Catalina Dressing – The Daring Gourmet

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This homemade Catalina Dressing recipe tastes so much better and fresher than store-bought! Sweet and tangy and utterly delicious, it uses just a small handful of staple ingredients you likely already have on hand and whips up in just 5 minutes!

What is Catalina Dressing?

Catalina dressing is a sweet and tangy dressing that’s made with vinegar, sugar and spices and with a tomato-based foundation. It’s similar to French dressing but is sweeter and tangier and has a more pronounced tomato flavor. It has a bright orange-red color. It’s often used on green salads, taco salads, chicken salads, and even as marinade for chicken or pork.

Why Homemade Catalina Dressing?

I’m a huge fan of homemade everything, including condiments and seasonings, because as with anything it gives you full control over what’s in it – and what isn’t. That means no long lists of chemicals that are as hard to pronounces as they are to digest. Just real, whole ingredients. It also gives you control over the quality of the ingredients you use. For example, you can use homemade ketchup or a store-bought ketchup that’s made without high fructose corn syrup, etc. It also gives you the flexibility to make a sugar free Catalina dressing by substituting the sugar for a sugar alternative of your choice. What’s more, this recipe only takes 5 minutes to throw together and uses staple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, so it’s both quick and easy to make AND it tastes much better than store-bought!

Catalina Dressing Ingredients

Let’s take a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade Catalina dressing, all of which you probably already have in your kitchen or pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Red Wine Vinegar: This is the basis for the nice tangy flavor of the dressing and while you can get away with substituting white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar I really recommend using red wine vinegar for more/better flavor depth.
• Sugar: This gives you the sweetness to balance the tanginess of the vinegar. My recipe uses less sugar than most recipes call for and I think it’s still plenty sweet. You can add more or less to your taste. You can also substitute part honey for a different flavor profile. For a low sugar Catalina dressing you can substitute a 1:1 granular sugar alternative.
• Oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil such as avocado, canola or sunflower. I use olive oil for most of my vinaigrettes but it’s not the right flavor profile for this dressing.
• Onion: I use some yellow onion to add a fresh, zesty and savory element to the dressing.
• Ketchup: A key flavor element. You can use store-bought or use your own homemade ketchup.
• Tomato Paste: For an added dose of tomato for depth of flavor. Rather than open up a whole can for a small amount, I like to use the tomato paste that comes in tubes.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Adds flavor depth and that wonderful dose of umami. Vegans can substitute tamari or soy sauce.
• Spices: We’re using paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. I love smoked paprika but I don’t care for it in this bright and tangy dressing, so I recommend using regular sweet paprika.

With these simple, staple ingredients you’re ready to create this delicious sweet-and-tangy Catalina dressing that will bring life, color and FLAVOR to your green salads!

But don’t limit yourself to salads alone, this dressing is wonderfully versatile and I’ve compiled some ideas for you at the end of this post!

Catalina Dressing Recipe

Let’s get started!

To make this dressing simply place all of the ingredients in a blender. Turn the blender on to high speed for about 30 seconds or until the mixture is perfectly smooth and emulsified.

Taste the dressing and adjust according to preference. Want it tangier? Add more vinegar. Want it sweeter? Add more sugar.

Transfer your homemade Catalina dressing to an airtight jar and store it in the fridge. For the best flavor let the dressing chill for at least a couple of hours before using. It will keep for 7-10 days in the fridge.

Ways to Use It

This sweet and tangy dressing is deliciously versatile. Here are several delicious and creative ways to use Catalina dressing:

• On green salads, tomato salads, taco salads, chicken salads
• Spread on sandwiches and wraps
• Drizzle over taco pizza or cheeseburger pizza for a zesty finish
• As a glaze for meatballs (mix with some grape jelly and a splash of soy sauce)
• For slow cooker BBQ chicken or pork (combine Catalina dressing with BBQ sauce and apricot jam and cook on low for 6-8 hours)
• As a marinade or used for basting grilled chicken or pork
• On baked potatoes
• As a dip for fries (check out my Cajun fries), baked potato wedges, Fried Okrachicken tenders, or raw vegetables. You can add a splash of hot sauce for some kick.
• Drizzle over rice or grain bowls
• In pasta salads with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cubes, olives, etc.

Enjoy!

For more delicious homemade dressings try my: