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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Delicious caesar salad dressing. Easy and quick to make. Made it for company and everyone loved it. This is a definite keeper.
Made this tonight with homemade croutons. Even my family members who don’t really like Caeser salad at restaurants devoured it and said they loved it!
Best ceasar dressing …wondering if i wanted it a little.thinner what anyones suggestion would be.
Glad you like it, Maureen! You could use a little water, milk, or olive oil to thin it a bit – just add a little at a time.
I just made this dressing for the very first time tonight, and boy, was it good. I’ll never buy the bottled kind again!
Amazing Caesar dressing! Best after the flavours meld-24 hours or more! Definitely a new staple in my fridge! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I did not like this recipe because it tasted too much like mayonnaise.
I love this recipe, its simple and consistently good. I use avocado/olive oil based mayonnaise so the dressing is a bit thick so I thin it with milk which works well. It’s better after a day when the flavors blend more. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it has been a savior. I love knowing the ingredients that I’m using are healthful and much less expensive than the prepared dressings at the store.
Still prefer the original recipe. Mayo base is not a very good substitute. Might as well buy ready-made.
Amazing – even the fussiest eater said it was his favorite salad ever!
We loved it. Another easy, delicious homemade dressing to add to our favorites. Thank you for sharing, Jenn!
WOW! We loved this Caesar Dressing recipe! I have tried SO many using oil-based or Greek yogurt-based, and, of course, egg yolk-based. Nothing has come close to this recipe. It was a bit thick for my preference but that’s probably because I hate to measure. We will use the remainder tonight for our Memorial Day event, but I will add a bit of EVOO to thin a tad. This will be my goo-to for Caesar dressing going forward. It can’t be any simpler … it’s everything you have on hand. (BTW: I liked the previous reviewer’s comment of using fish sauce in lieu of anchovy paste – will give it a try.) Thank you Jenn for a fabulous recipe!