Want to make your own homemade thousand island dressing at home? Try our version, with just a bit more zing. This recipe will add pizzazz to any dish.

St. Patrick's Day is on the way, and we know you're already looking for traditional recipes to prepare for the family or for your big gathering.

In the U.S., St. Patrick's Day is a traditional party day, with green beer pretty much everywhere, but it's also a traditional foodie day. We're happy for that!

Both Patty and I are part Irish, so we're very familiar with many of the staples you'll find this time of year - corned beef and cabbage, beef stew, shepherd's pie, pasties.

Pasties!

I was introduced to pasties by my father up near Iron Mountain, Michigan. Talk about traditional! I digress...

This is Your New Secret Sauce

Everyone's heard of that special "secret sauce", the sauce that makes everything better. This could be it for you. Made famous by Big Macs everywhere, you can put on pretty much anything. It's great on any sandwich.

And YES, use it as your salad dressing. It's ideal in a salad with lots of veggies.

For us, Patty and I both look forward to a good old Reuben Sandwich. If you're going to make a Reuben, you'll need to have either a good Russian dressing or Thousand Island Dressing on hand.

They're pretty similar, but Thousand Island Dressing is more commonly found around here. Like any sauce, sure, you can pick up a bottle from the store, but like we always say, if you can make it at home, why not?

Homemade is so much better.

PLUS!

We get to tweak the normal recipe to our own personal preferences, which typically leans toward more spicy and more chili peppers.

So! This particular thousand island dress recipe is our own Madness version, which includes Sriracha for the chili sauce, skips the ketchup, and uses giardiniera instead of a sweet pickle relish.

Let's talk about how we make it, shall we?

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing - the Madness Version

Thousand Island Dressing Ingredients

Garlic Clove. Chopped (garlic powder works, too).
Onion. Chopped.
Mayo.
Sriracha. A chili sauce is traditional.
Giardiniera. Pickle relish is more traditional, but this is our version! I used a homemade giardiniera for this.
Hard-Boiled Egg. Chopped.
Salt and Pepper. To taste.

Thousand Island Dressing - The Recipe Method

First, add the garlic and onion to a food processor and process to form a paste.

Next, add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Push the sauce through a sieve to smooth it out even more.

Use right away, or set into a bowl and refrigerate overnight until ready to use. Should keep 2 days.

The results? Excellent!

It is very creamy. It's not only good on a Reuben, but also on baked rutabaga fries. Oh yes! We're having some of those on the side. Reuben recipe coming soon!

Enjoy your St. Patty's Day!

Recipe Tips & Notes

We get to tweak the normal recipe to our own personal preferences, which typically leans toward more spicy and more chili peppers. So! This particular thousand island dress recipe is our own Madness version, which includes Sriracha for the chili sauce, skips the ketchup, and uses giardiniera instead of a sweet pickle relish.
Use it as your salad dressing. It's ideal in a salad with lots of veggies.

Storage & Leftovers

Storing your Homemade Thousand Island Dressing in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep it for up to 5-7 days. It is best to consume the dressing within that timeframe for optimal quality and safety.

Patty's Perspective

I love the tang of this sauce. I couldn't wait to use it!

Try Some of My Other Popular Condiment Recipes

If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.