Dairy-Free Thousand Island Dressing (No Mayo!)
It takes just 10 minutes to recreate a vegan version of a beloved classic with this dairy-free Thousand Island dressing recipe. I blend raw cashews, ketchup, and relish into a smooth, tangy sauce that tastes rich without using mayo at all. The texture stays thick and velvety, making it ideal for spreading and dipping.
Servings: 16
Calories: 80kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ 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
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!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this dairy-free thousand island dressing recipe is to blend the cashew thoroughly before adding the relish and onion. I start with a completely smooth base to ensure my dressing tastes rich and creamy. Adding the textured ingredients afterward keeps the sauce balanced instead of gritty.
- Soften cashews: If you have a blender that is not very powerful, I recommend soaking the cashews in water overnight or boiling them for 25 minutes so that they are soft for blending.
- Pulse gently: I pulse the relish and red onion briefly so the dressing keeps small bits of texture instead of turning completely smooth.
- Chill overnight: The flavor becomes tangier and more balanced once the dressing has been in the refrigerator for several hours.
- Salt last: Hold off on salting until the very end, after everything is blended and tasted. The hot sauce and ketchup all carry sodium, which can vary by brand.
- Chop onions: I like chopping my onions to a similar size as the relish before pulsing. This keeps the pieces uniform throughout the completed dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g