Homemade Den Dressing
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Den Dressing is a thick, sweet, and tangy dressing/sauce (similar to French dressing) that is delicious when drizzled on salads or steaks, served with veggies, used as a marinade, and more! This is an amazing homemade copycat recipe of DEN Dressing popularized/created in Erie, PA.
What is Den Dressing?
If you’re not local to or from Pennsylvania, you may have never heard of DEN Dressing before. (It’s my understanding that it’s not nationally known but I could be wrong.) DEN Dressing was created in the 1950s by a company called Treehouse Foods. Over the years it has stopped production twice; once in the 1980s and again more recently in 2018. Each time, lovers of this dressing were devastated.
Thankfully, the dressing is now back in production and can be purchased online. However, there’s no need to buy it because you can make it at home and it’s so easy! And from what I can find, this potentially secretive recipe isn’t available anywhere else in this exact way. (You’re welcome!)
What Does DEN Dressing Taste Like?
Den Dressing is a sweet and tangy sauce that is often referred to as an intense French dressing. Its flavor is bold, distinctive, and delicious.
How to Serve Den Dressing:
Classically, Den Dressing is served on top of a salad. However, over the years it’s been used in a variety of ways including a marinade for roasts, a sauce for meats, and even as a dip for vegetables.
I’m most familiar with this recipe as a dressing for Radatorie Salad. This salad is a combination of romaine lettuce, pasta, croutons, chopped vegetables, and of course Den Dressing. This salad is one of my FAVORITES and I’ll be sharing the recipe with you very soon. Stay tuned. (Don’t want to miss it? Join the IBC Mailing List HERE.)
You must be intrigued by now. Am I right? Well, let me tell you what you’ll need to whip up this dressing and show you how to do it.
Side note: Aren’t these mason jars the cutest? I LOVE their shape. They are perfect for a dressing like this, but they also double as a flower vase too! You can find them HERE.
What do you need to make Den Dressing?
The list is a bit extensive which explains why this dressing is so rich in flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- vinegar
- tomato soup
- sugar
- salt
- celery seed
- paprika
- black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- yellow (wet) mustard
- horseradish
- vegetable oil
- garlic cloves
Now we’re ready to whip up a batch. Let’s get to it.
How to Make Den Dressing:
Even though this recipe is painfully simple, I’ve provided a detailed ingredients list and instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender.
- Blend for about twenty to thirty seconds.
- Serve immediately or transfer to a mason jar or an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
It doesn’t get easier than that, right? Within minutes you can whip up this classic, coveted, and potentially secret recipe.
If you’re looking for a new bold and delicious salad dressing recipe, I hope you’ll give this Den Dressing a try. Also, stay tuned as I’ll be sharing my favorite way to use this dressing soon. You don’t want to miss it.
Enjoy!!
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Den Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup vinegar
- 1 cup tomato soup
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender.
- Blend for about twenty to thirty seconds.
- Serve immediately or transfer to a mason jar or an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Michael have been a fan of your site for a year now & luv everything u post. Question on dressing do u use white vinegar or apple cider? Can’t wait to make.
Thank you! I used apple cider just for some added flavor, but while will work too!
xo Michael
Could you please clarify the tomato soup? I would grab some Campbells but would I use it straight out of the can or mix it up with water and milk as if I would if I were making the soup to eat? Looks like a very fun recipe and I like the looks of the salad!
Tomato soup right out of the can.
xo Michael
I grew up in Erie County, and I remember the Den Restaurant! At home we always had a bottle of Den dressing in the refrigerator. My husband’s grandparents had a mom/pop grocery store (as all towns did in those days). Gramma would make and sell subs. They were always a hit because of her ‘secret’ sauce; it was Den!
Love that! I saw that they (a new restaurant) recently started selling it again.
xo Michael