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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Five Stars ***** Absolutely fantastic Caesar Salad Dressing! I used 3 anchovy filets in-lieu of the anchovy paste and only 3/4 cup of a quality mayonnaise. Other then that, I followed the rest of the recipe as written. Found myself mopping up any remaining dressing with a piece of crusty bread. What a wonderful satisfying flavor! Many thanks for sharing your recipe.
What happens if you dont use anchovy paste? My family hates it. And how does it taste with the worcestershire sauce
You can leave out the anchovy paste but the dressing won’t have that distinctly Caesar taste. As for the Worcestershire sauce, you won’t really taste it but it adds depth of flavor.
Yum! Very good dressing! We stopped buying bottled once we started making this.
I made this today. I will never buy caesar dressing again. This was fantastic and so easy to make. I don’t like anchovies but I had the paste and used it-not bad!! Thanks!!
This was fabulous and so easy!
your like the best cook EVER!
the dressing is soooooooooooo yummy
This recipe is excellent, my guests said to never buy store bought ever again. Or any other recipe for that matter.
A couple years ago, some friends were over for dinner and I served Caesar salad with commercial salad dressing to which I added garlic and lemon juice. I’m overly proud of making a lot of things from scratch and was quite taken aback when my friend referred to this as like Sandra Lee’s ALMOST Homemade. I was horrified! You posted this recipe in time for their next visit for dinner and I’ve been making it ever since! It’s wonderful! I still add more garlic and lemon juice, and replace some plain yogurt for some of the mayo.
THANK YOU!
This recipe is PERFECT as is!! I made it for my in-law’s surprise anniversary party and I ended up emailing the recipe to every woman who was there. All of us have made it since and it’s truly become a staple in all of our households!
Our dinner guests, once again, loved the salad. Delicious Ceasar Dressing! Thank you.