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 dressing is absolutely delicious! I read one comment that it was too thick. At first I was thinking the same thing. But, if you coat your bowl with dressing before you add the lettuce, cheese and croutons then toss them with tongs it coats the lettuce perfectly! Definitely a restaurant quality salad dressing! Thank you!
Ive been so happy with the recipes I have made from your collection. Today was the first disappointment. This dressing, unless I did something very wrong, is so thick I’m not sure how I will “dress” the salad this evening.
Thoughts?
Hi Karen, I’m sorry that you found this to be too thick. You can thin it out with a bit of water – just go easy and add a little at a time until it gets to the thickness you want.
This is truly yummy but too thick for me so I thinned it with heavy cream (lol), added a little more lemon and more anchovy paste – and more pepper. Nothing like messing with perfection! Thanks for the recipe……..and all with ingredients I have on hand!
We made this dressing exactly as written and it was outstanding! We had no idea homemade could be this good, it’s truly Five Star restaurant quality. No way can we ever return to bottled Caesar’s after this. Thank you so much!
I have made this recipe a dozen times. Everyone loves it, and it’s so easy! I add just a little more lemon to my taste. Thank you for sharing! Definitely 5 ⭐️!
Just wanted to leave a comment to say this recipe is fantastic! It’s the best caesar dressing I have tried. Highly recommend!
I have now made this Caesar dressing several times. It tastes just like the classic Caesar dressing albeit without the danger of the raw egg. I used Duke’s mayonnaise and more lemon juice than the recipe required. I also added extra anchovy paste and red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper for heat. I love a good Caesar salad and often make a full meal out of just a salad. This dressing is fast and easy to pull together and delicious to eat. Thank you!
The best recipe ever. I have made this now over 6 times
Absolutely delicious recipe!
I omitted the salt and used 1/2 tsp of fish sauce (often used in Asian recipes, also made from anchovies which is a great substitute if you don’t have anchovy paste). I doubled the recipe for a big crowd and used 1 tsp.
Dear Jenn,
Thanks to you my family now demands this dressing for every salad. Doesn’t matter what the salad is, they want “that good dressing with the sardine powder stuff”. I have told them repeatedly it is anchovy paste. They don’t care. They just want the goods. Same with your Peruvian chicken, but I’ll leave that review on the recipe.