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 was simple, delicious, and better than anything you will find at the store
It’s an ok dressing. Mayonnaise is not your best choice. It is made with soybean oil and preservatives. Try olive oil and egg yoke
(optional). No more inconvenient than using mayo, authentic.
the reason I wanted to try this recipe is that it does not have eggs.
Have you found a mayo that does not have eggs in it?
Vegenaise is an excellent mayo that doesn’t contain eggs.
Except, of course, if you make your own mayonnaise.
If I don’t have anchovy paste or fish, is there a substitute in a pinch? More Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce?
There’s no perfect substitute for anchovy paste/anchovies. You can omit them; the dressing should still be good but won’t have that traditional Caesar dressing flavor. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Thanks, Jenn, for the reply. I went ahead and added a bit more Worcestershire sauce and about a 1/2 tsp of fish sauce. Also thinned it a bit per your instructions of thinning if desired with water. We enjoyed the dressing but I am anxious to find the anchovy paste and make it again!
This is such a wonderful recipe! As suggested, I used two anchovies and it was perfect. I use Dukes mayonnaise. It has a tang and no added sugar. Thinned the dressing with about 2 tablespoons of water.
Thank you!
No words! This is perfect!! I don’t think I will order Caesar salad from a restaurant again! Yum!! Yum!! Yum!!
Amazing! Will add this into my weekly rotation!
I don’t have anchovy paste, but I do have anchovies! How many anchovies equal 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste?
Hi Catherine, I’d suggest starting with 2 (but if you want more anchovy flavor you can use more). Hope you enjoy!
I FOUND IT! I have bought so many prepared Caesar dressings and am continually disappointed. Was determined to find a genuinely delicious recipe since I cook for a few families and am always wanting to impress them. I guarantee this will do it. I will share this with the family so we can all make this when needed for family events. Thank you for sharing.
I make this all the time. It is genius. It’s the best tasting dressing and comes together with the simplest ingredients. So easy! The anchovy paste makes it! And the tube makes like 3 batches of dressing.
East to make and the best Ceasar dressing I have had in a long, long time!
This was so good! I have been searching for a toasty Caesar dressing for years. I will cease my searching because this recipe is the one I have been looking for. It was delicious!