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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Calling this home made with hellmans mayonnaise is pretty silly. If you make your own dressing, do it from scratch. Make your own mayonnaise.
WOW Love this recipe Delicious and easy
OMG, finally a great tasting dressing that we have been looking for.
Forget about store brand, make this and you won’t regret it.
This was absolutely delicious! This is my go to recipe from now on.
This has quickly become a family favorite! We double up on the mustard, Worcestershire Sauce and anchovy paste. And I “cheat” by using Trader Joe’s minced garlic — two heaping tea spoons. Also TJ’s shredded Parmesan. It’s going in the recipe collection I’m making for kiddo who goes off to college in 2 years. 😀
Great idea! Ill have to try that. Was too much mayo for my son
This took under 5 minutes, used household staples, and came out perfectly balanced. Never buying Caesar dressing again!
This is probably one of THE best Caesar dressings that I have add. I will definitely be making this my go to dressing. Thank you for sharing!!!!! 10 stars worthy.
The search is over! For years I’ve been trying to replicate the delicious Caesar dressing they serve at my favorite restaurant with no success…until now! This is actually BETTER! I make it at least every two weeks and am eating way more salads (which was my goal). The grandkids love it too so that’s a win. I follow the recipe exactly except I use 1/2 the amount of FRESHLY GRATED Parmesan cuz it seemed too thick and I like to add more on top of the finished salad. (NEVER use the horrible chalky Parm you get in a container). Left out the anchovy paste the first time cuz I thought it would be gross but it was too bland. Been adding the paste ever since. It doesn’t taste fishy…just adds a depth of flavor that gives it the authentic Caesar taste. Well done, you!
I’m so glad I found this recipe!! I’ve tried so many bottled Caesar dressings and couldn’t find one that I actually enjoyed. This tastes so amazing and authentic, not to mention incredibly easy to make. I’ll be making this from now on!
Great recipe. Used pre-grated parmesan instead. It didn’t stick as well as restaurant style but it tasted great.
Excellent recipe. I admit, I usually swap out half the mayo for greek yogurt, and thin it out a little with water, (and maybe add a little extra anchovy paste 🙂 but I’ve made this recipe numerous times. It is my go to for Caesar Salad dressing.
I actually got the chills when I tasted it! Superb!
This made me laugh! Glad you liked it. 😊
This was amazing! Don’t think I will ever buy store-bought again.
This is an excellent dressing! I made it almost exactly as written. I was out of garlic cloves and used the equivalent in garlic powder. I also didn’t have anchovy paste and used miso in its place. My husband liked it as much as I did. I’ll definitely be making it again. It’s a keeper – and I’m fussy about cream-style dressings.
Totally agree! I use garlic powder as well when I don’t have fresh or want to save a step. Good call on the miso! I’ve used anchovy paste in recipes that call for miso so it makes sense you could do it the other way around.
I was in a pinch…Caesar Salad and no dressing…I found your recipe and I had every ingredient but anchovy paste which I substituted with Asian Fish Sauce…basically liquid anchovy.
It came out perfect! Better tasting than the heavy commercial vinegar stuff.
14 years later…lol
I love Jenn’s recipes and this one was excellent as expected.
Easy to make, so good. I made a large batch and ate it for a week. So much better than the bottled stuff.
My friends had it and loved it too.
Bland. Needs less lemon, real anchovy fillets, and double the garlic. The idea is good but lacks flavour.
I have made Jenn’s Caesar salad dressing more times than I can count. I do leave out the anchovy paste because even the small amount I can still taste. This recipe is sublime and full of wonderful flavor. Highly recommend!
Super delicious- came together in less than 5 minutes. I was searching for things to dip in it before I even used it on the salad. I’m not opposed to using egg- but it wasn’t necessary or missed. Delicious!
I have yet to try one of your recipes that isn’t a hit- you’re my ‘go-to’ site when I am looking for inspiration. Your website layout is so easy to navigate, the photo of the ingredients is very helpful to scan quickly and make sure I have everything in the kitchen, suggestions for pairings, everything- just love it! I think I’ve repeated everything at least once I’ve tried. Thank you, Jenn!
💜
This recipe is ludicrously good. I’ve never had a Caesar salad better than this.
Love this dressing recipe! I just add a little more lemon juice to thin it out but my weekly go to dressing and the teenager loves it which is a plus!
I have tried a few different homemade Caesar dressings. This is by far the best. I did add a little more Worcestershire. I was not able to find the anchovy paste so I crushed some anchovies and added. So good!
Everyone I’ve introduced to this dressing just loves it and requests the recipe. I turn them on to your website and tell them you just can’t go wrong with Jenn’s recipes. Thanks so much for this outstanding Caesar dressing.
This recipe is good but I prefer eggs instead of mayo in mine.
Fantastic! Couldn’t believe it but this easy peasy recipe is the best!! Thank you ♥️
Absolutely perfect. I was looking for a Caesar dressing similar to when you go to a high end steak restaurant and order a Caesar salad. This is so good and so easy to make. Yum
This dressing is absolutely amazing and delicious! I don’t care if it’s authentic or not, it’s just so darn good. So rich and flavorful. The only caution I have is don’t add too much salt. The paste and cheese are plenty salty enough. Also, I used Romano cheese and it was perfect.
Anchovy paste and no egg yolk? This was a very lackluster caesar salad dressing.
First time making Caesar dressing and this was DELICIOUS and so easy! Thank you 🙂
Thank you. I’ve tinkered around with a few different recipes but this one…WOW! Amazing. This will be my new go to over store bought anytime. Thank you again. Cheers!
