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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The search is over! For years I’ve been trying to replicate the delicious Caesar dressing they serve at my favorite restaurant with no success…until now! This is actually BETTER! I make it at least every two weeks and am eating way more salads (which was my goal). The grandkids love it too so that’s a win. I follow the recipe exactly except I use 1/2 the amount of FRESHLY GRATED Parmesan cuz it seemed too thick and I like to add more on top of the finished salad. (NEVER use the horrible chalky Parm you get in a container). Left out the anchovy paste the first time cuz I thought it would be gross but it was too bland. Been adding the paste ever since. It doesn’t taste fishy…just adds a depth of flavor that gives it the authentic Caesar taste. Well done, you!
I’m so glad I found this recipe!! I’ve tried so many bottled Caesar dressings and couldn’t find one that I actually enjoyed. This tastes so amazing and authentic, not to mention incredibly easy to make. I’ll be making this from now on!
Great recipe. Used pre-grated parmesan instead. It didn’t stick as well as restaurant style but it tasted great.
Excellent recipe. I admit, I usually swap out half the mayo for greek yogurt, and thin it out a little with water, (and maybe add a little extra anchovy paste 🙂 but I’ve made this recipe numerous times. It is my go to for Caesar Salad dressing.
I actually got the chills when I tasted it! Superb!
This made me laugh! Glad you liked it. 😊
This was amazing! Don’t think I will ever buy store-bought again.
This is an excellent dressing! I made it almost exactly as written. I was out of garlic cloves and used the equivalent in garlic powder. I also didn’t have anchovy paste and used miso in its place. My husband liked it as much as I did. I’ll definitely be making it again. It’s a keeper – and I’m fussy about cream-style dressings.
Totally agree! I use garlic powder as well when I don’t have fresh or want to save a step. Good call on the miso! I’ve used anchovy paste in recipes that call for miso so it makes sense you could do it the other way around.
I was in a pinch…Caesar Salad and no dressing…I found your recipe and I had every ingredient but anchovy paste which I substituted with Asian Fish Sauce…basically liquid anchovy.
It came out perfect! Better tasting than the heavy commercial vinegar stuff.
14 years later…lol
I love Jenn’s recipes and this one was excellent as expected.
Easy to make, so good. I made a large batch and ate it for a week. So much better than the bottled stuff.
My friends had it and loved it too.
Bland. Needs less lemon, real anchovy fillets, and double the garlic. The idea is good but lacks flavour.
I have made Jenn’s Caesar salad dressing more times than I can count. I do leave out the anchovy paste because even the small amount I can still taste. This recipe is sublime and full of wonderful flavor. Highly recommend!