This vegan Thousand Island Oil-Free Dressing is creamy, flavorful and much healthier than store-bought varieties. Now you can have that classic dressing without all the unnecessary ingredients.
Thousand Island Dressing is my all-time favorite dressing. It’s rich, creamy, tangy, sweet & spicy. It goes well on almost any salad, sandwiches, fries and it even makes a great dip. It’s so easy to make at home, so I created this vegan Thousand Island Oil-Free Dressing.
Back in the day, I wouldn’t even think twice about buying the popular store-bought brands, but over the years, I started to learn what was in that bottle of “goodness”.
Even before going vegan, I started to pay attention to nutrition labels on bottled dressing and I was horrified. Take a look at the ingredients for this well-known brand:
INGREDIENTS: SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, SUGAR, SOUR PICKLE RELISH [CUCUMBERS, VINEGAR, SALT, WATER, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, ALUMINUM SULFATE, TURMERIC (COLOR)], DISTILLED VINEGAR, TOMATO PASTE, SALT. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: EGG YOLK, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE, SPICES, ONION POWDER, XANTHAN GUM, NATURAL FLAVOR, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY).
Horrifying, isn’t it? I couldn’t believe that they seriously had propylene glycol in there. Well, this sparked me to start making my own. I learned how easy it was because it’s primarily just made up of condiments.
Typically, Thousand Island Dressing is made with ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, spices and sometimes egg. Back then, I did use egg in my homemade version, but after going vegan, I realized it never needed it.
So I just began using the typical condiments and spices without the cruelty. Easy-peasy!
Wholesome
After a while, I wasn’t happy with just dumping condiments on my salad anymore. I wanted to keep the classic flavors of Thousand Island Dressing, but make it more nutritious.
Instead of mayo, I use cashews and almond milk for the creamy, rich texture we all love. They will also provide some protein, vitamins & minerals to the mix.
Instead of ketchup, I used sun-dried tomatoes for that tangy tomato-y flavor. You’ll also get a dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, Iron and more. Sounds like a nice exchange, huh?
I really love sweet relish in this dressing, so I used an organic store-bought variety. It just adds a nice zing and sweetness that I can’t seem to replicate.
To complete this batch of loveliness, I added fresh lemon juice, a dash of pure maple syrup, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, dill, sea salt & fresh ground pepper.
I made this dressing oil-free because it doesn’t really need it. However, feel free to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the mix, if preferred.
Once you make this homemade version of Vegan Thousand Island Oil-Free Dressing, you’ll probably never buy store-bought again. You’ll be saving money and loads of unnecessary ingredients. Plus, this dressing only takes about 15 minutes to make, so you’ll be saving lots of time.
*Note: This doesn’t include the time for soaking the cashews, which is about 2-4 hours (or overnight). Soaking them creates a creamy & smooth consistency in many recipes. I just put them in water and pop them in the fridge overnight to make it a breeze the next day.
So, are you ready to bring this vegan Thousand Island Oil-Free Dressing into your home? I promise you won’t regret it. It has all the classic flavors we love, but with a much healthier twist. Let’s do this!
- 1/3 cup raw cashews , soaked in water 2-4 hours (*See note)
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any plant-based milk) (*See note)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt (or preferred salt), more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Fresh ground pepper , to taste
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
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Rinse cashews and discard soak water. Place in blender.
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Drain soaked sun-dried tomatoes and place in blender.
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Add almond milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, spices, salt & pepper. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes, until creamy and smooth. Scrape down sides as needed. Taste for seasoning and add as needed.
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Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the sweet relish. Serve immediately or store in fridge for 5-7 days. Enjoy!
*Cashews: I put them in water and pop them in the fridge overnight to make it a breeze the next day. If you have a high-powered blender, you could skip the soaking all together and the dressing will still be creamy. Personally, I still like to soak them, because it releases more nutrients and make the cashews more digestible. If you don't have a high-powered blender and you forgot to soak the cashews, don't fret, just boil some water, pour over cashews and cover for 20-30 minutes.
*If you don't have unsweetened almond milk (or other varieties) you can use filtered water instead. The dressing will be slightly thinner, but still creamy and delicious.
*Prep time doesn't include the soaking time for the cashews.
If you are interested in more heathy recipes, you might like this Avocado, Black Bean & Corn Salad w/ Cilantro-Lime Dressing. It’s hearty, healthy and oh-so delicious!
If you make this Thousand Island Oil-Free Dressing, or one of my other recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me, Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs.
Wood Floordrop by Ink & Elm
*Pin for later 🙂
Thank you so much for finding a way to make a healthy version of the amazing 1000 Island dressing. And thank you for doing so without the addition of unessisary ingredients. It’s hard to find. But you put together such a great quality healthy tasty dressing, so thank you!
Hi Natalie, You’re so welcome! Thousand Island was always a fave of mine, so I had to make a healthy vegan version. Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely weekend! 🙂
Looking forward to making this recipe. I don’t have sweet relish on hand. Could I use chopped pickles and add a little coconut sugar or maple syrup?
Hi Mona, thanks for stopping by. Sure, you can use chopped pickles. You may not need the extra sweetener. Just taste before adding it. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you. Enjoy! 🙂
I could eat this on it’s own. Amazing.
Hi Christina, thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear you liked it. It’s my go-to dressing for everything. 🙂
Looks delicious! I’m always on the lookout for new oil free dressings. I’ll give it a try 🙂
Thank you, Donny! It’s one of my favorites 🙂
Melissa, I would give you a hug if i could… I have been thinking about a dairy/oil free dressing for a while, Thousand Island has always been my favorite. I’ve not had any in years so while traveling this weekend I tasted a little (store bought, but) brought back memories so as soon as i got home I did a search, put my cashews and sun dried tomatoes in hot water, ran to the store for some fresh dill and sweet relish… It’s like making Hummus, you refuse to touch store bought, ever again.
Thank you.
Hi Tim, Thank you so much! Thousand island is nostalgic for me, too. I had given it up for so many years, until I figured out how to make it myself. I couldn’t believe how easy it really was. I agree about the hummus too. Once I made it myself, I never looked back. Thank you for stopping by and have a great week ahead 🙂
I love Thousand Island! I can’t believe the ingredients in the store-bought version. I’m glad you created a recipe so I can make it at home!
I know, store-bought ones can be scary. Even the more “natural” ones use soy oil. Some have better ingredients, but they are lacking in flavor. Homemade is the way to go 🙂
I’m a big fan of homemade dressing. Trying this soon, thank you for the recipe!
Thank you so much. Me too…homemade is the way to go 🙂