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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This is an outstanding Homemade Ceasar Salad dressing! It was easy to make and everyone absolutely loved it. I will make it over and over again in the future ~ never a bottle or jar dressing again. Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe!
Made this recipe a couple of times recently, over the Holidays, when I had friends over for dinner. They all loved it and insisted I sent them the recipe. Really delicious. Thanks!
I made this recipe for the first time for Christmas dinner. It was amazing! Just the right amount of garlic. It kept well in the refrigerator. Looking forward to making it again soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jenn, In these trying times, it is so very comforting to go to your site and choose an entire menu that you know will please everyone. Your baked ziti, this caesar salad dressing and your Pumpkin Streusel are delicious and will no doubt bring the usual oohs and ahhs. Thank you for giving me that much needed certainty we are all craving these days. With appreciation, Michelle from Canada 🇨🇦
❤️❤️❤️
Amazing flavor and so easy!!!
A family favorite – thank you!
when someone says that Hellmann’s Real is a best quality mayonnaise, I hope they joke. I’m not an American, and when I tried it first time I was just shocked, how bad that taste is. Sorry… I would recommend to find a Russian one and compare…
Of the ones available in a typical US grocery store, Hellmann’s is good quality. I don’t have a store nearby that sells “Russian” mayo, nor is there a huge need to look for it if the mayo isn’t going to be the key/biggest flavoring agent in a salad dressing recipe like this one. Agree to disagree.
Thank you for this absolutely delicious recipe. I don’t think I will be buying Caesar dressing ever again!
Made this for guests last month and what a hit with my homemade lasagna.
Love that I could make it ahead of time.
Making it again for Christmas brunch with an egg sausage casserole casserole.
Thank you for this recipe.
Excellent!!! I couldn’t find anchovy paste. Substituted 1/2 Tbl capers. Whipped it with an immersion blender before I added the parmesan. Definiately a staple dressing at my house. Thank you.
I LOVE this!
Two small tweaks..
1. put some zest in from the lemon you squeeze – adds a tiny bit more brightness
2. Try it with olive oil mayo! The slight difference makes the taste more authentic IMHO