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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I’ve made my own Caesar a few times and it was never good enough to ditch my favorite store-bought one. This is IT!!!!! never buying store bought again!
I didn’t have anchovy paste so I did a little extra Worcestershire and a little miso paste and it still came out amazing!!!!
The dressing is a huge hit. Experiment with adding more anchovy paste for extra kick.
Absolutely Perfect! I’ve made this several times and you cannot get this fresh, great flavor out of a bottle of store bought dressing!
I’m never buying caesar dressing ever again. This is so good!!
Finally, I have found my Caesar salad dressing recipe! It’s delicious! Thank you.
@onceuponachef Made this today for the family along with your Grilled Chicken recipe with Caesar Salad and they loved it! Made it exactly as written and let me tell you it’s the bomb! Thanks so much!
Tried this recipe and it quickly became my new favorite way to make Caesar dressing! So quick and yummy!
We love this dressing in our house! We’ve had countless table side Caesar’s at high end restaurants, but those pale in comparison to the flavor of this dressing. Recently tossed some sliced Pepperoncini into my salad with this dressing and that caught my daughter’s attention. Like most 9 year olds she isn’t big on spicy yet, but wanted to try it so she had a bite of mine. Her eyes got wide open and she picked all the rest off my salad and put it into hers. She’s thoughtful like that. The spice is mellowed by the mayo and the vinegar plays so well with the other flavors. Highly recommend this dressing as is, but throw some pepperoncini slices on your salad if you’re feeling adventurous!
Absolutely hands down my favorite dressing for Caesar salad!!! My family LOVES it and it’s such a hit with everyone who tries it. I don’t add as much Mayo as it say, I usually do around 3/4 cup. Still my all time favorite!!!!
Best caesar salad dressing. I use light mayo and it is still amazing. My family and friends love it so much they sometimes just grab some bread and dunk it in the dressing.
I made this recipe (including the grilled chicken) and it was fantastic – everyone loved it. I used homemade mayonnaise which made it even better and healthier. Thanks a lot.