Catalina Dressing (2024)

What could be more delicious than a sweet and tart ketchup-based salad dressing? Pour this luscious homemade dressing over your salad creation, and you’ll see what a difference it makes!

Why You’ll Love Catalina Dressing

There are so many things to love about this Catalina salad dressing recipe. First and foremost, it is a frugal recipe that uses pantry ingredients. The use of tomato ketchup makes it a family favourite as the flavours are familiar and a fun way to entice the kids to have more greens.

This recipe strikes a good balance between sweetness and tanginess. The combination of tomato ketchup, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce creates a unique taste profile that appeals to many palates. It also helps to enhance simpler salads that don’t have a ton of flavour.

This simple Catalina dressing is also incredibly versatile as it can also be used as a marinade for different proteins as well as a condiment or dipping sauce for crumbed fish, crudites or fries.

It is so easy to prepare and can be whipped up in a matter of minutes in the comfort of your own kitchen. It can be made in advance so it’s perfect if you have a busy day of cooking or simply for meal prep.

Making a classic Catalina salad dressing from scratch is quick, simple, and affordable. What more could we ask for?

What is Catalina Dressing?

Catalina dressing is a popular American salad dressing that uses tomato ketchup as the main flavouring ingredient. It usually consists of red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and a spicy element.

Over the years, the original version of the Catalina dressing has morphed into many different variants, with the ketchup being the one ingredient that remained true.

What Is the Difference in French Dressing and Catalina Dressing?

In the USA, French dressing is Catalina dressing.

This caused much confusion for non-Americans as the classic French dressing is, in fact, a vinaigrette. It’s the traditional recipe of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, be it white or red. Some popular additions to this recipe include garlic, Dijon mustard and shallots.

When Kraft decided to create a bottled French dressing in the US, it was the Catalina dressing as we know it. So, to differentiate the 2, chefs tend to refer to the classic recipe as French vinaigrette.

What Is the Origin of Catalina Dressing?

No one can truly verify the origins of Catalina dressing.

Some believe the Catalonia region of Spain may have inspired it, hence the etymology of its name, where its people loved the combination of sweet and savoury flavours.

Most, however, believe it is the brainchild of Kraft Foods. In 1925, this predominantly cheese producing company decided to branch out into bottled dressings. They acquired the Milani Company that had their own French dressing. It contained the ingredients we are familiar with today, except the olive oil part.

The Catalina part of the puzzle appears to indicate the spicy version of the manufactured French dressing.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need for Catalina dressing:

Tomato ketchup: This is the clincher of what makes this Catalina dressing so sweet and tart at the same time. Ketchup is sweeter and thicker than the regular tomato sauce we find in Australia, but that would work just fine. If not sweet enough, you can add some sugar.

Red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar is preferred over white to tame the bite that vinegar can sometimes give. Seeing there is already some in ketchup, the red wine version is a better choice.

Olive oil: As always, use good olive oil for this salad dressing. Although true Catalina dressing doesn’t contain olive oil, it makes it more like a thick sauce. The olive oil helps to make it more of an authentic dressing.

Worcestershire sauce: Love the distinctive taste of Worcestershire sauce with all its molasses, tamarind, and anchovy flavours. Stick to the original and make sure you get the Lea & Perrins version.

Hot paprika: Hot and smoky paprika is called for to make this Catalina dressing. If you don’t want it spicy, use regular paprika.

Celery seeds: Much like its actual vegetable, crushed celery seeds have an astringent flavour that is earthy and slightly bitter.

Garlic and onion powder: All the necessary alliums in powder form that enhance the flavour of the dressing.

Variations and Substitutions

More tartness: To create more tanginess, you can swap the red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar or simply add more red wine vinegar. Alternatively, you can also add some citrus, such as lemon or lime, to give it a brighter and zestier acidity.

More sweetness: This salad dressing with ketchup can be sweetened by adding honey, maple syrup or some sugar. Adjust to taste.

Ramp up the heat: Adding some spice to this sweet and sour salad dressing recipe is such a great idea. You can try a few drops of your favourite hot sauce or add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Vegan option: Ensure your Worcestershire sauce is vegan-friendly, as some brands contain fish sauce.

For some vegan friendly salad dressings, do try our vegan tahini ranch dressing, peach chutney dressing or traditional Italian dressing.

Gluten-Free option: Ensure the Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free to make this dressing gluten-free.

We have a quite a catalogue of gluten free dressings too such as mango lime dressing or citrus red wine vinaigrette.

Ketchup alternatives: For a sugar-free option, use sugar-free ketchup. You can also explore options like tomato paste or roasted red peppers for a base with a different flavour profile.

Mustard lover: If you love Dijon mustard in everything, it would make an excellent addition to this dressing.

Creamier texture: If you want to make a creamy version of this dressing, you can add some Greek yoghurt or mayonnaise if you prefer to keep it dairy free.

Fresh herbs: Like most salad dressings, you can always add some fresh herbs to the recipe. Try parsley, basil, chives, or cilantro

Smokey flavours: If you love smoky flavours, replace regular paprika with smoked paprika. It adds complexity and warmth.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make Catalina dressing:

Add red wine vinegar into a small mixing bowl. Then drizzle olive oil and whisk until emulsified.

Add the ketchup followed by all the other ingredients.

Whisk until well combined.

How To Make This Dressing Perfectly [Expert Tips]

Balancing flavours: The beauty of homemade dressing is customisation! Taste the dressing as you go and adjust the amounts of vinegar, sugar, and spices to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savoury flavours.

Consistency: Whisk the dressing until smooth and creamy for a uniform texture. If it is too thick, thin it out with a little water or more vinegar.

Emulsification: Slowly add the olive oil to the vinegar for proper emulsification. This will help the dressing thicken and stay mixed longer, resulting in a creamier finish.

Chill and serve: Refrigerate your Catalina dressing for at least 30 minutes before serving. Chilling allows the flavours to meld beautifully.

How to Store

How long does Catalina dressing last? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good shake before serving to recombine the ingredients.

Best Salad for This Dressing

Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing

This dairy free taco salad is so flavoursome and a perfect example that you don’t need cheese and sour cream. The Catalina dressing is beyond tasty, making the whole recipe completely delicious!

More Salad Dressing Recipes

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