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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Just made this version and hands down the easiest and best ever.
No more store bought for me, as I always have the ingredients needed in my pantry.
Awesome!
This Caesar dressing is delicious. I had to find anchovy paste and it does make the dressing better. Now I keep all the ingredients on hand and it’s a nice “go to” dinner recipe. Add some grilled chicken for a complete meal. Best part is, with all the flavors, a little goes a long way.
Love this recipe! I often use it to bring to pot lucks and always bring home an empty bowl. I have received many compliments for it, from both adults and kids. I also like that I usually have these ingredients in the house and do not have to make a special trip. I finely chop up anchovies when I do not have the paste and may get even more compliments then.
Awesome recipe. I used homemade mayo as a base (immersion blender makes this a breeze, just dump all the ingredients in and blend it up) and quadrupled the anchovies. No need for the whisk though, just combine all ingredients and reach for your trusty immersion blender
We LOVE this dressing and make it all the time. We add a little more garlic and double the anchovy paste. Keeps really well in the refrigerator to use all week!
The best ceaser dressing ever! Anytime i make it for guests they ask for recipe. I love that it doesn’t include raw egg.
I have tried several recepie and this is the best!!!
Jenn, can you do one with olive oil instead of mayo? Thanks
Glad you like it, Celia! I like this version because it’s a bit different with on oil, but I will consider coming up with one that does use oil.
This is my first time making caesar salad dressing and this recipe is phenomenal. Very simple and flavorful. I will never buy caesar dressing again.
Made this dressing for the first time….it came out great!!! All of my 5 guests loved it!!!!
Perfect!
Oh and my one daughter that totally hates anything fishy, and was afraid to try the dressing as it’s written, wanted me to take a spoonful out for her before I added the anchovies, well, I convinced her she would not taste anything fishy, I went ahead and made the dressing as written, and she admitted she COULD NOT TASTE FISHYNESS!!, Yay! She loved it. We had it with a Costco chicken I pulled the meat off of, homemade croutons, and the whole family loved it. Try it you won’t regret it. 🙂