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
Ingredients
- 2 small cloves garlic, 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 or Duke's
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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Delicious! …and so easy to prepare.
MAYO?!?! eek.
Oh you’re okay, you can do what you like. Make all of your own dressing from extra scratch and everyone is super impressed for sure, me included!
But… this recipe is a life saver when I’ve had one hundred other things to do and I couldn’t go to the store. I had everything on hand, I split the he mayo with half Greek yogurt and it was lovely, saved my dinner. Thank you!!
Excellent recipe. Yum!!!
Hey Karen of foods, don’t knock it before you try it. It’s actually really damn delicious. Props to the chef lady 😉
My favorite Caesar dressing, it’s the only one I make. So good!
This is the BEST caesar dressing, by far. Nothing you can buy in-store even comes close. Literally the only recipe I’ll use. It’s perfection.
Very nice dressing, but I don’t think it needed salt. Maybe because I added 2 anchovies?
For my taste the extra anchovies are the way to go.
Yes, I want to use achovies, too. Do you also use the Anchovie paste? Or, add a third anchovy in its place?
Excellent recipe and gorgeous flavour. I used anchovies as I had a few in the freezer left over from a ragu. Delighted I didn’t have to faff around with an egg!
For me, 1/4 teaspoon of salt made it way too salty. It would have been very good if not for that.
Folks, unless you’re eating a dressing or vinaigrette straight from the bowl, such a recipe should lean on the too-salty side. This is because it’s this single component that will be seasoning your entire salad; so in the end, everything will be in perfect balance. If this component is instead perfectly balanced on its own, it will make for a very bland salad when its flavors and salt level are spread across a bunch of watery veggies (romaine lettuce is 95% water, after all).
Jenn, I’ve never been steered wrong by you, and this is yet another keeper that I’ve added to my recipe box. Thank you! <3
I agree I make my own vinegrette and I always think it’s too salty until I taste it on the salad. Also my family loves this dressing!
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
From JenniferSegal is absolutely delicious, amazing and easy!
Our new favorite dressing
Has the perfect texture and a nice kick to it.