Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
You May Also Like
- Homemade Croutons
- Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
- Basil Vinaigrette
- Big Italian Salad
- Russian Dressing
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I’ve always wanted a creamy homemade caesar dressing for grilled romaine lettuce. This was delicious and just what I was looking for. I did use lemon juice from a bottle but will make sure I have fresh lemon for the next batch.
Great tasting dressing, I add a little milk to make it a little more liquid
How did the addition of milk work out?
Hi! I used milk as well to thin it out. 1-2 TB milk was perfect for my liking! It was great!
I’ve made this four times in the last 3 weeks and printed the recipe out twice for family to take home, delicious! I like that leftovers have kept for over a week and I don’t have to worry about raw eggs! Thanks!
Made this tonight. It’s legit. Great recipe. My wife wasn’t having my culinary school one with the raw egg yolks so… 😁👍🏻
This is the best Caesar dressing I have ever had!!!! So easy to make!
This dressing is delicious and, most excellently, safe (using commercial mayonnaise) for pregnant women and those who are immune compromised!
This is a great dressing and I can add more garlic, anchovies, etc. to get the flavor I want or toned down for more sensitive pallets. I make a great dish – angel hair or spaghetti cooked al dente and tossed with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper with some fresh Parmesan cheese then top it with the Caesar salad and grilled sliced chicken breasts. The warm pasta with the crisp cool lettuce and the warm grilled chicken is so good! This dressing is perfect for it. (sometimes I will use grilled swordfish instead of chicken – equally delicious)
This was so so good! I used yellow mustard, Costco shredded parm and whole jarred anchovies, because that’s what I had on hand, and it was still amazing! And so quick! Thank you!!
My friend found this recipe, and between the two of us, we have made it a number of times. Now, I can simply read this recipe and start salivating. Tomorrow I need to run to the store to get more lettuce. I can easily eat a whole head of lettuce with this dressing. It is easily better than my favorite restaurant’s Caesar dressing. Easily 5 stars. Simply amazing.
I don’t normally leave reviews or comments on things but this Caesar dressing was so delicious I had to give credit where it’s due. I didn’t even have anchovy paste (unfortunately), but it was still THAT good, so I can only imagine next time it’ll be even better with the anchovies! This was my 1st time making a dressing at home and I’m glad I went with this recipe as my first choice. Search no longer, this is the real deal. It’s so easy and quick to whip up and amazingly delicious. I can honestly say I will not be buying store Caesar dressing anymore. A huge THANK YOU from me and my husband!
I wish I would have made my own dressing sooner. The best Caesar dressing I have ever eaten. Thank you.
Has anyone ever made this using Greek yogurt?
Where’s the actual recipe?? I hit “jump to recipe” and it takes me to the reviews???
Hi, That happens if you’ve been reading the reviews and then click on “jump to recipe” at the top of the page. Scroll to the very top of the reviews and immediately above that, click on the word “recipe.” That will show you the recipe and on the right side of the recipe box, click on the print icon. Hope that clarifies!
So good! I did 3/4 of a cup of mayo and a dash of avocado oil. Also substituted red wine vinegar for the Worchestershire. The high quality grated parm reggiano makes all the difference. Thank you! Loved it 🙂
This is the best dressing of Cesar salad I’ve ever made. Thank you for the recipe.
This is great. It’s easy to make and so delicious. Really grateful for you posting this.
This is the third Caesar recipe I’ve used (the first had no anchovies, and the second had no mayo; neither had garlic). This one is not only the the best Caesar dressing I’ve made but also the best I’ve ever had. It tastes so elegant and refined.
I used leftover whole anchovies (had to crush them, so next time I’m going to actually get anchovy paste), and spicy brown mustard.
Thank you, Jen!
Jenn (Autocorrect!)
this is not homemade if you use shop bought mayonnaise couldn’t be further from the real thing
But did you make it? What about the flavor did you not like?
Hmmm. So if you make your own pasta sauce using canned San Marzano tomatoes rather than home grown tomatoes sauce is not homemade?
That’s a valid point! Maybe they got some super cheap soybean mayo. Yes even italians use canned san marzano in fact it’s how they live in winter. Off of premade preserved or fermented or cured or canned. No shame if the flavor smacks
make ur own mayonnaise then
I don’t like bottled Caesar dressing but I love Caesar salad. So I thought I would try yours on a shrimp Caesar salad last night. I could not tell the difference between yours and the restaurants. It is awesome! Thank you thank you!
Great recipe. I had no anchovies so i substituted fish sauce instead after google suggested. No parma as my daughter and grandaughter have allergies to the enzyme in dairy. We didn’t even miss it!
My favorite dressing! It’s perfect! Everyone always loves it and asks for the recipe. Thank you.
This is the best Cesar dressing I’ve ever had. I could eat it alone by the spoonful.. as disgusting as that sounds!!! Haha it’s just that good.
Addicted to this dressing!!
Best Caesar dressing EVER. Super easy and insanely delicious!
Super easy and super good. I make my own salad dressings but never felt comfortable making Caesar dressing because of the raw eggs. Loved the no egg recipe. Will definitely be on repeat. Thanks for sharing
Utterly delicious!! I live in Ireland and can’t find the anchovy paste (or romaine lettuce for that matter), so I double up the recipe and make it with a whole can of anchovies.. not a huge deal since the anchovy can is tiny. the substitute green is baby gem lettuce.
This is such an amazing dressing and hugely popular with family and friends, so it’s become a standard weekly event to make it. I forget about the salt and pepper all the time but since the anchovies, parmesan and mayo all have salt, it’s OK. Note hellmans low-fat mayo somehow makes a much thicker dressing, so definitely add 1/4 cup+ water to make it more of a dressing and less of a paste.
