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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I was fooled into thinking that homemade Ceasar salad dressing is impossible to make…. gosh was this easy! I thought it would be hard to find the anchovy paste too, but it was easy as ever to find at the grocery store. This dressing is delicious. I will never buy Ceasar dressing from the store again!
This is the best Caesar Salad dressing. I’ve tried a few other Caesar dressing recipes but I felt something was off with each one. This one was a crowd pleaser!
Jenn,
Sorry about the misspelling of your name in my 1/27/21 review of your Caesar Salad Dressing!
I attribute it to “auto correct” on my computer, and my lack of proofreading prior to submitting. We’ll see if it happens again in this email.
🙂
This is my go to caesar salad recipe, it’s quick, easy, and tastes as good as any I’ve eaten in fine restaurants. I’ve tried it with light mayonnaise and it holds up well although it isn’t as rich as with a full fat mayonnaise. Highly recommend making a double batch as it’s good for a week. We make a caesar salad one night, as a side dish, then a few nights later, we make chicken caesar wraps (either with leftover grilled chicken or with rotisserie chicken).
I made this for an engagement party of over 80 people. There was plenty of food but this salad was the first thing to go!!!!
This Caesar salad is great. Taste like dressing from one of our favorite Italian restaurants. Dressing is easy to make. I have made this several times.
This is the recipe that circulated amongst all my family and friends many times. I couldn’t keep it secret anymore pretending it to be my own concoction (😜) so decided to share. Since then they are all following your other recipes and rave about them. I have and continue to cook so many of your recipes. Thank you, thank you.
Best dressing ever. Use it all the time.
I would put this recipe up against the best Recipe from any restaurant! I make a new batch every week. I don’t love anchovies so I delete the paste and I add some lemon zest because I adore the fresh lemon taste. I have shared with so many friends and family. A real WINNER!
Delicious dressing! One of the best.
Finally a foolproof recipe as good as my favourite restaurant used to make.
This is so delicious that I am tossing my long-time recipe, which we (and dinner guests) previously considered unbeatable. Zero changes or additions necessary for our tastes.
Thanks for another winner, Jean!
You lost me at ‘Unlike authentic recipes…..”
Best Caesar dressing ever. And I love your book full of delicious recipes.
Super easy (hooray for starting with mayo!) and way better than store bought. A staple in our house!
Each time I make this recipe I love it more than the last time … could eat it by the spoonful 😄
This caesar recipe came out so good!
This is my go to caesar salad recipe from now on. It was so easy to make.
The best for my tastebuds!
Very tasty dressing.
It complemented the caesar salad perfectly.
Enjoyed by everyone.
Literally the best caesar dressing I’ve ever had in my life.
Great recipe! I will never use store bought again. Thank you
Great recipe. Whole family loved. It
Amazing!!! But less lemon juice. You’ll never buy jarred dressing again.
This was easy and delicious. I made it exactly as described. Thank you!
Great tasting recipe! I doubled the recipe and used a half cup less Mayo! Definitely will keep this recipe to make again! Thanks for sharing!!!
This recipe is simple and absolutely delicious! I’m picky about Caesar dressing and this is my very favorite.
Loved this dressing! Made this for the first time and so delicious. Thank you from London!
This is the best homemade caesar dressing I have found. Have tried many others, this one just hits the mark, perfect flavor and texture. Definitely my go to. Ty.
I made in the blender, tastes great but my dressing looks curdled. Should I not use a blender?
Hi Lisa, I think the texture is a result of the blender. This works best if mixed by hand.
The dressing tasted amazing! I have saved some to use as spread on toast and as dip for chips/ breadsticks.
Absolutely delicious, so good you’ll find yourself eating it as a dip!
Yes, I made this but actually with anchovies not paste. Love it.
Hi Jenn, I’d love to try this but am very allergic to fish. Is there something I could replace the anchovies with? Or could I just leave them out and have it still be ok? Thanks in advance!
