Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
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My family loves this rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s not overly garlicky or fishy — it’s just right.
Though most people buy Caesar salad dressing in a bottle, homemade is incredibly easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought. There are many variations, but this rich and creamy version is the one my whole family loves. It’s not too garlicky and not too fishy – it’s just right. Unlike authentic Caesar dressings which are made with olive oil and thickened with raw eggs, this one has a mayonnaise base, which means you don’t have to worry if you’re squeamish about raw eggs. My kids love this dressing so much that they’ve learned to make it themselves. They don’t even wait for me to make a salad; while I cook dinner, they sit at the kitchen table with a big heart of romaine and dip the leaves in.
This recipe is part of my classic salad dressing collection, which includes go-to recipes for oil and vinegar based dressings, like vinaigrette and balsamic vinaigrette, as well as creamy dressings, such as buttermilk ranch dressing and blue cheese dressing, which are typically made with mayonnaise and dairy products.
What You’ll Need To Make Caesar Salad Dressing
Instead of whole anchovies, I use anchovy paste — makes it easy, especially if you’re squeamish about anchovies (just hold your nose and add it in; the dressing needs every last bit to taste like the real deal!)
For the cheese, it’s important to use imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy; domestic Parmesan pales in comparison. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
Next, whisk in the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, and pepper.
The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week. For a main course Caesar, try pairing this with my best grilled chicken. Enjoy!
Caesar Salad Dressing Video Tutorial
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Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
My family loves this rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s not overly garlicky or fishy — it’s just right.
Ingredients
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (see note)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I like the brand Maille)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's Real
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week.
- Note: Anchovy paste can be found near the canned tuna in the supermarket.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: About 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 184
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Sugar: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 296mg
- Cholesterol: 13mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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We will not be buying jarred Caesar salad dressing again – this is just TOO good and so simple to make!
This is my go to Caesar dressing! Quick, easy and always a crowd pleaser.
Absolutely delicious! I used 2 whole anchovies, off brand Mayo and Parmesan as it’s what I had on hand. Also seasoned to taste rather than the measurements and added an extra squeeze of mustard.
How long will this keep in the refrigerator? Love love this recipe! thank you
Hi Lela, It should keep nicely in the fridge for about 5 days (and so glad you like it)!
It should last about a week in fridge
Mine keeps well for over a week at 2 degrees Celsius.
awesome
Made this, my husband loves it! So good!
No more store bought caesar dressing for me! My family loves this and it’s so so easy to make. I have to double it, we love it that much.
I love love love this recipe and make it all the time. Thank you!!
I don’t understand all the good reviews. I only read a few, but I suspect many must be the typical 5 star blog recipe review saying “Looks good. Can’t wait to make it!”
As written this tastes like an mildly umami tasting Mayo. To save it, I doubled all ingredients except the cheese and Mayo. That resulted in a much more flavorful and better consistency dressing. An alternative would be to cut the Mayo and cheese in half and leave the rest as is.
I agree, no flavor at all and far too much mayo–might be fine if you’re feeding VERY young children who can tolerate only very bland food. Intuitively, I used only 1/4 cup mayo, 75% less than the recipe amount (1 cup is far too much fat without any nutritional benefits–& I can add more anytime), subbed Red Boat fish sauce for the anchovy paste, added 0.5 tablespoon more lemon juice, a few more shakes of Worcestershire sauce, a pinch more kosher salt & about 0.25 teaspoon more freshly ground black pepper. As always, Jenn’s recipes are great base recipes. Thanks Jenn!!!
I agree, too much mayonnaise in that recipe
The Caesar dressing is perfect! I’ve made Caesar salad for years – this recipe will replace my “old” one for sure. And, love that it doesn’t contain raw egg – making it a safer option than the traditional preparation!