Russian dressing?  No.  This is really more of a spread or dip.  It’s this creamy version that absolutely makes a perfect Reuben sandwich.  I love Reuben sandwiches.  I think they are my favorite grilled sandwich and largely it’s because of a good, thick schmear of this little bit of heaven.  This is pretty decent on a burger and it absolutely makes a roast beef sandwich.  Oh, yeah…you can actually dress a salad, with it too! I posted a red, non-creamy Russian Dressing.  I love that stuff too.  I like it stirred into sour cream, as a dip for cauliflower or my finger.  I swear I could positively drink it, but that’s another story.  This is not that dressing.

I love the flavor combination of this dressing.  This mayo-based version combines some interesting ingredients…pickled beets, anchovies, horseradish, and dry chopped onion.  I have post a The Reuben, but for that one I used Thousand Island Dressing.  It’s good, but this Russian Dressing is the real deal.  It makes a Reuben sandwich.  But, it’s equally delicious on a salad, particularly one with hard-boiled eggs, black olives and roasted peppers, along with greens of your choice.  Anywho, it’s pretty simple to make.  I just dump all the ingredients into a bowl, stir until well combined, cover and chill for several hours or overnight.  You’ll note that I’m using full anchovy fillets, and mashing them.  I like their clean, meaty flavor for this, but you can use anchovy paste if that’s what you have.  The dry onions, and I toast them lightly in a skillet for a minute or two, are preferable to fresh. Yeah, you won’t hear me say that too often, but they absorb some of the liquid, so you might want to thin it a bit, if you’re going to use it to dress a salad.  I usually stir the finely chopped pickled beets in after I mix it initially, but that’s not really necessary.  This Creamy Russian Dressing is a must for a Reuben.