How to Make Russian Dressing

• Russian Dressing Tips
  • Mayonnaise and ketchup are the main ingredients
  • Russian dressing and Thousand Island dressing are similar
  • Chili sauce can be added to Russian dressing
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The original recipe for Russian dressing consist of mayonnaise, pimientos, chives, ketchup, and a variety of different spices. Even earlier versions of the recipe involved the use of caviar, horseradish, and grated onion, ingredients that have a distinctively Russian flavor. Russian dressing was well known as early as 19th century Russia. This early dressing was typically served over a salad made of beets and pickles, but the ingredients could be anything that would be served in Russia.

A more modern version that was developed in the 1950s and 1960s of a basic recipe for Russian dressing includes 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of chili sauce, 1/4 cup of sour cream, 3 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish, 2 tablespoons of black or red caviar, 2 teaspoons of fresh dill, finely chopped, and 1 teaspoon of capers, coarsely chopped.

Russian dressing is used as a base for Thousand Island dressing. There are a lot of similarities between the two recipes. They both have mayonnaise as a base and have a reddish color, but Thousand Island dressing has more green relish, whereas Russian dressing has a more spicy taste from an added chili sauce. Russian dressing is a popular ingredient on reuben sandwiches. Russian and Thousand Island dressings can be used on the sandwich interchangeably.

• Russian Dressing
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Plastic wrap
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce, can be optional, add a little more or less, depending to your taste
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon yellow onion, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 tablespoon celery, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon milk (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
• Russian Dressing Instructions
• 1. In a large mixing bowl, add mayonnaise, sour cream, chili sauce, if adding to the dressing, ketchup, heavy cream, and milk, if adding to your dressing. Mix well with a whisk. Add more heavy cream or milk if a thinner dressing is preferred.
  2. Prepare yellow onion and celery and add to the mayonnaise mixture with a whisk.
  3. Add red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, hot pepper sauce, sugar, salt and pepper to the mixing bowl. Mix well with a whisk. Hot pepper sauce can be optional.
  4. Prepare and add leaf Italian parsley to the Russian dressing with either a whisk or a spatula.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator until needed.
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• Russian Dressing Variations
• 1. Russian dressing and Thousand Island dressing have the same mayonnaise and tomato base creating a red color. Russian dressing has more flavor added using commonly a chili pepper either a real chili pepper, or a chili sauce.
  2. Caviar was once used as an ingredient. If you are looking to make an authentic Russian dressing, add caviar for a different distinctive flavor.
  3. Different herbs, dried or fresh, such as thyme, dill, parsley, can be added to change the flavor.
  4. It is better to make Russian dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. This will allow it to come together and thicken.