Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
You May Also Like
- Homemade Croutons
- Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
- Basil Vinaigrette
- Big Italian Salad
- Russian Dressing
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I really like this recipe a lot. Have made it a few times and it’s always great. Yes the “real” dressing is great but this is easy and simple and you usually always have the ingredients on hand. Using the anchovy paste is best but it’s ok without it too.
Love this easy Caesar dressing…will not buy store bought again…didn’t have anchovy’s so used a few splashes of fish sauce .
WOW ! This recipe just got me promoted from busboy to executive Chef !…amazing recipe ..thank you Jen !…plus its the first time i have eaten a salad in over 30 years
Ooh! Fish sauce! Great idea. 👍
I thought the last Caesar dressing I had was amazing… nope, wrong! This dressing is like absolutely delicious! I didn’t alter the recipe at all, I only eyeballed the measurements other than the mayo. I also couldn’t find anchovy paste, so I used anchovies from a can and chopped them up. I used two. It’s perfect, simply perfect. Thank you for sharing and Happy 4th!
This is, hands down, the best caesar salad dressing out there! Just the right blend of ingredients. I cannot buy store bought caesar dressing anymore after tasting this one. I follow the recipe exactly and it tastes like an upper end restaurant dressing.
I love this! But I do double the garlic….. I love it garlicky! But very simple and easy to mix up- I use my home made avocado oil mayo
Hello! Wondering what lettuce to dressing ratio you use when preparing the salad? Thanks!
Hi Brittany, I usually just eyeball it but I’m guessing 3 to 4 tablespoons per serving (which is about 2 cups of chopped romaine). Hope that helps!
Pls suggest a vegetarian substitute for anchovy paste?
Unfortunately, I know of no good substitute for anchovy paste. I’d probably just increase the Dijon and Parmesan a bit to add flavor.
We all love this recipe. My son-in-law wants a jar for every occasion – he uses it for everything.
Thank you for sharing your recipes. I am an old time cook and have used and enjoyed many of your recipes.
This recipe is fantastic. Right ratio of ingredients. Easy to make. Tastes great. Best recipe out there. No more store bought dressing. This deserves 10 stars **********
Pretty much every recipe we have made from the Once Upon a Chef website has been 5-Star. This might be the one of the best ones. Just trust me on this! 👌
This was good! My husband loved it. (And he almost never eats salads), so thank you for sharing your recipe.