonight and I know they’ll be amazing because of this tasty dressing.” – Gail
“Great on sandwich and for dipping” – Patricia
“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.” – Florence
“I was quite surprised how delicious this recipe tasted. I will make this again. Thank you for sharing.” – Annette
Why I Love This Tangy Dressing
I first made this Russian dressing when I was putting together a Reuben Corned Beef Sandwich and wanted something with more flavor than the bottled dressing in the fridge. After a little trial and error, this is the version I kept coming back to. It has the perfect mix of creamy, tangy, sweet, and savory flavors.
This dressing is similar to Thousand Island dressing, and it also reminds me a little of the famous burger “spread” you find at some restaurants. The big difference is that Russian dressing has a little more tang and zip, especially when you use chili sauce and a few simple seasonings. I love that it works as a sandwich spread, salad dressing, burger sauce, and dip all in one.
🩷 Emily
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mayonnaise: This gives the dressing its creamy base, so use a good mayo that you like the flavor of.
- Chili sauce: Look for the thick ketchup-style chili sauce, such as Heinz, not the thin spicy kind.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds the tangy flavor that keeps the dressing from tasting too heavy.
- Sugar: Just enough to balance the vinegar and chili sauce.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce add savory flavor and depth.
- Dill pickles or dill pickle relish: These add little bites of crunch and that classic pickle flavor.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Ketchup instead of chili sauce: You can use ketchup in a pinch, but chili sauce gives the dressing a thicker texture and a little more tang. If using ketchup, add a small splash of vinegar to brighten it up.
- Horseradish: Add prepared horseradish if you want more zip. Start small and add more to taste.
- Hot sauce: A few dashes of hot sauce give this dressing a little kick without making it too spicy.
- Minced onion: Finely minced onion adds fresh flavor. Make sure it is chopped very small so it blends into the dressing.
- Smoked paprika: Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a deeper flavor.
- Sweet pickles: If you like a sweeter dressing, use sweet pickle relish instead of dill pickles.
- Lighter dressing: Use light mayonnaise if you prefer, but the dressing will be a little less rich.
How to Make Russian Dressing
- Blend the smooth ingredients. Add the mayonnaise, chili sauce, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper to a blender. Blend until the dressing is smooth and the color is even throughout.
- Stir in the pickles and chill. Pour the dressing into a bowl, then stir in the chopped dill pickles or dill pickle relish by hand. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours so the dressing can thicken and the flavors can come together.
Recipe Tips
- Use thick chili sauce. It should look similar to ketchup in texture. This gives the dressing the right consistency and flavor.
- Do not blend the pickles. Blend the base first, then stir in the chopped pickles so you keep those little bits of texture.
- Chill it long enough. Three hours is the minimum, but overnight is even better.
- Taste and adjust. Add more vinegar for tang, more sugar for sweetness, or a little horseradish or hot sauce for kick.
- Chop everything small. If adding onion or pickles, keep them finely chopped so the dressing is easy to spread.
- Use it beyond salads. This is one of those sauces that works on sandwiches, burgers, fries, chips, veggie trays, and wraps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Russian dressing is a creamy, tangy dressing. Even though the name sounds Russian, it is actually an American dressing that is often traced back to New Hampshire. It may have gotten its name from early versions that used ingredients associated with Russian cuisine. It is best known on Reuben sandwiches, but it is also great on salads, burgers, wraps, and as a dip.
Russian dressing is usually made with mayonnaise, chili sauce or ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and pickles or relish. Some versions also include horseradish, onion, or hot sauce.
They are similar, but Russian dressing is usually tangier and a little more savory or zesty. Thousand Island tends to be sweeter and often has more pickle relish. Russian dressing is the classic choice for a Reuben sandwich.
Yes, you can use ketchup, but chili sauce gives the dressing a better tangy flavor. If you use ketchup, add a little extra vinegar or a few drops of hot sauce to help balance the sweetness.
This version is not very spicy. It has lots of flavor, but it is still family-friendly. If you want more heat, add horseradish, hot sauce, or a pinch of cayenne.
Yes. You can whisk everything together in a bowl. The blender makes it extra smooth, but whisking works well if your ingredients are already smooth and your pickles are finely chopped.
Yes. Dill pickle relish works great and saves a little chopping time. If you use sweet relish, the dressing will taste sweeter and more like Thousand Island.
Chilling helps the dressing thicken and gives the flavors time to blend together. It tastes good right away, but it tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Give it a quick stir before serving.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: This is a great recipe to make ahead because the flavor gets better as it chills. I like to make it at least 3 hours before serving, but the day before is even better.
Storing: Keep Russian dressing in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Stir before serving.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dressing because the mayonnaise base can separate and change texture.
Pairing Ideas
This Russian dressing is so good with anything that needs a creamy, tangy sauce. I love it on a Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich, homemade burgers, French fries, potato chips, veggie trays, chef salads, and hearty lunch wraps. It is also a fun dipping sauce to set out with appetizers.
More Yummy Dressing Recipes
- Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Dressing
- Creamy Tomatillo Ranch
- Creamy Thai Peanut Dressing
- Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
This Russian Dressing Recipe is creamy, tangy, and easy to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It is one of my favorite sauces for Reuben Sandwiches, burgers, salads, and dipping. Make a batch, let it chill, and keep it in the fridge for easy lunches and dinners all week.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how you used it. I love hearing when it ends up on sandwiches, salads, fries, or anything else you come up with! 💛
Russian Dressing Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons dill pickles, chopped
Instructions
- Place all ingredients, except chopped pickles, in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a medium sized bowl and stir in the chopped pickles. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set up.
Notes
- Use thick ketchup-style chili sauce, not thin spicy chili sauce.
- Stir in the pickles after blending so the dressing keeps a little texture.
- Chill for at least 3 hours for the best flavor and texture.
- Add horseradish or hot sauce if you want more zip.
- Ketchup can be used instead of chili sauce, but add a small splash of vinegar to balance the sweetness.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing is not recommended because the mayonnaise base can separate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
Holy crow this was delicious.
So glad you liked it!
This was really good – my only thing was I reduced 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.
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!!!😋
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.
Great on sandwich and for dipping
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.
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
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.
Every time I make this dressing we love it more and more! Can’t wait to make this again!
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!
It is really good for dipping veggies and also dipping French fries!
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.
What a great memory! Homemade is always better than store bought! 😉
Very good recipe. Thank you for posting it.
This home made Russian dressing is the bomb!!! Can’t wait for sandwiches for dinner, corn beef and Swiss with Russian dressing.
I think you meant chili sauce and not “chill” sauce? haha, loved this dressing!
Yes, we’ll correct it on the recipe. Thanks!
How long can I keep this in the frig before it goes bad?
I wouldn’t go more than a couple of weeks…
I’ve read other recipes and they said 2 weeks
I am a self proclaimed Russian dressing snob. This is Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
So glad you liked it! 😀
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
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.
Another nice recipe. Thank you.