Creamy Grinder Salad Dressing

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You can get that true hole-in-the-wall (you know the place!) Grinder Sub taste from this Creamy Grinder Salad Dressing!

Or go ahead and stuff this mixture right into a hoagie (in Pennsylvania we say hoagie) roll or a salad and ba-da-bing there you go–the authentic Grinder flavor at home.

Jump to:

• Why I'm loving this viral TikTok dressing (and you will, too!)
• Ingredients you need for this dressing that’s better than the sub shop
• How to make it
• Tips for the best flavor and texture
• Swaps and add-ins you can do
• FAQ: Whatcha need to know
• Ways to use this dressing
• What makes this salad dressing different from regular creamy Italian dressing?
• How much to use? 
• How do you make a Grinder Salad?
• Storage
• More recipes you'll love
• Creamy Grinder Salad Dressing
• Pin it for later + let's connect!

When I got the idea to develop this dressing, I naturally wondered where the term “grinder” came from–because, what?

It turns out that the “grinder” sub has roots in New England (my favorite place) , specifically Connecticut and Massachusetts being the primary drivers.  The term likely came from Italian-American workers.  

The bread used for grinders is typically thick and dense, also toasted, so you have to “grind” your teeth into it.  I don’t know, maybe now it doesn’t sound super appetizing but I promise you–IT IS. 

Why I'm loving this viral TikTok dressing (and you will, too!)

This dressing, and the salad or sandwich you can make to go with it, pairs insanely well with pizza.  So if you’re having a homemade pizza night, consider whipping up this dressing to go with your crust, side salad, or spread it all over your sub.  

Because this dressing is creamy, it coats your salad, or your sub, rather than pooling at the bottom like a classic vinaigrette–this is pretty much the whole reason that this salad (and dressing!) have gone completely viral over the past few months. 

Ingredients you need for this dressing that’s better than the sub shop

• Mayonnaise: I really love to use Duke’s, it has the best flavor of any grocery store mayo.  But any full-fat mayo will work.  
• Red wine vinegar: this adds that sweet acidity that this dressing is famous for.  
• Pepperoncini: chopped up pepperoncini peppers add some texture and tons of flavor to this dressing.  
• Pepperoncini brine from the jar: a splash of this brine really dials up the flavor without overpowering it.  
• White sugar: it sweetens the dressing and cuts through some of that acidity.  
• Spices: kosher salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder

How to make it

It couldn't be easier! You just gather up everything you need, and whisk it together.

Then store it in a mason jar in the refrigerator. That's it!

Tips for the best flavor and texture

It’s the mayo, if you want the best texture and flavor, you will want to consider getting a really thick, quality mayonnaise like Duke’s.  While technically any mayo will work, and you can make adjustments based on your diet and preferences, I’ve found that the flavor of Duke’s cannot be beat.  

Also note, mayo is a fat-in-water emulsion, so introducing a lot of liquids will break it down.  You want to always use a whisk to incorporate your ingredients, and note that the final dressing will not be thick (like a mayo), it’ll be more the consistency of a creamy dressing–which is exactly what we want to create here. 

Swaps and add-ins you can do

Let’s talk add ins: you can level up some of the savoriness of this dressing by adding in some freshly grated parmesan cheese, freshly grated (or chopped) garlic, lemon zest, or even fresh herbs like parsley 

Swaps:

• Pepperoncini - if you’re an exclusive Trader Joe’s shopper (many of us are!), you understand that we need to band together and riot at their gates because they don’t sell pepperoncini.  Just kidding, but they don’t sell it, swap it for Kalamata olives and use that brine in place of the pepperoncini.  Different? Yes.  Delicious? Yes.  And you won’t miss the pepperoncini if you swap for salty, briny olives.  
• Mayo - yes, you can use Greek yogurt or miracle whip (if you must!).  I would rather you use a mayo with avocado or olive oil over the greek yogurt or miracle whip options if you want the authentic sub shop flavor, but use what you have and it’ll be hard to detect in the final product.  
• Sugar - the white sugar here is pretty optional, but I do think that adding it gives it a more “authentic sub shop” flavor that you can’t get without it.  But again, feel free to just leave it out if you’re sugar-free.  I don’t think it should be swapped with honey or any other kind of sugar, just leave it out if you don’t have it or don’t want to use it.

FAQ: Whatcha need to know

Ways to use this dressing

There are seriously so many ways you can use this dressing! My favorite way is to toss a salad with it! Or dip your pizza crust into it, or spread it all over a toasty sub.  

What makes this salad dressing different from regular creamy Italian dressing?

Grinder dressing is pretty heavy on the mayo base (it’s entirely a mayo base, actually) whereas a classic creamy Italian is not, it will be oil-based with a small amount of cream like mayo, cream, or sour cream.  

How much to use? 

I like about 2-3 tablespoons per 2 cups of chopped salad or lettuce, tossed.  But you can eyeball it, better to add less and then more rather than the other way around, right?

How do you make a Grinder Salad?

Ah, you need some salad to go with your fresh dressing, perfect! Class is in session 🙂

More recipes you'll love

If you love this recipe, please try some of my other dressings and sauces! They're Pinterest famous for good reason! 🙂

Pin it for later + let's connect!

Pin this recipe for later and connect with me over there! I'm pinning daily!