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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The BEST recipe. Sometimes I swap the mayonnaise for yogurt when I feel like I need something lighter- still so good. Love it! Thank you so much for this recipe.
I add an anchovy for extra flavor. Everyone loves this recipe and asks for it
I have been making this recipe for months and everyone that tastes it is instantly hooked on it. Thank you so much for such an easy but fabulous recipe.
This recipe was my first discovery on your site which subsequently has turned me into a ‘Once Upon a Chef’ uber-fan! Simple and delicious – made me feel like a ‘good cook’.
This was so good and so easy I vow never to buy Caesar dressing again. Thanks
Very happy with this Caesar dressing. I did not have anchovy paste so I substituted anchovy filllets ( 1 1/2 small fillets )which I ground into a paste.
Great recipe. A little misleading. It’s says ‘ Unlike authentic Caesar dressings which are made with olive oil and thickened with raw eggs, this one has a mayonnaise base, which means no raw eggs so you don’t have to worry about giving it to your kids’ I’m fairly certain mayonnaise is made from raw egg and oil.
Store bought mayonnaise is pasteurized and thus is not raw. Homemade mayo or homemade caesar with egg will usually be unpasteurized and raw.
Best Dressing Ever!!!
Good but too much mayonnaise flavor. How can I tone that down?
Hi Lilia, sorry to hear you found it to be a little too mayonnaise-y. Did you use good quality mayo like Hellman’s or Dukes as that can definitely make a big difference. If you did, and still feel like it was too mayonnaise-y, I’d recommend replacing some of the mayo with either sour cream or Greek yogurt. If you do that, cut back on the lemon juice as the sour cream/yogurt will add more tang. Hope that helps!
Excellent recipe! Thank you so much. Everyone can add or adjust according to their taste, I’ve added yoghurt to the mayo mixture and it turned out lighter. Next time I’d do half/half with mayo.
I’m pretty particular when it comes to food and especially Caesar salad. This dressing is absolute fire. Don’t pass it by! I added a little extra lemon just because I wanted a little more lemon flavor but otherwise followed it exactly. It’s absolutely delicious!! Best Caesar I’ve ever had.