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.

Fork on a plate with a Caesar salad.

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

how to make caesar salad

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.

how to make caesar salad dressing

Next, whisk in the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, and pepper.

how to make caesar salad dressing

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!

Fork on a plate with a Caesar salad.

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.

Servings: Makes 1⅓ cups (enough for about 10 starter salads)
Total Time: 10 Minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. Note: Anchovy paste can be found near the canned tuna in the supermarket.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • This dressing is the best Caesar I’ve ever had or made (and it’s so simple to make)! I’m so happy that I stumbled on your site a while ago. Every recipe of yours that I have made has been excellent. Can’t wait for your cookbook!

  • Hi! I’d like to know how far in advance w you can make this recipe (or how long it will keep after preparing). Thanks!

    • Hi Darcie, It’ll keep well in the fridge for about a week. Enjoy!

  • I love, love, love this dressing! I had everything, including the anchovies paste. Ive tried at least a dozen recipes for Caesar Salad Dressing and this one is the very best. Thanks!

  • This was perfect! Delicious and so easy!

  • I got so tired of paying $4 for a little bottle of refrigerated ceasar salad dressing. This recipe is PERFECT. Entire family loves it, and it’s every bit as good as expensive refrigerated, if not better, because it’s really fresh. I made double the recipe because I can see us running out quickly. Thank you! Looking forward to trying more recipes.

  • Delicious. We’re making chicken Cesar wraps tonight. It’s just perfect.

  • Excellent recipe!!!

  • Oh yes, I love this recipe. I love anchovies but they will just go on the salad plate so that I won’t be concerned about the dressing spoiling pretty quickly. We dress our salads very modestly so I want this to last a while.

  • I am planning on making your Caesar Salad dressing. It looks great! Do you have a recipe for the salad?
    Thanks,
    Jill

    • — Jill Bernstein
    • Reply
    • Hi Jill, The dressing is the perfect with plain ol’ romaine. The dressing is enough for about 10 medium salads, so you may not use it all at once!

  • This is a delicious Ceaser dressing. I substitute fish sauce in place of the anchovy paste and salt.

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