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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Hubbie agreed this was the best Caesar dressing ever. And being so easy makes it unbeatable!
Absolutely delicious salad dressing and very easy to make.
My family loved it and commented that it was very good.
I have made this again and will keep the recipe on standby to make it when I’m craving Caesar Salad with the yummy dressing.
Thanks for recommending Dijon mustard (I like the brand Maille). I use it on everything now. What a world of difference.
Great Cesar Salad dressing recipe!!!
Wow, made this for the first time tonight. So quick and easy and the most tastiest dressing! I won’t need to buy from the shop again – it just doesn’t compare!!
This is hands up, down and all around the absolute best recipe for this dressing ever. I love it. Adding more or less freshly squeezed lemon juice gives it that extra tang or kick you need. I love it! !! I especially love it because it doesn’t have all those little bitty seeds in the dressing that so many places like to add when it comes to Caesar dressing. Also it’s filled with all healthy fats, no carbs and it’s made fresh by moi with absolutely no additives and preservatives. It’s such a win. I wish I could post my photos I too with grilled salmon or shrimp with a kale and cabbage salad and sliced almonds. It’s a WIN!
Delicious and so easy to make. Didn’t have anchovy paste so substituted with fish sauce. I now have some always on hand.
This is a very good substitute for authentic Caesar dressing. It takes no finesse, doesn’t break, and holds up well either waiting or refrigerated. Perfect for beginners.
Omg !!! Delicious!!!! Thank you so much!!!! Easy 5 stars!!!!
Lori
This recipe was a good starting off point. I made some mods. I needed mine much more garlicky, I ended up adding 6 small cloves, 2 t dijon instead of 1, no salt, plenty of pepper. The parmesan went on the salad instead of in the dressing. It was delicious!
We almost always have at least two mayo jars open so I take the largest one and make sure there’s enough space in it. Then I use my Italian heritage cooking skills (a bit of this, a little of that, which this recipe is TERRIFIC for!) and add all of the ingredients directly into the Hellmann’s jar! There’s enough for a couple of weeks. I leave the dressing thick and leave a little water in the lettuce after cleaning it. That helps to spread the dressing and keep the calories down as much as possible. It is the best Caesar dressing and the one I compare it to when dining out!
Simple, elegant, excellent. What more could you ask for? What else would you expect from Jenn. Thank you so much.