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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Easy and delicious.
This is my go to. Love it!!
Delicious!!!
Finally the perfect make-ahead Caesar dressing! (I do sometimes thin it a little before tossing it with freshly washed and dried Romaine.) Thank you!
My family and I love this recipe. Every time I make it they always say I make the best Caesar salad! Thank you
Great dressing easy and my picky family even liked it.
I needed a quick recipe for my salad….this was delicious! I didn’t have to change anything!
What according to you Jen is a good combination of salad leaves in a leafy salad… Like your Italian salad? Or even for a caesar’s? There are limited salad leaves available in India mainly iceberg and Romaine are always available. I Never manage to get the right combination and crunch in my opinion!
Thanks in advance!
Vanita I
I definitely like Romaine for my Caesar salads. For other salads, my favorites are Romaine, arugula, and baby spinach I like them on their own or combined together. 🙂
I don’t think I’ll ever buy Caesar dressing again! I love this. So much more interesting flavours than the bottled stuff in supermarkets.
Jenn,
I recently tried your Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing for a special occasion. I wanted to let you know that it was extremely delicious and got rave reviews from all of my guests.
I will never purchase another bottled Caesar dressing again!!! Plus, I love the fact that I had all of the items in my pantry and it is so simple to make.
Once again, thank you for another great recipe and I will look forward to trying many other recipes in the future.
Sincerely,
Christine Maciejewski
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Loyal E-mail Subscriber
😊
Me too!
I’ve been in search of the best Caesar dressing for months. I originally steered away from this recipe since it did not have eggs and thus not “the OG.” Everything I tried, just didn’t do it for me, so I thought I would give this one a chance. Well, as it turns out, I had wasted my time for the past several months. This is the BEST Caesar dressing and I will NEVER use another recipe! Lesson learned and I look forward to trying many of Jenn’s recipes.