Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
You May Also Like
- Homemade Croutons
- Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
- Basil Vinaigrette
- Big Italian Salad
- Russian Dressing
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I halved this recipe and it was delicious. The perfect ratio between the spiciness of the anchovy paste and the dijon. Grilled 2 thin-cut chicken breasts for the top. I did leave out the parmesan cheese in the dressing, but I add it in shavings for the top of my salad to save on my WW points. I also used light mayo. I mixed the dressing in the salad mix to make sure it was all coated.
Even at half the recipe, I have dressing left, as it’s just my husband and me.
Served with Trader Joe’s Red Pepper Soup. OMG, that stuff is restaurant quality.
Are you serious?!! I make “real” dressing all of the time. Tonight I had guests and was in a rush. Found this recipe and let me tell you. AMAZING!! My guests could not believe I took the time to make such great homemade Caesar dressing. Will NEVER go back. Thank you for making life so much easier and making me look like the star!
I’ll never buy the bottled stuff anymore! I’m currently on a weight loss plan so I made a couple of changes. I substituted the mayo for 1/2 cup light mayo and 1/2 cup 0% Greek yoghurt. I wasn’t sure how this would alter the taste or texture of the recipe but it is absolutely amazing, I can finally enjoy caesar salad again!
I just made your “homemade caesar salad dressing”, and I am just amazed at how wonderful this tastes. I will not be buying any caesar dressing from the store again, this is the absolute best I have ever tasted. We are having cedar plank grilled salmon on top of the caesar salad for dinner tonight. I cant wait, Thank you so much for such!!!!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’ve never made Caesar dressing before and this version is foolproof. It was quick, easy and yielded delicious results.
Can I use real anchovies and mash them up? How many? Thank you. I will be doubling this recipe.
Hi Annette, Yes, that’s fine. Not sure how many you’ll need; you’ll have to mash them up and measure the same amount as called for in the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Made this for diner to be paired with Salmon Croquette. Turned out so good that the salad outshone the main dish.
this is a terrific recipe, It is beating my favorite R…’s dressing.
Loved it quick and easy.
Hey presto and its done.
Best ceasar dressing and so easy!