Easy Russian Dressing Recipe (2024)

The key ingredient in a Reuben sandwich, this Russian dressing adds a creamy, savory pop to any sandwich. Here’s how to make Russian dressing.

If you’ve had a Reuben sandwich, you know that creamy, savory sauce that makes you unable to stop inhaling it? Yes, that’s Russian dressing. It’s very easy to make at home, and a slather of it makes any sandwich undeniably delicious. It’s made of mayonnaise, ketchup, and a few other key tangy and savory ingredients that work together to make it altogether addicting. Alex and I have a vegetarian Reuben sandwich recipe that features it, and our new favorite is our Coleslaw & Swiss Reuben. Here’s how to make Russian dressing at home!

What is Russian dressing?

So what is Russian dressing? Russian dressing is an American dressing made of mayonnaise, ketchup, and a few other savory ingredients. It’s the main condiment on a Reuben sandwich, which is its claim to fame. Of course as you might expect, there is nothing Russian about it! It was invented in the early 1900’s in America.

These days, Russian dressing has mostly been supplanted by Thousand Island dressing, which is sweeter and not as spicy. Alex and I don’t eat it as a salad dressing, but instead use it as a sandwich spread, which is a common use for it.

How to make Russian dressing

Russian dressing is very simple to whip up at home: you might even have some of these ingredients in your refrigerator already! Simply combine mayonnaise and ketchup for the dressing base, then stir in some minced shallot and dill pickles, and a few shakes of hot sauce. While some Russian dressing recipes are spicier and call for horseradish, we’ve chosen to simply use hot sauce here. Use as much as you like for your taste (though we love spicy food, we don’t make our Russian dressing too spicy).

That’s it! You can use Russian dressing as a Russian salad dressing instead of Thousand Island. Or you can do what Alex and I do and use it as a sandwich spread! There are so many different sandwiches it would work well on: it would even add a super savory flair spreading a little in a quesadilla. Here are the sandwich recipes we’ve used it on:

• The Vegetarian Reuben
• Swiss & Coleslaw Sandwich (The Rachel)

Alex and I are obsessed with the hearty, savory quality of savory sandwiches like the Reuben, which is why we created a vegetarian version of the sandwich that we make at home. This sauce in particular brings that signature tang and creaminess to a Reuben or our new Swiss & Coleslaw Sandwich — and brings in something it totally nostalgic. In Alex’s words, it makes it taste like a Big Mac! While it’s not a “healthy” food, a little bit of it goes a long way. Just a small hint can really amp up the flavors in a humble sandwich!

Related: Homemade Thousand Island Dressing | Creamy Avocado Dressing

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This recipe is…

This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free. For vegan and plant-based, use vegan mayo.

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