Thousand Island Dressing

July 10, 2017

Thousand Island Dressing - kvalifood.com

Thousand Island dressing originated in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York. It is mayonnaise-based with ketchup for the characteristic pink color, chopped sweet pickles for crunch and tang, and a touch of sugar. Simple to make, no cooking required, and improves with a rest in the fridge. Use it on salads, burgers, sandwiches, or as a dip.

Ingredients

Makes ca. 350 ml

240 ml mayonnaise
60 ml ketchup
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish (or finely chopped sweet pickles)
15 g finely chopped white (or yellow) onion (~1 tbsp)
1 tbsp lemon juice (or white vinegar)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch black pepper

Directions

Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, onion, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Whisk by hand until evenly blended. Do not use a blender - the chopped bits provide the characteristic texture.
Taste and adjust salt and acid as needed.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This lets the flavors meld and the onion soften.

Notes

Sweet pickles or sweet relish are most traditional. Bread and butter pickles work well too. Dill pickles shift the flavor noticeably toward sour - if using dill, increase the sugar to 1 tsp.
For a more traditional (pre-1970s) version, replace ketchup with an equal amount of chili sauce. It adds a touch of spice and chunkier texture.
For a lighter version, replace half the mayo with sour cream or Greek yogurt.
The historical original likely included finely chopped hard-boiled egg. Adding one is an easy upgrade - chop it fine and fold it in.
Keeps in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.