Loved this dressing, I didn’t have lemon & substituted with cuties, plus added 1 extra garlic clove, didn’t have the cheese unfortunately but used parmesean powder, next time I’ll use free cheese as you recommended. Was a tad thick & added a bit of good quality extra virgin olive oil. It still tastes great, can only imagine if I had ALL the right ingredients it would be fantastic…love, love all your recipes, totally satisfies my taste buds & I’m picky…lol
OMG I am freaking out this has been my family’s go to caesar dressing recipe for years. It is a hit every time. We have it printed in our Favorites recipe box and pull it out over and over again. Just can’t say enough good things about this dressing recipe! Ok my dream is to have this recipe printed on the inside of a large beautiful salad bowl where my family will cherish and pass down to future generations! Anyway, I made your fresh strawberry cake today and that was soooooo delicious, I was printing that recipe to add to our Favorites box. I thought to myself, “where have I seen once upon a chef…?” THE CAESAR DRESSING RECIPE!! Oh my gosh my mind and heart exploded. I can’t believe you’re the same person!!! You are so talented!!! I’m getting your cookbook. I can’t wait to read that! I can’t wait cause these two recipes I’ve tried so far are 100% amazing food. Thank you for all that you do Jenn!!! <3<3<3
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All Jenn Segal’s recipes I’ve tried have been amazing & the flavors are incredible!
Thanks Jenn for sharing, I’ve got to order your book 📖😀!
Damn, Girl—
You did it again! (Starry-eyed emoji )
i’m sure you were trying to save us time by using anchovy paste as an ingredient, and I appreciate your suggestion where to find it in the store, but I have been to multiple stores and can’t find it. Getting frustrated. Is there a way to incorporate anchovies instead of the paste? Thank you so much!
Sorry to hear you’ve had a problem finding anchovy paste! You can use whole anchovies – just mash them into a paste before incorporating (and I’d start with 2 anchovies). Hope you enjoy!
I enjoyed this. I added more garlic, pepper and used capers instead of anchovies.
Jen: Excellent recipe for a quick and easy Caesar dressing! Picked up ingredients on way home from work, whipped it up for dinner to go with crock pot roast pork, slather in onions and new potatoes——YUMMY!
James C.
This is my go-to recipe. To be fair I don’t really measure anymore but go by the taste of it. I usually add more garlic and anchovy as well as lemon juice. I don’t add salt as the added anchovy does the trick. Sometimes I will even sauté up some additional garlic and add it in with the raw. I find that crushing up the garlic with the anchovy helps add that kick I’m looking for out of a caesar. Well done.
Yes, I use this recipe 😉 — and triple the anchovies (6), double the garlic and the rest pretty much the same, sometimes more. I just made a sandwich out of it, with sourdough toast, and a little bit of butter—So sick, but delicious! If the recipe wasn’t good, couldn’t do these things to it. I’m going to add a broiled chicken breast, next time. A favorite restaurant I used to go to would add a crispy onion ring to all that—and sun dried tomatoes. Don’t like the tomatoes though.
Sorry, I got carried away. The original is delicious, though—I just love >>> more! Thanks for this recipe.
This recipe is so good the family loves it. I have never had the anchovy paste I just use whatever canned fish I have on hand and it’s always delicious.
Ok. I’ve made this three times in the last couple of months and when I tell you people LITERALLY leave asking to take some home with them, I am telling you the truth. This stuff is amazing! I do not alter the recipe at all. I’ve served it on hot and cold sandwiches, as a veggie and chip dip, and as a salad dressing. I add a little water to thin it out as a salad dressing. It’s graced my bougie tea party and my backyard BBQ. Thanks for this easy recipe that is now a staple.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it’s turned out great, this time I used a low quality mayonnaise and it was awful. Definitely only use a good quality mayonnaise!
This is an amazing recipe! Thanks so much for sharing, my family loves this!
I made this exactly as stated last week, and am making a double batch today to take half to my parents. Thank you for a great and perfectly balanced recipe.
Use 1/2 the stated amount of mayonnaise and then it tastes good.
Been using this for several years. Will use it until the day I die. Don’t bother anymore with Caesar’s in restaurants since they inevitably disappoint compared to this dressing. Bravo!
Omg – I regularly eat ceasar salad when out.
This dressing is the best I’ve ever tasted!
Well-done and thank you 😊
Capers baby salt to taste and you can substitute anchovies with anchovy paste !
I made this using whole anchovies and more garlic. It was fabulous. The garlic tamed itself somewhat the next day but it was still full of flavor. This is a keeper recipe!
I’m not sure if anyone actually tried this recipe or if all the reviews are paid. Maybe bots?
What did you not like about this? This is my go-to Caesar recipe, I love it! That being said, I have had many variations of caesar dressing, so maybe this is different than what you usually have?
I use this regularly. I am also a human. My kids really enjoy it. It is not a classic caesar, perhaps, but it is yummy nonetheless
I made this exactly as written. Neither myself nor my husband cared for it. It was by no means, a bad recipe but it just didn’t have that true “Caesar ” kick.
This is our go to Caesar recipe for ALL of my family!! Every family event they want me to bring the Caesar salad for dinner! Love love love!!
I made this dressing yesterday and it was so amazing I am making it again tonight for another salad.
It is perfect and has the right amount of everything. Highly recommended!
I was a little hesitant starting with mayo but damn girl! Amazing Caesar dressing. Perfect amount of kick just great! 👍🏻