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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My girlfriend said this is the best she ever had. Coming from a world traveler-vegetarian wow! I sliced baguettes ,topped them off with mozzarella and toasted one side only (bottom still soft while top is browned). Cut into quarters then drizzle EVOO. She kept asking whats the special occasion? Thanks
Amazing!!! I don’t use Mayonnaise I used veg anise and a little of buttermilk. It comes amazing. Thank you!!!
Made this and it was very tasty! But instead of using anchovy paste I use real anchovy from the jar with olive oil, I chopped three pieces finely and blend it in with the mixtures. Yummy
Any recommendation for those allergic to fish? I cannot have the anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce because of my allergy and I have been missing caesar salad for years!
Hi Scott, You could add soy sauce instead of the Worcestershire. But I know of no good substitute for anchovy paste. I’d probably just increase the Dijon and Parmesan a bit to add flavor.
I have made this recipe exactly as it is many times and it is amazing!! I had a recipe that used anchovy fillets and raw egg, which tasted great but it would gross me out to see the egg in my salad and I would end up wasting the unused anchovy. Im so greatful to find this recipe, which I always have these ingredients on hand so its a great last minute meal that always pleases and impresses:-)
Hello.
This recipe says it makes 1 1/3 cups of dressing. How many people would that feed? A salad for 10? I am feeding 200, and will have another salad, meat and buns etc, so wondering how much dressing I should make. I was thinking of multiplying this by 20 and purchasing 20 heads of romaine for 200 people.
Hi Deanna, 1-1/3 cups is enough for about 10 medium salads (about 2 cups of romaine per serving).
This dressing is fantastic! We will be eating way more Caesar salad from now on just because this dressing is so darn delicious! So glad I found it! Thanks!
This is the BEST Caesar Salad Dressing EVER! I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect caesar dressing for a while now and I was so glad to find this one! Make sure that you use “real ingredients” as indicated in the recipe…don’t use lemon juice out of a bottle, use a real lemon…don’t use the powdered parmesan, go for the real stuff…if you follow the recipe, you will NOT be disappointed! I will never buy caesar dressing again – it is super easy to make! I should mention that I never leave reviews on recipes but I just had to for this! Trust me – you will LOVE it!
Hi Chantal,
I never leave reviews either. However, after reading your review and all the others I’m going to make this dressing tonight for my sister’s birthday dinner on Tuesday. Caesar salad is her favorite and if this turns out as outstanding as you and everyone else claims it to be, I’ll be back to write a review also. Hope if I make it tonight ahead of time that it’ll be outrageous on Tuesday. Thanks for your input and I’ll let you know.
Michele
Great dressing
The best ever Caesar salad dressing recipe! I follow it verbatim. My husband loves it. All my friends who have tasted it have asked me for the recipe and have wowed their own friends and relatives with it. Awesome! I use all organic ingredients, except for the Hellman’s mayo. For the Worcestershire sauce, I use The Wizard’s Sauces, Organic Gluten-Free Vegan Worcestershire Sauce. I’m not a vegan, but I do like that it’s organic and it tastes just as good as – if not actually better than – the Lea & Perrins. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!