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    Home » Sauces » Homemade Sweet Catalina Dressing

    Homemade Sweet Catalina Dressing

    Published: Jan 10, 2023 · Modified: Jan 17, 2023 by Sula · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Salad dressings are very convenient in a bottle, I’ll be the first to admit. But when I read the ingredient list on that bottle, it really makes me pause.

    So often I see high fructose corn syrup and a bunch of unpronounce-able preservatives. No thanks!

    When I can, I try to make my own. And not only is it easy, but the dressing is also typically better than the bottled version.

    This homemade Catalina dressing is a perfect example. This salad dressing is both sweet and tangy, perfect on any salad where you want a little sweetness added to the mix.

    spoonful of sweet catalina dressing pouring onto a lettuce salad.

    Why I love this Sweet Catalina Dressing

    Like I said, this Catalina dressing is sweet and tangy, delicious and easy, and takes minutes to make. It’s like French dressing, but it has slightly different proportions. More ketchup is a key difference, the ketchup gives Catalina dressing its distinctive color.

    I originally developed this to use on a large Dorito taco salad. But I’ve found it works on other green salads as well. Pretty much any salad that could use a touch of sweet will taste fantastic with this Catalina dressing!

    Ingredients

    ingredients: vinegar, oil, sugar, ketchup, and spices.

    How to make Homemade Catalina Dressing

    This dressing is so easy, you’ll wonder why you’ve never made it before!

    Just measure the ingredients into a blender. Cover and blend until well mixed. I try for a good 30 to 60 seconds just to be certain everything is combined.

    dressing mixing in a small blender.

    When you remove the blender cover, you’ll see a slightly thick dressing, the perfect consistency for spooning or pouring onto a salad.

    thick catalina dressing in the blender jar.

    For best flavor, transfer to a jar, cover and refrigerate at least an hour. This allows the flavors to develop fully.

    a spoon pouring salad dressing into a small jar.

    Sula's Tips

    This recipe makes a batch of about 20 ounces of salad dressing. My Dorito Taco Salad uses 2 cups (16 ounces) so you will happily find yourself with a little extra. You’ll love trying it on all sorts of green salads!

    The one cup of sugar might seem like a lot. I have tried making the dressing with ¾ cup and it is still pretty good, so if you need a reduced sugar option that might work for you. I left the recipe with a full cup because I ultimately decided I still like it better that way. 😃

    pin for sweet catalina dressing

    More salad dressing goodness to explore

    • Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
    • Red Wine Shallot Vinaigrette
    • Balsamic Vinaigrette
    spoon of sweet catalina dressing pouring onto a green salad.
    5 from 7 votes
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    Homemade Sweet Catalina Salad Dressing

    This Catalina dressing comes together in minutes, and is perfect for your taco salad or any other salad that you want to sweeten up!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time0 mins
    Total Time5 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 123kcal
    Author: Sula

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon paprika smoked
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground celery seed
    • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ cup white vinegar
    • ⅔ cup ketchup
    • ¾ cup canola oil

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients into a blender.
    • Blend 30 to 60 seconds, until fully combined.
    • Store in the refrigerator at least one hour to allow the flavors to develop.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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    Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing »

    Filed Under: Sauces

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy Liu Dong

      January 18, 2023 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      This salad dressing is so easy and delicious! I appreciate you for sharing this with us!

      Reply
      • Sula

        January 18, 2023 at 4:39 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the kind review. 🙂

        Reply

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