Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
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My family loves this rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s not overly garlicky or fishy — it’s just right.
Though most people buy Caesar salad dressing in a bottle, homemade is incredibly easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought. There are many variations, but this rich and creamy version is the one my whole family loves. It’s not too garlicky and not too fishy – it’s just right. Unlike authentic Caesar dressings which are made with olive oil and thickened with raw eggs, this one has a mayonnaise base, which means you don’t have to worry if you’re squeamish about raw eggs. My kids love this dressing so much that they’ve learned to make it themselves. They don’t even wait for me to make a salad; while I cook dinner, they sit at the kitchen table with a big heart of romaine and dip the leaves in.
This recipe is part of my classic salad dressing collection, which includes go-to recipes for oil and vinegar based dressings, like vinaigrette and balsamic vinaigrette, as well as creamy dressings, such as buttermilk ranch dressing and blue cheese dressing, which are typically made with mayonnaise and dairy products.
What You’ll Need To Make Caesar Salad Dressing
Instead of whole anchovies, I use anchovy paste — makes it 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!)
For the cheese, it’s important to use imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy; domestic Parmesan pales in comparison. You can always tell if it’s authentic 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.”
Step-by-Step Instructions
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.
The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week. For a main course Caesar, try pairing this with my best grilled chicken. Enjoy!
Caesar Salad Dressing Video Tutorial
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Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
My family loves this rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s not overly garlicky or fishy — it’s just right.
Ingredients
- 2 small garlic cloves, 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 Real
- 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. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week.
- Note: Anchovy paste can be found near the canned tuna in the supermarket.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: About 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 184
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Sugar: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 296mg
- Cholesterol: 13mg
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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Thank you for posting this recipe. It’s just perfect!!!
Simply the BEST caesar salad dressing I have ever tasted. Every time I make it, everyone asks for the recipe and website! The number one comment heard is this tastes better that any Caesar I have had in any restaurant. Also, lasts for a long time stored in glass Pyrex in fridge. AWESOME!
Fabulous!
This is the best recipe! Better than any restaurant dressing and way better than any bottled caesar!!! Will use it over and over again! Thanks for the recipe!
BEST EVER! & Thank you for introducing me anchovy paste! Even my husband devoured it and now requests it every time we do caesar salad ha. I finally told him there is anchovy in it and to my surprise doesn’t mind one bit 😉 this is a keeper for life. I don’t change or modify a single thing.
Fabulous. I have to make a batch every Sunday and we use it for Caesar Salad but any leftover for dip.
Love it! I subbed Greek yogurt for half the mayo to cut back on calories a little. Otherwise followed recipe exactly.
Hands down my favorite Caesar dressing! I’ve made it several times in the past year and it never disappoints. I actually think it tastes better than dressings I’ve had at restaurants.
Delicious dressing! No more store bought for me 😊
There is mayonnaise in this recipe, that’s all you need to know.
Also anyone who says ‘If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”’ Shouldn’t be trusted…. Like…. what?
Oil and raw eggs is mayonnaise
Maybe you should actually try it before leaving a negative review?
Best Caesar salad dressing recipe yet! I have passed along the URL to your recipe numerous times. 🙂
I made this but it was so very salty. I tried everything to doctor it but I ended up throwing it out and made it again. It was better the second time. I feel the addition of 1/8 tsp salt should be removed from recipe. There’s plenty of salt already in most of the ingredients and I’m surprised I’m the only one who feels this way. If there’s a reduced-salt option, please let me know. Overall, the dressing was very good & everyone was very impressed.
I forgot to mention this: I omitted the salt on the second batch. You can always add more salt on your individual salad.
I finally bought some anchovy paste and tried your recipe. It was perfect! And it gave me enough for a Caesar Salad for lunch later that week.
I made this tonight for some Caesar chicken wraps and omg, it’s perfect.
So delicious and easy. Thanks for this great recipe!
This recipe delivered in every great way! I used anchovies to make anchovy paste (my grocery pickup wouldn’t let me pick up the paste) and got the authentic Parmesan-Reggiano. I followed the recipe exactly and it is amazing!
Thank you, Jennifer!
I made this dressing for the first time and it is very thick. What should I thin it with?
Nancy K.
You can thin it with some water. Just be careful to add a little at a time. Hope you enjoy!
I would thin it with more lemon juice. You can never go wrong with that.
Made as instructed aftertaste was SOOO mayoey. Added 1/3c parm and tbsp lemon and perfect
Easy, good, genuine caesar character. I used Fresh Gourmet Crispy Beets in lieu of croutons. Added lovely color and a bit less fat. Otherwise followed the dressing recipe to the letter.
