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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I made grilled chicken last night and was looking for something other than the sides I had.Made the dressing and drizzled this delicious Caesar dressing on top! Amazing!
I can’t have eggs, soy, or dairy as I have developed allergies to those in adulthood but I LOVE Caesar salad. I saw this recipe and decided to try using allergy friendly substitutes and it turned out amazing!!!!! All I did was substitute Best Foods Vegan Mayo for the regular Mayo and Follow Your Heart Vegan Grated Parmesan for the regular parmesan. I did leave out the mustard bc I didn’t have it on hand but it was still amazing!
Wow perfect dressing ,you won’t be disappointed
re Note: Anchovy Paste cannot ne found near the canned fish at Sobeys. It was in the meat department in the fish section by the Salted Cod, and Crab Flavoured Pollock. It says right on the tube to keep refrigerated. Looking forward to trying this recipe real soon.
I was skeptical of all the 5 stars, but it’s totally a 5 star. Delicious
Love starting w mayo!! I always have dukes in the fridge… so easy peasy now I have anchovy paste!!!
I want to thank you for sharing this!!! I’m a self taught( of course with the help of friends and now online chefs) cook and love learning new international recipes as we have friends from all over the earth! However I haven’t had a Caesar salad in many years. Started craving one and nearby restaurants with excellent dressing have closed down(so sad).SO… here we are. This was so simple and few dishes used to make it! I use manchego ( sheeps milk) in place of the parm-reg b/c we prefer it and my children have cows milk intolerance . I added a t of lemon zest and a lil more garlic and cracked pepper.child still at home LOVES it— it is SO good and just what I have been craving! Thank you thank you! Can’t wait to share with friends and tell them about where I found it!
Love this.
This is a fantastic recipe and it works with or without anchovies (for those with allergies) but I’m totally for using anchovy fillets and making them into a paste with salt. It always comes out quite thick and I didn’t know if this was intentional but I love it cuz it can be used as a dipping sauce and if I need it thinner I just add a little bit of water. This really is my go-to recipe. Thank you for sharing it!
Finally found the best Caesar dressing!! This is easy and so rich and creamy. Followed it to a tee and did not waver!! Last weekend I made it with a pasta/Caesar salad and the family requested AGAIN this weekend for Easter brunch!!! Great job Jennifer!!
I love how you said you made it to the tee and did not waver, I’ve seen soooo many comments where it’s stated they like or don’t like a recipe, and oh by the way I added this and that and didn’t have x so substituted y and wonder why it wasn’t so great!! Lol, I’m getting ready to make it to the tee, made sure I have all ingredients!!! I’ll bet it’s great!
My girls love this dressing and a hit whenever I make it for friends and family! Thank you for sharing!
Amazing easy recipe