Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
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This homemade Caesar salad dressing is rich, creamy, and so much better than store-bought. Toss it with crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, and plenty of Parmesan for a classic Caesar salad everyone loves.
There are countless Caesar dressing recipes out there, but this is the version my whole family loves. It’s rich and creamy, and not too garlicky or too fishy—it’s just right.
Unlike traditional Caesar dressing, which is made with olive oil and thickened with raw egg, this version has a mayonnaise base, making it perfect for anyone who’d rather not eat raw eggs. My kids love it so much that they’ve learned to make it themselves. They don’t even wait for me to make a salad; while I’m cooking dinner, they’ll sit at the kitchen table with a big heart of romaine and dip the leaves right into the dressing.
“Without a doubt, this is the best Caesar salad recipe I have found and I’m 73 years old!”
What You’ll Need To Make Caesar Salad Dressing
- Anchovy paste: Instead of whole anchovies, paste makes the recipe 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!)
- Mayonnaise: Used in place of the raw egg and oil found in traditional Caesar dressing; gives this version a rich, creamy texture. Use Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: You can always tell if it’s authentic from Italy 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.”
- Fresh lemon juice: This brightens the rich dressing and balances the Parmesan and mayonnaise. Freshly squeezed makes a noticeable difference.
- Garlic: Caesar dressing needs garlic, but it can easily take over. This recipe uses just enough to give the dressing a little bite without overpowering the other flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Caesar Dressing
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. That’s all there is to it! The dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for about a week. Keep in mind that it will thicken as it chills; if it’s too thick, simply whisk in a teaspoon or two of water until it reaches your desired consistency.
How to Make Caesar Salad
Place chopped romaine in a large bowl and add just enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Toss well, then add homemade croutons and freshly grated or shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve it as is, or turn it into a main course by topping it with grilled chicken, salmon, steak, or shrimp.
Video Tutorial
More Salad Dressings You’ll Love
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, then serve or refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Anchovy paste can be found near the canned tuna in the supermarket.
- Storage: The dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for about a week and will thicken as it chills. If needed, whisk in a teaspoon or two of water to thin it to your desired consistency.
- To make a Caesar salad: Toss chopped romaine with enough dressing to generously coat the leaves. Add homemade croutons and freshly grated or shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, and toss again. Serve immediately.
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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This recipe is fantastic, creative and stupid easy! What I especially love about it is that you are using mayonnaise (which we always have on hand) as the base, and that you can add garlic and especially anchovy paste to taste. The anchovy paste is a classic taste that you will never find in a store bought salad dressing, and adds that classic zip to the salad.
I use this not only as a salad dressing, but as a dip for fresh cut veggies. The super creaminess of the mayonnaise sticks wonderfully to celery sticks etc., so no surprises when you are noshing in your good clothes before dinner!
I’ve not bought a prepared Caesar dressing since finding this recipe. Thanks so much for this fun, easy and delicious alternative to ho-hum store bought dressing.
Only ceasar dressing I will EVER use…..
This is the way it’s supposed to taste…
Thank you..thank you
This is the most delicious dressing and the sole reason my house is never without anchovy paste. I follow the directions exactly and am never disappointed with my Caesar Salad
I have been searching for the perfect, creamy caesar and now I have found it! This is so easy and I love that it makes enough to have extra in the fridge for a week.
This Caesar Salad Dressing is by far the best I have ever tasted. Not only is it delicious, it is so quick to make. I have made several difference Caesar Dressings and this is just perfect!!! No food processor required!! Thank you Jenn!!
I had been wanting a recipe for Caesar dressing that didn’t use a raw egg. This was perfect! We like our Caesar with more of an anchovy flavor ,so I added some whole ones that I crushed with a mortar and pestle.
I loved this easy to make dressing. I added leftover chicken and made it meal
This is absolutely the BEST Caesar dressing ever! I’ve made it for several years and have given jars for gifts to friends. Everyone has loved it!
I absolutely love your Ceasar salad dressing. It is so easy to make and hands down the best Ceasar salad dressing I have ever tasted. I love garlic and when I make it for myself I can add as much as I like. YUM YUM
Lucy M
Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
Love love love this dressing! So quick and easy to make and the whole family loves it! For the last year and a half I’ve made this weekly for my daughter’s boyfriend to take with him to his college apartment. This dressing is how you get a college student to eat salad every day!