Are Russian And Thousand Island Dressing The Same?

Due to their shared orangey color and similar ingredient list, many people think Russian dressing and Thousand Island dressing are simply two different names for the same condiment. However, if you've ever tasted Thousand Island while expecting the flavor of Russian, you know the two are not the same. One of them is spicy and one is sweet, so make sure you know which sauce you're using before you pour it over your salad or sandwich.

While both sauces get their pale orange hue from a mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup, Russian dressing has several ingredients that give it a more complex flavor profile. The addition of Worcestershire sauce gives the condiment a tangy kick, while horseradish imbues it with a pungent and spicy flavor. Thousand Island, meanwhile, typically contains sweet pickle relish. Even without the relish, the dressing is relatively sweet due to the sugar found in ketchup.

You may have heard people suggest that Russian and Thousand Island dressing are interchangeable, but there's no doubt the two orange sauces bring very different flavors to whatever you're putting them on. Both condiments commonly feature on the best Reuben sandwiches, and it's hard to say which is the "most authentic" since the origin story of the sandwich is also up for debate. However, at least one version — featuring a hangry Charlie Chaplin and a creative chef named Arnold Reuben – claims Russian dressing is the more traditional option. The tangy, spicy flavor perfectly complements the briny and savory layers of sauerkraut, corned beef, and Swiss cheese.

There are some instances when you might prefer a sweeter, milder sauce, and that's the perfect time to whip out the Thousand Island dressing. The condiment is great on taco bowls, burgers, and chopped salad, and it also makes a great dipping sauce for fried chicken and french fries, much like a Mississippi condiment called comeback sauce. While there's a time and place for both Russian dressing and Thousand Island, they're not the same. And swapping one for the other changes the flavor profile of your sandwich or burger.