Making this vegan Russian dressing from tofu means it can be made oil-free and is just as thick, creamy, and delicious as a mayonnaise based dressing. Simply blend all of the ingredients together and slather it on your favourite vegan reuben!
Oil-free and full of protein
Simple to make
Tangy
Spicy
And super creamy!
What Is Russian Dressing?
Russian Dressing is a traditional ingredient for the well loved reuben sandwich. Although Thousand Island Dressing is often used in its place, the two are slightly different. You can read this Masterclass article on the difference between these two dressings for more information.
Traditionally; Russian dressing is made from mayonnaise, ketchup or chili sauce, and prepared horseradish. The result is a pinkish dressing with just a touch of sweetness to offset the tangy and piquant (or spicy) flavour.
Ingredients For My Vegan Russian Dressing
My vegan Russian dressing deviates from the traditional but still achieves great punchy flavour and eliminates all oil!
Since the original dressing is made primarily from mayonnaise, I wanted to use my oil-free mayonnaise for this recipe. Although that recipe only takes 5 minutes to make, I didn't want you to have to blend that recipe from scratch just to use some of it in this Russian dressing.
Instead, I have just decided to make this Russian dressing from soft or silken tofu and increase the acid typical for a Russian dressing. This way you are essentially making the mayonnaise but you're only needing to blend once! (If you do want to make this recipe with a vegan mayonnaise though, I have instructions in the notes section of the recipe card for you).
My vegan Russian dressing is made from:
- Soft or silken tofu (soft tofu will create a slightly thicker dressing than silken tofu)
- Lemon juice (for tanginess)
- Ketchup (for sweetness and red colour)
- Smoked paprika (for some of that traditional "chili sauce" flavour)
- Vegan worcestershire sauce (for savoury depth)
- Onion powder (feel free to use 1 teaspoon minced onion)
- Wasabi
- Salt & pepper
Apart from tofu in place of mayonnaise, the biggest difference in my recipe is the use of wasabi instead of horseradish. Horseradish is never a condiment that I have in my fridge but I do always have a tube of wasabi. And fun fact... most wasabi sold in a tube outside of Japan is actually made from horseradish and is not true wasabi. So... in a way, I'm still using horseradish!
Recipe Cost
Another perk to not buying a vegan mayonnaise for this recipe is that the cost can stay quite low. This recipe makes 175 ml and costs me $1.25 Canadian.
I've also found it quite difficult to find a store-bought vegan Russian dressing. One brand that I found without eggs in the ingredient list cost $2.15 per 100 ml. Vegan versions of Thousand Island dressing are a little more common. I was able to find one brand priced at $1.13 per 100 ml.
I'm pretty pleased with how easily this recipe comes together, how it avoids oil, stays pretty thrifty, and is still full of flavour!
Let me know in the comments below how you like this vegan Russian dressing. And make sure to use it on my Vegan Reuben!
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Vegan Russian Dressing From Tofu (Oil-Free)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 175 ml (¾ cup) 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Make this quick vegan Russian dressing from tofu! Using tofu makes this dressing oil-free & just as creamy and delicious!
Ingredients
- 150g soft tofu (or silken tofu, see notes for mayonnaise options)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ketchup*
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon wasabi (or 1 tsp prepared horseradish)
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch pepper
*Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Depending on your use for this dressing you can add more liquid to thin it out. This thickness will be great for a sandwich spread (like on my Vegan Reuben). To use this as a salad dressing you can stir in as much unsweetened plant milk or water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust the flavour to your liking adding more acid for tanginess, wasabi for spiciness, or more ketchup for sweetness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may need to give it a quick stir after it has been sitting for a little bit. Try it on my Vegan Reuben!
Notes
Approximate Cost: $1.25 for 175 ml. I have not found very many vegan options for store-bought Russian dressing but the one I did find was $2.15 per 100 ml. Vegan Thousand Island dressing is easier to find and the thriftiest option I could find was $1.13 per 100ml.
Use ½ cup mayonnaise in place of the tofu and reduce the lemon juice to 1 teaspoon (or sub with 1 teaspoon vinegar). I make my oil-free mayonnaise from tofu so instead of preparing the mayonnaise separately I have just created this Russian dressing using soft tofu and simplifying the preparation needed. If you have a favourite vegan mayonnaise then ½ cup should do nicely.
Prepared horseradish is not a condiment that I usually have on hand. I do always have a small tube of wasabi in my fridge though. Wasabi provides a similar spiciness for this Russian dressing. Alternatively, you could use prepared mustard or a bit of a dry mustard powder.
Chili sauce or a chili style ketchup is often used in Russian dressing. About 1 teaspoon fresh minced onion instead of onion powder can also be used.
- Category: Sauces & Dips
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
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