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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Delicious, added a couple of dashes of Tabasco and thinned slightly with water. Made stovetop croutons with sourdough bread. Added bacon and more Parmigiano to salad. It was a hit.
I’ve been making this recipe for a couple of years now and it is always SO good! I swear I could live on this stuff! Many years ago I worked at a restaurant and everything was made from scratch, including the Caesar dressing. They used raw eggs and everything! For me, that was really the gold standard and I hadn’t had anything that rivaled it…..until this! I seriously think this is better. Homemade dressings are far superior to their grocery store counterparts and they are SO easy to make.
I always make my own croutons to accompany! Thank you for the recipe!
Delicous
This is the first Caesar dressing I’ve had that tastes proper, like in a restaurant. I used Primal Kitchen mayonnaise (avocado oil-based), used a little less than a cup of it, and chopped up my own anchovies, but otherwise followed to the letter.
Most authentic and delicious dressing recipe! I’m very picky and went through many different recipes to find the perfect One and this is it!
I love this recipe! Thank you so much!
In the past I have not tossed everything together but rather have put the dressing on the side because I’m never sure how much lettuce is the correct ratio. Any tips regarding how many ounces or hearts of romaines to toss in? Thanks again!
Hi Jennifer, Glad you like the dressing! I think it would be enough to dress almost 2 heads of torn romaine.
This recipe is my go to now for Caesar. So simple. Only adjustment I made was only 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup mayo. I added a touch of sugar to offset the acidity. Added shallots too. I don’t mind the crunch. I never buy store bought anymore. Thanks so much for this gem!
I crave this recipe and I keep coming back to it! It’s also an easy way for me to gobble up a whole bag of salad greens in one sitting! Lol! My fav is to serve over baby kale/spinach and sprinkle with GF bread crumbs and crushed red pepper flakes! Yum yum!
I read quite a lot of the reviews and started by adding less mayo. I maybe did quarter of a cup and then a tablespoon of Greek yogurt. It was really good. Very happy with this dressing for a Caesar salad. You could add more garlic if you want to really give it a punch but I found great with one big fat clove
Jenn, I made your pie crust last night for turkey pot pie. the crust is sublime and the only recipe I will use. in fact, my husband asks for double-crusted pies even when I am trying to save calories and just use a top or bottom. now, this dressing – I decided to try instead of my usual. well, I am glad I read reviews and used only a 1/4 c mayo. I added extra everything else too except cheese. I cannot imagine using an entire cup of mayo. not in a million yrs. nice inspirational ingredients however and less work than a coddled egg recipe.
This recipe is five stars! It’s better than any restaurant version. Try it!
I have made this several times now and I have not gone back to store bought brands since ! It is so easy to make and you can easily customize to your own taste. I usually add a whole lemon because I love lemon and I like the sauce a bit more on the runny side – makes it taste very fresh. Thank you for this recipe it is a family staple now !