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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How thick should this delicious dressing be? To be served with a spoon or poured? It’s for the brunch the day after my daughter’s wedding here in Austria, so that’s this coming Sunday, if you could possibly get back to me before then!
Many thanks!
Meredith
Hi Meredith, It’s quite thick, almost the consistency of a dip, so I would serve it with a spoon. Enjoy, and congrats on your daughter’s wedding!
I mean I was getting tired of just putting olive oil, vinegar and black pepper on my salads. I wasn’t really enjoying them. I had a craving for a Caesar salad and looked online and saw that this recipe had five stars with 319 reviews. So after work, I went to the store to get my ingredients. I spent about an hour in the big W trying to look for anchovy paste, asking workers if they had it and I was disappointed. I wondered then if I should ditch the anchovy paste in the ingredients. I checked my phone really quickly and saw that people found that Caesar salad dressing was not the same without anchovy paste. So I decided to buy tin anchovies in olive oil and salt and chopped these finely to give a paste-like consistency. It absolutely worked!!! The only other change was using one garlic clove as I am not a big fan of garlic but I mean this was the best salad dressing I ever had in my life. My friend was first mad that I was not spending time with him after work and was in the kitchen making salad dressing but when he tasted it, he apologized and loved it. 🙂 Thanks so much Jenn, I’ll be following your recipes from now on!! I wish there was a 6 star option!!
I appreciate this semi-homemade caesar dressing recipe. No more egg on my hands. Thanks!
This sounds incredible ~ am making for a friend tomorrow night w/ grilled chicken on top. Can you give the calorie, fat content? Many thanks ~~
Hi Marilyn, I have updated the recipe to include nutritional data — you will find it right underneath the recipe. Hope you and your friend enjoyed it 🙂
how long will this dressing keep in the refrigerator?
It keeps for about a week.
What a fantastic recipe. I have made this twice now and it is delicious. I only added one clove of garlic and it was lovely. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Jenn…
Finally, tried this dressing and it is FAB. My friends and I all love Caesar salad at the best of times. Printed it twice so I can make it again and again at home and at the trailer.
I made my own croutons by making them out of “fried bread” (bread and just enough of good quality olive oil; popped this into a frying pan – 5 minutes later – the best). Maybe it’s the “Old Brit” heritage coming out in me. But they are great.
You are on the right road with 312 reviews on one recipe – this has to be a record.
Sharon
Streetsville, Ontario
This really is the best dressing ever! Every time I make this dressing, people always ask for the recipe. I agree with a few of the other reviewers below, use the real ingredients. I tried using just lemon juice from a bottle one time, and it still tasted great but not quite as wonderful. I also recommend squeezing more lemon juice and sprinkled fresh cracked pepper over the salad just before serving. Perfection!
THE BEST DRESSING EVER!!
Fantastic ..best dressing ever