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
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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, 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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I’ve always wanted a creamy homemade caesar dressing for grilled romaine lettuce. This was delicious and just what I was looking for. I did use lemon juice from a bottle but will make sure I have fresh lemon for the next batch.
Great tasting dressing, I add a little milk to make it a little more liquid
How did the addition of milk work out?
Hi! I used milk as well to thin it out. 1-2 TB milk was perfect for my liking! It was great!
I’ve made this four times in the last 3 weeks and printed the recipe out twice for family to take home, delicious! I like that leftovers have kept for over a week and I don’t have to worry about raw eggs! Thanks!
Made this tonight. It’s legit. Great recipe. My wife wasn’t having my culinary school one with the raw egg yolks so… 😁👍🏻
This is the best Caesar dressing I have ever had!!!! So easy to make!
This dressing is delicious and, most excellently, safe (using commercial mayonnaise) for pregnant women and those who are immune compromised!
This is a great dressing and I can add more garlic, anchovies, etc. to get the flavor I want or toned down for more sensitive pallets. I make a great dish – angel hair or spaghetti cooked al dente and tossed with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper with some fresh Parmesan cheese then top it with the Caesar salad and grilled sliced chicken breasts. The warm pasta with the crisp cool lettuce and the warm grilled chicken is so good! This dressing is perfect for it. (sometimes I will use grilled swordfish instead of chicken – equally delicious)
This was so so good! I used yellow mustard, Costco shredded parm and whole jarred anchovies, because that’s what I had on hand, and it was still amazing! And so quick! Thank you!!
My friend found this recipe, and between the two of us, we have made it a number of times. Now, I can simply read this recipe and start salivating. Tomorrow I need to run to the store to get more lettuce. I can easily eat a whole head of lettuce with this dressing. It is easily better than my favorite restaurant’s Caesar dressing. Easily 5 stars. Simply amazing.
I don’t normally leave reviews or comments on things but this Caesar dressing was so delicious I had to give credit where it’s due. I didn’t even have anchovy paste (unfortunately), but it was still THAT good, so I can only imagine next time it’ll be even better with the anchovies! This was my 1st time making a dressing at home and I’m glad I went with this recipe as my first choice. Search no longer, this is the real deal. It’s so easy and quick to whip up and amazingly delicious. I can honestly say I will not be buying store Caesar dressing anymore. A huge THANK YOU from me and my husband!
I wish I would have made my own dressing sooner. The best Caesar dressing I have ever eaten. Thank you.
Has anyone ever made this using Greek yogurt?