This time of year I always keep homemade Russian dressing in my fridge. I've always got a ton of leftover corned beef after St Patrick's day, and it's the perfect dressing for a reuben!
but what is Russian dressing?
If you aren't a reuben lover like me, or you've never run into that old-school appetizer Crab Louie, you might have never seen nor hear of Russian dressing.
It's creamy, with just the tiniest bit of kick. You can use it like normal salad dressing, but most people use it as a sauce for Reubens.
where was Russian dressing invented?
Surprise! It's not from Russia.
Mayonnaise based Russian dressing was invented in New Hampshire in the 1910s by James Colburn. His company produced and sold it as a condiment! It was so popular that he was able to retire off of the proceeds within a decade of putting it into production.
Russian dressing vs Thousand Island
So what's the difference between Russian Salad Dressing and Thousand Island dressing? Yes, they are both an outlandish orange color. Yes, they are both tangy.
However, Thousand Island has pickles in it - which gives it both a chunkier texture and slightly more sweet flavor than Russian dressing.
what's in Russian dressing
Here's a quick list of Russian dressing ingredients for when you head to the store or are checking your pantry:
- Mayonnaise
- Heinz Chili Sauce ( or your favorite chili sauce, but Heinz is fairly ubiquitous)
- Onion
- Paprika
- Horseradish
- Red or White Wine Vinegar
- Worcestershire Sauce
how to make Russian dressing
SUPER simple - just blend all of the ingredients together with a stick blender! You can also use a regular blender if it is on the smaller size, or you double the recipe.
If you haven't tried it before, I highly recommend making my corned beef sandwich with Russian dressing - it's the perfect match!
Russian Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup mayo
- ⅓ cup chili sauce
- 2 Tablespoons minced onion
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon horseradish
- ½ teaspoon red or white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Using a a stick blender, blend all ingredients together. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, but ideally several hours to let flavors meld.
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