Hi Andrea, It will taste a little different but you can get okay with omitting them. Please LMK how it turns out!
Worcestershire also has anchovies in it …
This is OUTSTANDING and super easy! As long as you have all the ingredients, it comes together in maybe 4 2/3 mins. LOL! (…maybe even less). Do not hesitate to make this. Enjoy!!
Amazing! Best caesar dressing ever. I will never buy a store made one again. Thanks again for another great recipe!
For all you Caesar salad and lovers of Mayonnaise. Treat yourself to a Bamix stick mixer. It makes mayonnaise in 30 seconds. When you make your own mayo you control the ingredients and the flavors. Use Lemon juice, white Wine Vinegar, a mix of oils, Dijon Mustard. Plus you save $. A cup of homemade Mayo uses less than a dollar’s worth of ingredients. Once you have made your own you’ll never go back to Hellman’s!
Best caesar salad recipe ever!!! Easy, yummy, fresh. This will be a staple in my house.
This has become our “go to” dressing. The family loves it! I put all the ingredients in a small blender and blend. Super easy.
Hi Jenn,
I’d like to make your recipe but one member of our family is allergic to fish. Do you think it would greatly affect the flavor if I left out the anchovy paste, and used a Worcestershire sauce that contains no anchovies? (Such as Annie’s brand or something similar).
Thank you,
Jenni
It will taste a little different, but I think it will still be good. Hope you enjoy!
Best Caesar Salad dressing ever!!!
I’m making it again right now.
This has been my go-to Caesar salad dressings recipe for years. So easy and flavourful
If I wanted this a little thinner consistency what would you suggest?
Hi Cindy, I would add some water — just a very small bit at a time until it gets to your desired consistency. Hope you enjoy!
Super yummy and so easy! I added just a little bit more lemon juice and a little more black pepper. Everyone LOVED it! Can’t wait to make it again 🙂
Absolutely amazing caesar dressing!! This is restaurant quality. I added slightly more lemon juice for my own taste but even without, this is the perfect caesar. Creamy without tasting too mayonnaise-y, this is the perfect balance of all ingredients.
This Caesar dressing has become the standard from which I judge all other Caesar dressings.
So delicious, so easy and it makes enough for multiple salads.
Super easy and delicious! I will be making it often!
This is the perfect Caesar dressing! Thank you for sharing. I discovered a few weeks ago and have made it 3 times already!! 😀
This is my favorite Caesar dressing recipe! It’s so easy and I’ve made it many times. One question I have though is if I can sub half the Mayo with Greek yogurt just to cut down on calories? Thanks!
Hi KTB, I don’t recommend it – sorry! I think you’d have better luck with low fat mayo.
Incredible taste. Absolute perfection and easy to make. I’ve made this over 10 times this year. Everyone raves.
All I can say is, WOW! Has all the flavor, in a super rich creamy dressing. Can’t believe I’ve never tried this until now! Will make some great chicken Caesar wraps!
Excellent idea using it for wraps also!
Hi Jenn
I want to make your Caesar Dressing, but dont have anchovie paste, but have anchovies in a can. Can I use those? Also, how much and should I put it in a food processor or??
Thanks
Karen
Hi Karen, Yes, you can use anchovies. I’d recommend about two and you can just mash them well with a fork. Hope you enjoy!
I wish I could take credit when everyone who has a taste of this compliments my skills. My Italian American husband from NEW YAWK continues to brag it’s the best. So easy, so delicious!!!
Fantastic. I did not have any anchovies, but used a small amount of smoked herring in oil from a can and smashed it into the Mayo (Hellman’s is the only real may in my opinion). Also used some german mustard called Losenfef Extra, but used only half a teaspoon. I had no real grated Parmesan reggianio so I had to substitute Kraft Parmesan from a container….still the recipe is the best I have ever tasted. CAESAR IS THE KING OF SALADS!
This recipe is so delicious, super easy to make and now that I am on a Keto diet, Ceasar salad has become a staple in our diet. I make it with avocado mayonaise.