Good shit. Recommend.
There is nothing to change in this recipe. It is everyones requested dressing and most shared.
I do make it ahead of time so everything mingles together nicely.
This dressing turned out really good. My husband asked for a homemade Caesar salad and this was so easy. The only thing I missed was some bacon bits! Maybe next time.
I used fermented Thai anchovie juice.
Aka fish sauce
Love this dressing! My son is a fan of Chopt Chicken Caesar salad. So he uses your dressing to recreate his favorite dish. He takes romaine lettuce (washed, torn), black beans (washed and drained), corn (we like Trader Joe’s roasted frozen corn, defrosted), leftover cooked and chopped chicken breast, 4 blend Mexican cheese, crushed tortilla chips and your caesar dressing. Mix well. He crushes extra tortilla chips for top. Delicious and saves us from spending lots more for take out.
The cheese is shredded.
Another perfect Once Upon a Chef recipe. I look at this site for a recipe before googling it these days; I don’t think I’ve ever had one that wasn’t near perfection. Thanks Jen for all
Your hard work- you’re a true master!
Wow, that sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Delicious! I used Asian fish sauce (which I was always have in my cupboard) instead of anchovy paste. Also added a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.
loved it! so simple and so tasty! and love the fact that it’s mayonnaise-based so I dont have to worry about raw egg…thanks a lot!
Have made this several times and when visiting my daughter always make it a couple of times. Love the fact that there is no raw egg and all the ingredients are already on hand.
Would love to freeze a batch for her. Will freezing compromise the mayo?
Glad you like this! Unfortunately, I don’t think it would freeze very well — sorry!
Basically, just have to just keep some in the fridge at all times.
Luv it! I made this and my son who used to cook for a living, thought I had bought it at our favorite restaurant! I added a bit more mustard, lemon juice and anchovy and it was perfect for my tastes. I like the fact that it’s mayonnaise based. Awesome Awesome recipe! Thank you for sharing it!
You can stop your search for homemade caesar salad dressing. I’ve made this many, many times and the recipe is perfect – everybody loves it!
Hi when it says a cup of, what size cup are you using?
Hi Benni, I see from your email that you are in the UK. The cup of mayo in the recipe is a dry measuring cup we use in the US. You’ll need 240 grams of mayo. Hope that clarifies!
Can you leave out the anchovy paste?
If you’re a bit squeamish about anchovies/anchovy paste, I’d encourage you to just hold your nose and add it in; I think the dressing needs it to taste like the real deal! That said, a few readers have commented that they’ve omitted it and have still been happy with the results.
I love this recipe. It’s the best one I’ve found on the webs and I make it frequently.
I once had only half the needed amount of lemon juice so I substituted the other half with red wine vinegar and it still turned out great.
The parm and anchovy makes the dressing plenty salty for my taste so I leave out the added salt.
TIP: If the anchovy paste remaining in the tube needs to be stored longer-term, a handy way to freeze it is to lay down a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper and squeeze out little 1-tsp-sized dollops of the paste onto the paper, spacing them at least 1 inch apart and making sure to leave enough empty room on the paper for it to be folded over to cover all the dollops. With the dollops sandwiched between the two layers of paper, flatten them into discs and then fold up the package and pop it in a freezer bag. Then the frozen dollops of anchovy paste can be used a teaspoon at a time as needed.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for that info. Makes perfect sense.
Hands down fabulous!
Your Caesar recipe has changed my culinary life! OK, sounds dramatic, but it really has been an amazing journey with this one. We first tried it several years ago and loved it. We’ve been making it for years and we pass it on to friends and family around the world. When people ask how to make it, I just say “go online to find Once Upon a Chef, Simple Caesar!” We have made many variations, but your recipe is the classic. I might add a touch more anchovy paste or Worcestershire, but the key I have always found is making sure I use that freshly squeezed lemon! We often add roasted pine nuts to the salad and find that that the dressing is a perfect compliment to their flavor. My wife loves the dressing so much that we’ve taken to using it on baby Kale, since that “traps” even more dressing in the nooks and crannies and the firm texture stands up to my wife’s “wet” amount of dressing. I’m pretty sure my now-adult daughters have made this recipe in many countries around the globe, whenever they can find the ingredients! Thanks for a recipe that is now a family staple.
I pinned this recipe a couple of years ago (I know!) and FINALLY made it this week. WOW!!! We have a new go-to – no more store bought dressing for us! Comes together in literally two minutes. The flavor is so perfectly balanced and gets even better the next day. Wishing I had made it sooner but so glad I finally did!
