Catalina Dressing - Homemade Hooplah (2024)

With a sweet blend of oil, ketchup, sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings, this catalina dressing is ideal for salads and grilled meats.

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About Catalina Dressing

When the warmer months are approaching, I always try to keep a few fresh salad dressing options in the fridge, and this Catalina dressing is one of the newest additions to my rotation.

It’s the idea garnish for summer salads or even grilled meats!

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that I’ve recently fallen in love with taco pasta salad and this dressing just happens to be a key ingredient.

What is Catalinadressing?

Catalina dressing has a sweet tomato flavor with a thin (yet slightly creamy) texture. It’s best served with classic garden salads, pasta salads, and burgers.

Catalina dressing vs French dressing

While these two dressings are similar in look and texture, there are a few key differences.

French dressing typically refers to a dressing with an oil-and-vinegar base with hints of mustard and seasonings. The store-bought versions are usually creamy and have a light orange in color.

On the other hand, Catalina dressing tends to be thinner and has a bold red hue. And though it also has an oil-and-vinegar base, the sweet flavor has hints of tomato and the spices aren’t as potent.

How long is catalina dressing good for?

Once prepared, this dressing can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Can you freeze catalina dressing?

Yes, you can freeze catalina dressing – but be prepared for the ingredients to separate a little during the freezing and thawing process. This should be easily fixed by whisking or blending the ingredients again once the dressing has thawed.

Once frozen in a sealed container or freezer bag, catalina dressing can be frozen for up to three months.

Notes & tips for catalina dressing

• This dressing must be blended, and while you could use a whisk to get the job done, I highly recommend using a hand mixer or food processor instead.

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How to make Catalina dressing

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Put all of the following ingredientsin a bowl (if using a hand mixer) or in the bowl of your food processor:canola oil, ketchup, sugar, red wine vinegar, onion powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Step 2 – Mix ingredients thoroughly, until the oil is incorporated with the other ingredients. I typically keep mixing until the sauce appears thickened and bubbles begin to form while mixing.

Step 3 – Serve and enjoy!

Notes & tips for this Catalina salad dressing recipe

• As mentioned above, you can use either ahand mixeror a food processorto mix this dressing together. I prefer to use a hand mixer for easier cleanup, but either method will work just as well.

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