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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Amazing dressing! I have never attempted to make my own Caesar dressing, but I will never buy another premade one again! SO simple, and the taste is over the top delicious! Followed directions exactly as written, just adding all the lemon juice, probably closer to 3 tbsp. – large lemon – and it is perfect!
This was exceptional. I didn’t have anchovies or paste so substituted fish sauce. I live in the country so can’t just run to the grocery store. Also used asiago cheese and served the dressing over baby spinach. It was scrumptious. Thanks Jenn for sharing
So freaking good. Never buy bottled dressing again. Yummy stuff 😋😋😍.
I will never in my life buy any Caesar dressing! This was super easy to make and tasted AMAZING! I’m so happy I found this recipe.
OMG YUMMY!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I made this yesterday for a birthday party at work. I followed the directions as written. Although, there’s always an although isn’t there, I couldn’t find anchovy paste. So, I bought canned anchovies. I removed 1 anchovy, smashed it with a fork and added it to the lemon mixture.
it was a hit!
This is THE BEST caesar dressing. Kids love it, adults love it, my friend just asked me for the recipe and so has my mother-in-law. I also make the croutons by cutting pita into triangles, tossing with olive oil and kosher salt, and baking at 400 until very crisp. Crunchy romaine, crispy croutons and super dressing = total crowd pleaser.
It’s rare that I follow a recipe as written without feeling the need to make at least minor changes….this is perfect.
Perfect Caesar recipe. I substitute a quarter to a half tsp garlic powder for the fresh garlic. All my tasters have loved it also. Thank you.
This is a wonderful dressing! I make caesar dressing all the time and the only changes to this that I make are, instead of anchovy paste, I use Thai fish sauce. I always have it in my pantry and I think it makes a great substitute. My other addition is white pepper and I omit the salt.