Delicious! We enjoyed this with Chicken Caesar Salad tonight. Kiddos and adults alike loved this!!! We added a drizzle of olive oil to thin it out a bit – it was superb!
Instant classic for our household. Hubby couldn’t get enough! Omitted anchovies and didn’t miss em!
The very best Ceasar dressing I have ever made!
There was only one Caesar dressing I could buy that was truly gluten-free (my husband is celiac), so when I couldn’t find it on the shelf at the supermarket I thought I’d have a crack at making it myself. My 19 yo nearly had a fit when I asked him to pick up anchovies at the shop for me and swore I was going to ruin the only salad he enjoys. Happy to say that he gave it a tick of approval! This recipe was so quick and easy – I beefed up the garlic a bit, and next time might thin it down to make it easier to toss through, but the taste was perfect, and won’t be buying it anymore (sorry Beerenberg!). 5 Stars from me – YUM.
Excellent dressing! Never buy Caesar dressing anymore.
Okay. I will have to say I am famous for my Caesar salad dressing. In fact everyone wants my recipe. I tried this tonight because one of my guests had an allergy to poultry which includes eggs (as my recipe calls for). Your dressing is amazing, so much so, I am deleting my old recipe to now include yours. Thank you for sharing.
Doesn’t real mayo have eggs in it?
This recipe is great! I never liked the store bought dressings. This tastes much better and is easy to make. I sometimes go with a little less Mayo and 2 Tbsp of olive oil. I so appreciate that you gave measurements for salt and pepper. They are just right!
This was simple, delicious, and better than anything you will find at the store
It’s an ok dressing. Mayonnaise is not your best choice. It is made with soybean oil and preservatives. Try olive oil and egg yoke
(optional). No more inconvenient than using mayo, authentic.
the reason I wanted to try this recipe is that it does not have eggs.
Have you found a mayo that does not have eggs in it?
Vegenaise is an excellent mayo that doesn’t contain eggs.
Except, of course, if you make your own mayonnaise.
If I don’t have anchovy paste or fish, is there a substitute in a pinch? More Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce?
There’s no perfect substitute for anchovy paste/anchovies. You can omit them; the dressing should still be good but won’t have that traditional Caesar dressing flavor. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Thanks, Jenn, for the reply. I went ahead and added a bit more Worcestershire sauce and about a 1/2 tsp of fish sauce. Also thinned it a bit per your instructions of thinning if desired with water. We enjoyed the dressing but I am anxious to find the anchovy paste and make it again!
This is such a wonderful recipe! As suggested, I used two anchovies and it was perfect. I use Dukes mayonnaise. It has a tang and no added sugar. Thinned the dressing with about 2 tablespoons of water.
Thank you!
No words! This is perfect!! I don’t think I will order Caesar salad from a restaurant again! Yum!! Yum!! Yum!!
Amazing! Will add this into my weekly rotation!
I don’t have anchovy paste, but I do have anchovies! How many anchovies equal 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste?
Hi Catherine, I’d suggest starting with 2 (but if you want more anchovy flavor you can use more). Hope you enjoy!
I FOUND IT! I have bought so many prepared Caesar dressings and am continually disappointed. Was determined to find a genuinely delicious recipe since I cook for a few families and am always wanting to impress them. I guarantee this will do it. I will share this with the family so we can all make this when needed for family events. Thank you for sharing.
I make this all the time. It is genius. It’s the best tasting dressing and comes together with the simplest ingredients. So easy! The anchovy paste makes it! And the tube makes like 3 batches of dressing.
East to make and the best Ceasar dressing I have had in a long, long time!
This was so good! I have been searching for a toasty Caesar dressing for years. I will cease my searching because this recipe is the one I have been looking for. It was delicious!
Delicious! But it’s really thick, so don’t put it in a dressing bottle with a small top like I did! Jenn, I wonder if you have suggestions for making it a little thinner?
Hi Megan, You can thin it with a bit of water. Just do a little at a time until you get to the consistency you want. Hope that helps!
I cant imagine how many times Ive made this recipe. It always turns out great and is so simple. Elegant enough for company and easy enough for a week day meal.
I’m almost embarrassed to admit that caesar salad is the only salad I can get my children to eat with enthusiasm, and it is all thanks to this salad dressing. When I found out that my veggie hating 17 year old actually liked caesar salad a couple of years ago, I did an extensive search for “the best homemade caesar salad dressing”. I decided on this recipe, and the rest is history. They don’t even balk at the anchovy paste! It is rather thick and I do thin it down to get a more pourable consistency… I have had luck with just adding water and whisking until I get the consistency I am looking for. It hasn’t sacrificed any of the flavor for us.
This is a really delicious Caesar salad dressing. It makes a lot, so I either make a full recipe or a scaled-down recipe, depending on whether or not my kids are home. The anchovy paste is THE ANSWER to getting the right flavor while side-stepping anchovy fear.
how long is the dressing good for if in an airtight jar in the fridge?
Hi Lexi, It should keep nicely in the fridge for about 5 days. Enjoy!
This is our go-to Caesar Salad Dressing…goodbye store-bought! We cut the recipe in half, as there’s only two of us and have enough dressing left over for a second meal. This is a must-try; you won’t be sorry!
I’ve tried many Caesar dressing recipes over the years and this is hands-down the best. Not being a fan of whole anchovies, I was tempted to skip the anchovy paste. That would have been a mistake. It is not fishy and the paste adds a delicious umami flavor and richness. It is a little thick for our taste, so I add a tablespoon or two of fresh cream to thin it slightly.
This is my favorite salad ever
This dressing is absolutely THE BEST ! No comparison to store bought, bottled dressing. Once you try it, you will never go back.
This is my new go to Caesar salad dressing recipe. I had been making with yolks, anchovy filets, etc and this is so much easier with great flavor!