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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Had a ladies dinner last night and made this recipe for ceasar salad dressing…was fabulous….another addition to my recipe book :))
trying out tonight my mouth is watering allready !
Thanks for this recipe! It was delicious. I couldn’t find any Parmigiano-Reggiano locally (I live in Asia). Used Italian Grana Padano instead. Still yummy, especially topped with more freshly grated cheese and pepper.
This dressing was easy to make and DELICIOUS! I love Ceasar salads and will use this to make my own instead of those partially browned, romaine, bag versions!
First time I’ve ever made Caesar Dressing on my own – and your recipe was amazing! I couldn’t get over how tasty it was and my husband was so impressed. I just got into cooking over the past year and I am so proud of myself for being able to make wonderful meals for my family using fresh ingredients. Thank you for posting this, and I am for sure going to try some of your other recipes!
The ABSOLUTE best Ceasar dressing on EARTH! My boyfriend and I make some and eat this with our salad almost every day …. Little does he know this is how I get him to eat veggies >:) lol
this is SINGULARLY THE BEST caesar dressing i have ever had in my life!!!!!!!!!!
I have a ceaser dressing that has only one TBL of mayo, and lots of fresh lemon juice and at least 1 TSP of Red wine vinaigrette. How long will it last now
Alecia, It’s hard to say w/o seeing the whole recipe but my guess is about a week.
If using real anchovies instead of the paste, how many fillets?
Hi Peter, I’d start with one, then add more to taste.
How long will this dressing last in the fridge (considering the mayo content)?
Hi Quinn, It keeps well for about a week.
I notice the salt you have in your photo is sea salt…do you recommend sea salt over regular salt for this recipr?
Hi Joan, I love this sea salt and use it for all my recipes but no need to go out and buy it — regular salt will work just fine.