The Best Vegan Thousand Island Dressing

Name: The Best Vegan Thousand Island Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups raw cashews ((see note)); 1 cup unsweetened plain dairy free milk; ¼ cup ketchup; ¼ cup distilled white vinegar; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 – ½ teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; ½ teaspoon paprika; ¼ cup sweet pickle relish; ¼ cup chopped red onion (, finely chopped)

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This vegan thousand island dressing has hands down the best flavor ever! It's made without mayo, uses easy to find whole food ingredients and can be used in so many ways!

This recipe even gets better the next day when the flavors really sink in. It's not too sweet (because yuck), has the perfect tang, and creamy as ever without the need for mayo!

A glass jar with thousand island dressing sitting on a light colored napkin in front of a bowl of salad

While this would go amazing on a salad, we also use it for our vegan buddha bowl, as a dip for french fries and even as a spread for burgers like this vegan veggie lentil burger!

How to Make Vegan Thousand Island

Homemade dressings are great because you can adjust the taste to your preference. You can also make sure all of the ingredients are dairy free, gluten-free, and plant based! Mix this recipe up in minutes and keep it on hand for tons of flavor all week!

Ingredients

Raw cashews
Dairy free milk
Ketchup
White vinegar
Lemon juice
Relish
Red Onion
Hot sauce
Paprika

Step by Step Instructions

Place cashews, milk, ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice, hot sauce, paprika and salt into a blender and blend on high until nice and smooth.
Add in the relish and onion and pulse until incorporated.
Serve!

A blender on a light surface with an orange looking creamy sauce inside

Top view of a blender with an orange creamy sauce topped with relish and chopped red onion

Ways to use Thousand Island

Use this vegan dressing recipe for all of your drizzling, dipping, and spreading needs. Here are some of our favorite plant based pairings:

A spoon putting thousand island dressing on chopped lettuce in a white colored bowl

Preparation Tips

To make this smooth without a high speed blender you can pre-soften the cashews by soaking them overnight, or boil for 25 minutes. You can also grind them (un-soaked) with a coffee or spice grinder.
The amount of salt needed will depend on the ingredients you use, mix it in to taste.
If you want more of a kick add more hot sauce, or leave it out for a completely mild dressing.

Storage Tips

Seal the dressing in an airtight container.
Keep it in the refrigerator.
If your ingredients are fresh this Thousand Island will keep for up to 5-7 days.

Common Questions

Does Thousand Island have dairy?

Usually it does not contain dairy, but it does have mayo which is made from eggs, making it not vegan.

Is burger sauce the same as Thousand Island?

While Thousand Island dressing has many of the same qualities as popular burger sauces it isn't always the same. Each recipe will vary, some are more tangy and some are more sweet, and use different ingredients.

What is Thousand Island sauce made from?

Generally this dressing is made with mayonnaise, ketchup, and often relish. It can also contain spices, onion, or other acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or vinegar.

More Vegan Dressing and Sauce Recipes

Give your favorite recipes a flavor boost by pairing them with any of these plant based recipes: