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 added a tsp each of horseradish ,fish sauce and grainy mustard. Took it up a notch for sure! Great and simple recipe thanks
Why only a refrigerator shelf life for 3 to 4 days?
Hi Lauren, it may very well last longer than 3 to 4 days but I always err on the shorter side when telling people how long it will keep as I want to be conservative from a food safety standpoint.
This is my good go-to dressing (recipe)!!! I think it’s better than most restaurant caesar dressings. I use all the ingredients, but may add more garlic, Worcestershire sauce, or lemon juice. Just depend on my taste buds that day. I also use the dressing for other salads. So good that I don’t hesitate sharing the recipe with others. Thank you Jenn for sharing it.
This is the BEST Caesar dressing we have EVER had! Better then any restaurant or bottled!
Absolutely amazing! I’m never buying Caesar dressing again! I love that there’s no sugar!! 👏🏻 So quick and easy! Fantastic on grilled lettuce!!
Amazing Caesar dressing! I made this today for lunch and the only change was to substitute Fish Sauce for the Anchovy paste. I did not have the Anchovy paste and on Google this was listed as a sub. Next time I will use the paste, but I cannot imagine this dressing could be any better. We all loved it and plan to make a double batch later this week. Thank you!
Made this the other day and it is incredible. It’s hard to say if it’s the best Cesar dressing I’ve tasted but it’s the best in a Long time. I will say that it’s better the next day so make it early and allow it to mellow.
Made this tonight and soooo good and simple! Thanks Jenn!! Great as usual 💕
Wow! I am obsessed with this dressing! I made it the other day for a reception to serve 70-80 people. It was SO good and so easy. I had to make a few adjustments based on what I had: I used canned anchovies fillets, not the paste (the paste would have been easier). I used pre-grated parmesan cheese (the more expensive kind) because I didn’t have time to grate all that cheese, and the Parmigiano Reggiano was too expensive for the budget I was working with. I was bummed that I forgot to bring the Worshestire sauce so I panicked and put in about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Even with those changes, it turned out so good. I think I put a little too much dressing on the lettuce because it was so good. I got a lot of compliments on the salad and I plan to make it again at the end of the month for an even bigger crowd. I had about a cup of dressing left over and I am fighting with myself not to eat it with a spoon right out of the jar. I’ll have to wait for dinner so I can make another salad just to eat the dressing! THANKS SO MUCH for such a great recipe!
Love it
I make it with vega mayo for my daughter and no cheese. Still tastes great
Make sure to leave out Worcestershire for vegans too! What a recipe. Loved it. Used half yoghurt half Mayo. Used seedy Dijon and anchovy fillets but blended it so you would never know!