Outstanding recipe and so fast to come together. Perfect exactly as written.
This is now a new family favorite! So creamy and flavorful. I discovered that the trick to finding anchovy paste was to look in the canned meat section of the supermarket. And also, I triple the amount of garlic for a unique garlicky Cesar. Yum!
didn’t have garlic (used garlic powder), only had vegenaisse, then forgot to put the parmesan in…”This is delicious!” is what I got back 🙂 from the wife! I have been trying Caesar salad for a while and I’ve pinned your recipe to the wall
Love this recipe. I used anchovies because its my treat.
I make a “classic” Caesar for the adults in my household, but scrambled to look for a kid-friendly version without raw egg when my bottle of Newman’s ran out. Made this for the kids, and liked it so much that I don’t bother making 2 different versions anymore! I made the recipe exactly as written the first time, but then made a few modifications afterwards. I use plain Greek yogurt instead of the mayo, and thin with a little water to get the consistency I like. That’s all!
Amazing taste and easy to make. Love it!
Great recipe! A keeper!
Our family loves homemade salad dressing and this one will be our go to for Caesar salad! We loved it!
Super easy and tastes great!
Oh my goodness this is delicious!!AND so easy! I could not find anchovy paste so I just bought anchovies in oil and made a paste myself! This will be my go to Caesar dressing from now on!!
Just loved this…had it on romaine with chicken and home made croutons for lunch…so good. Jenn, why can’t it last longer in the fridge as all the ingredients are fridge friendly? I made a half recipe, but it is not something I want to eat every day until gone. Question 2, once my anchovy paste tube is half gone, it becomes so hard to squeeze it out. I use Roland brand and believe me, I struggled this morning to get it out of the tube. Is there a secret to it? Thanks again for another winner.
Hi Carol, It may very well last for longer than a week, but I’ve only kept it for that long and I try to err on the conservative side on the blog so no one gets sick. 🙂 You could certainly experiment with keeping it a bit longer though. And I don’t have any great tips for squeezing the paste out of the tube other than just starting at the bottom (kind of like a tube of toothpaste and as it gets low, using the counter edge to push the contents toward the opening.) Hope that helps!
actually, pushed it all up, folded up the bottom so it could not work it’s way back down…that seemed to help
I just made this for a cottage weekend to go with our steaks. It’s going to be YUM. I used my mini food processor – super easy to make and tastes amazing! I added a little extra garlic coz that makes everything better 😉 Thanks Jenn!
Where is the recipe please thank you Susan
Hi Susan, Scroll to the very top of the reviews and immediately above that, click on the word “recipe.” That will show you the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
I made this dressing last night to rave reviews. I was out of anchovy paste so I substituted fish sauce. I used 1/3 cup of mayonnaise and 1/3 cup of olive oil, thus reducing the “fat” by 1/3 cup.
The dressing was creamy and did not overwhelm the romaine. Delicious! I try different Caesar salad dressings on a monthly basis (with coddled eggs and without, but I won’t be trying any others now.
Carrol H.
The best I’ve had!
Wonderful and easy to make.
This is the best Caesar dressing I have had. I made it with Hellman’s 1/2 the Fat mayo. I made it first without the anchovy Paste (did not have any). It did not taste the same without it so I had to get it and add it to the dressing. Made it perfect tasting. Thank you for the recipe.
Easy and delicious. I used to make the egg/oil one, but it always felt like a lot of work. This is an amazing alternative, and it was really delicious. We used half kale/half romaine to up the nutritional content and homemade croutons for that freshness, and it was honestly delightful. I went back for third helpings!
Once you make this dressing, you’ll be making it once a week. It’s amazing and delicious. My favourite of all time! Thank you for posting it!
I made it exactly as written and my daughter, granddaughter, and I LOVED this recipe….AS IS. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Excellent Dressing. I wish I had this recipe sooner.
Simply the best and easiest Caesar dressing! My family loves this, and we make up a batch just about every week. Good quality Parmesan makes all the difference and balances out the other flavors perfectly. Thanks for a great recipe!
It was really tasty
I’m so glad I found this recipe! Best Caesar dressing I’ve ever had and so easy to make. Thank you!
So easy! Always have the ingredients on hand – SO MUCH BETTER than store bought!
I’ve made this several times now and we absolutely love it. The best Caesar dressing we’ve made and better than most restaurants! If I want it a little thinner I reduce the mayo and add a bit of olive oil. Perfect either way!