Lighter than bottled dressing, this Easy Thousand Island Dressing recipe is quick and simple to throw together at a moment’s notice with ingredients you readily have on hand. Perfect for topping your classic “house salad” and fantastic as a sandwich spread.

Thousand Island Dressing in a jelly jar with a salad in the background.

Thousand Island Dressing

I didn’t realize it until now but I’ve always had my hand in some sort of food job almost my entire life.  When I was little, I used to help my grandfather make pierogi from scratch by spilling orange juice in the filling.

THEN, I became a hostess at the local Pizza Hut when I was 16. This job was the absolute worst.  I was in charge of the salad bar and seating people which were two odd jobs to pair together but whatever….the restaurant was near our local ski resort and was convenient for my friends to pick me up when I suddenly would {cough, cough} become sick and need to leave.

I fell in love with the Thousand Island Dressing, filling my plate with veggies and a bowl of dressing to dip into when the crowds would die down.

I think it’s the tangy, creamy, slightly sweet flavor that I love…..and it’s super thick, more like a sandwich spread than a dressing but it coats salad greens in kind of a nostalgic way.  Sort of making my salad a bit more like comfort food…not quite Mac and cheese but definitely not a light, healthy salad.

This Thousand Island Dressing recipe is lighter than most and leans into being a bit more healthy but with the same tangy creaminess you know and love in your favorite bottled dressing.

Ingredients for Thousand Island Dressing in a glass bowl on a marble background.

What is Thousand Island Dressing?

Thousand Island Dressing is an American salad dressing with a mayonnaise base.  It’s commonly used to top salads and as a sandwich spread because of it’s thick, creamy consistency.

And when I was working on the recipe, I did a little research, did you know that the original Thousand Island Dressing has hard boiled egg in it?  And not a chopped egg, one that’s been pressed through a sieve?

That just seemed like a lot of work…and mess, so I skipped it but feel free to add that to your recipe and let me know what you think.

Thousand Island Dressing being whisked in a glass bowl with a whisk.

How To Make Thousand Island Dressing

Making 1000 Island Dressing is incredibly easy….even if you decide to go with a recipe that uses the hard boiled egg. Homemade Thousand Island ingredients are easy to find and can be whipped together in a bowl.

  1. In a medium bowl, add the yogurt (or sour cream), mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, relish, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
  2. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Dressing is good for up to 5 days in a sealed container.

To lighten up my easy Thousand Island Dressing recipe, I used low-fat plain greek yogurt to keep the consistency kind of on the thicker side.  It’s a lot thicker than the Blue Cheese Dressing which I like to mix things up a bit but not so thick that you could stand a spoon in it.

The pickle relish adds some tart sweetness to it and sometimes I’ll even add a bit of the juice if I want to thin things out. This Thousand Island Dressing is simply amazing and ready in minutes…..great on any greens you like!

Thousand Island Dressing in a glass bowl with a whisk.

What is the difference between Russian Dressing and Thousand Island Dressing?

Everyone always asks me if Russian Dressing is the same as 1000 Island Dressing and the answer is just so simple….they’re basically the same except Russian Dressing is usually smoother and slightly spicier than Thousand Island. Thousand Island dressing has more relish, onions and other seasonings giving it a chunkier texture and sweeter taste. Oh….and there’s that egg, too. 🙂

Thousand Island Dressing in a glass jar with a golden spoon dipped into it.

How To Use Thousand Island Dressing

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Thousand Island Dressing in a glass jar with a golden spoon dipped into it.

Get the Recipe: Thousand Island Dressing Recipe

Yield: 16 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Better than the bottle! This Thousand Island Salad Dressing is rich, creamy and healthier than store bought.
4.85 from 13 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Equipment

  • 1 mixing bowl

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, relish, hot sauce, salt and pepper to combine.
  • Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Serving: 0g, Calories: 92kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 249mg, Potassium: 44mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 92IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Course: Condiment, dressing
Cuisine: American