Russian Dressing

By Dan Pelosi

Published June 11, 2025

Russian Dressing
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
10 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(88)
Comments
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Contrary to its name, Russian dressing was invented in New Hampshire in the early 1900’s and may have gotten its name because the original recipe included a staple of Russian cuisine: caviar. Often used as a dip or a salad dressing, it is perhaps best known as a spread on the iconic Reuben sandwich. Pink in color from a combination of ketchup and mayonnaise, it is frequently mistaken for its sweeter sibling, Thousand Island dressing, but Russian dressing is spicier thanks to the addition of horseradish. This recipe is flexible: Grating the onion releases more of its flavorful juices, but mincing works just fine. Swap the onion for shallot, if you like, or use smoked paprika instead of sweet. For an extra-spicy kick, add a dash of hot sauce.

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Ingredients

Yield:1¼ cups
  • ½cup mayonnaise
  • ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup 
  • 1tablespoon coarsely grated white or yellow onion 
  • 2tablespoons dill pickle relish (not sweet) 
  • 1tablespoon prepared horseradish, drained 
  • 1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½teaspoon sweet paprika
  • Salt, to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2.5 servings)

381 calories; 36 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 21 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 760 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
88 user ratings
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Comments

Vicki K

i've been tweaking russian dressing recipes for years. it was a favorite from my childhood and then seemed to disappear. using half sour cream, half mayo replicates the flavor I remember. I never use relish, if you want something "chunky" in it, olives or capers make more sense to me than dill

KayJ

My mother made the Russian one dressing at a restaurant where she worked for 25 years. This is almost exactly the recipe she shared with me. Thanks for the memories.

Peter Pan

Mix 60/40 ratio of mayo/ coctail sauce which already has horseradish as an ingredient. Add relish. Takes less than 1 minute. Pretty good and quick. No fuss no muss.

Susan Fay

Wonderful dressing! Thought this would be similar to Thousand Island dressing. This dressing has an amazing savory flavor. I ate it over sliced tomatoes for breakfast with a little bacon.

Danny M

I made a batch of this and it has a strong horseradish bite. The recipe amount of horseradish as a fraction of the final volume is on the high end compared to other recipes I’ve looked at.

germanyman

Vibrated well in my Reuben sandwich. The first time I made a sauce here. I would say it was a success.

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