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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Comments
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this glop is nothing like a real Caesar salad dressing. Caesar salad is made with zero mayonnaise. It is made with olive oil, egg yolk, lemons anchovies garlic and croutons. Look it up.
It’s funny, because mayonnaise is made of egg yolk, oil, lemon. Maybe just leave your sad thoughts to yourself.
-NOT BERT…Yes totally agree with you
Aaaaamazing!!! I am SO SO HAPPY I have found this recipe. Thank you!
With or without anchovies, this 5-minute dressing tastes just like the stuff you buy in every container labeled “Caesar Dressing,” ever. I love that you can make it fresh every time instead of stretching the same jar of ceasar dressing in the fridge for months. So delicious and really breaks up the monotony of the usual salad seasonings. Thank you.
Dude! You know what mayonnaise is made from right???? And tomatoes, salt, sugar, and vinegar go on French fries, not ketchup!
This recipe is a keeper! I used 3 anchovies as we have them in the fridge.
Perfect.
can you use anchovies instead of paste?
Sure – enjoy!
This recipe has become a staple in my house! Do you think it would freeze well? I have been making it every week, and would love to make a giant batch all at once.
Unfortunately, I don’t think it will freeze well (but so glad you like it)!
Amazing. So simple and tastes great. I’ll never buy ceasar dressing again. Thank you so much.
Everyone raves about this recipe! Honestly it works even if you don’t use the anchovie paste! It become a tradition to make it for all family gatherings.
Perfect!!!!!
Tastes great! Much better than store bought
I’ve made this dressing for several family and friend get togethers and I always get asked for this recipe. I am a self-proclaimed salad connoisseur, I order them out about half the time. And this caesar dressing is one of the best, if not THE best. I’m also Italian. The only thing I do is use yellow mustard instead of dijon because I don’t love it, but I’ve made it both ways and it’s delicious. And I heavily pepper. Thank you for sharing!
Delicious, easy to make, and I already had all the ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator. I’m never buying store bought Caesar dressing again.
Make this all the time and my family and friends love it ! My granddaughter is 13 and enjoys making this dressing !
Delicious! Added about 2 T of 1/2 & 1/2 to thin it a bit. So good!