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’m in the UK. Do you have a weight for ‘a cup’, please?
I usually buy caesar dressing and am keen to make my own. I grow my own lettuce and make my own croutons 🙂
Thanks
Hi Jane, I believe 1 cup of mayonnaise is about 8 ounces.
Hi Jenn
I made this yesterday and will never again buy ready made caesar dressing – even though I always used to buy fresh! It was delicious, as expected. I didn’t have anchovy paste and so used one anchovy from tinned anchovies in olive oil (I halved the recipe). Many thanks 🙂
This Ceasar dressing is outstanding! Husband liked it so I will be making this again, but trying to half the recipe.
How long will this keep in the fridge? Week?
Nevermind! Just saw your reply below! Thanks:) made it Friday night-eating what’s left tonight!! Yum!
Fantastic! Even my 78 year old Italian mother sheepishly said she preferred it to her “traditional” (with the raw egg) caesar dressing! Compares to Flemings Caesar dressing…just add pan seared prosciutto and done!
I’m living in Germany at the moment, just entering the common (I’m told) time where the honeymoon of living overseas is over and everything is just wrong for a bit! I love to cook and the food here is awesome, but some stuff I miss so much! I would run a marathon if there were real fresh jalepenos at the other end. Considering actually swimming the channel for some decent cheddar. And last night I. Just. Wanted. Caesar. Salad. Salad dressing isn’t a big thing over here in general, and it’s only the rare specialty shop where you can find a suspiciously watery bottle labeled “American Caesar.”
So I made your recipe last night and I just about cried because it was perfect and delicious and for a second I felt home 🙂
Would it be okay if I linked to you in my blog?
Thanks again! Yum!
So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth! It’s fine to share/link.
Jenn once again, Thank you for another amazing recipe. I had an invitation to a prime rib dinner. My friend requested I make a salad for this special celebration. The pressure was on! I immediately referred to you for help. I went with your Caesar Salad. Without question it was a GREAT addition to the meal. I appreciate your additional input concerning the portions to allow for a large group. There were nine guests and your estimations were on the money. (2 cups of Roman per person) I used the full recipe to dress the salad and also took you advice in using Whole Foods in house croutons.
Glad it worked out, Carol!
Best dressing of all time, have made it repeatedly and the whole family adores it.
THIS IS THE BEST CAESAR DRESSING EVER EVERYONE ENJOYED IT. I WILL BE MAKING THIS FROM NOW ON. THANKS FOR ALL THOSE WHO SENT SUGGESTIONS.
Excellent taste and enjoyed by all. Makes enough for at least 2 salads. Keeps well in fridge.
Excellent recipe! I got tired of the store dressings and wanted something fresher tasting. The dressing was a big hit. The only change I made was to cut the salt in half.