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.
The BEST recipe. Sometimes I swap the mayonnaise for yogurt when I feel like I need something lighter- still so good. Love it! Thank you so much for this recipe.
I add an anchovy for extra flavor. Everyone loves this recipe and asks for it
I have been making this recipe for months and everyone that tastes it is instantly hooked on it. Thank you so much for such an easy but fabulous recipe.
This recipe was my first discovery on your site which subsequently has turned me into a ‘Once Upon a Chef’ uber-fan! Simple and delicious – made me feel like a ‘good cook’.
This was so good and so easy I vow never to buy Caesar dressing again. Thanks
Very happy with this Caesar dressing. I did not have anchovy paste so I substituted anchovy filllets ( 1 1/2 small fillets )which I ground into a paste.
Great recipe. A little misleading. It’s says ‘ Unlike authentic Caesar dressings which are made with olive oil and thickened with raw eggs, this one has a mayonnaise base, which means no raw eggs so you don’t have to worry about giving it to your kids’ I’m fairly certain mayonnaise is made from raw egg and oil.
Store bought mayonnaise is pasteurized and thus is not raw. Homemade mayo or homemade caesar with egg will usually be unpasteurized and raw.
Best Dressing Ever!!!
Good but too much mayonnaise flavor. How can I tone that down?
Hi Lilia, sorry to hear you found it to be a little too mayonnaise-y. Did you use good quality mayo like Hellman’s or Dukes as that can definitely make a big difference. If you did, and still feel like it was too mayonnaise-y, I’d recommend replacing some of the mayo with either sour cream or Greek yogurt. If you do that, cut back on the lemon juice as the sour cream/yogurt will add more tang. Hope that helps!
Excellent recipe! Thank you so much. Everyone can add or adjust according to their taste, I’ve added yoghurt to the mayo mixture and it turned out lighter. Next time I’d do half/half with mayo.
I’m pretty particular when it comes to food and especially Caesar salad. This dressing is absolute fire. Don’t pass it by! I added a little extra lemon just because I wanted a little more lemon flavor but otherwise followed it exactly. It’s absolutely delicious!! Best Caesar I’ve ever had.
Thank you, Jen!
I found this recipe at Christmas time and loved it so much that we gave away many Caesar Salad ingredients kits with this recipe attached. Now we give the Caesar Salad kits as gifts for any occasion. We even made our own sourdough croutons to raise the bar!
I would love to hear your sourdough crouton recipe!
This is the only caesar dressing my family will eat 🙂
freaking delicious! I love this dressing so much and it so easy. I need to take breaks from it to limit my mayo intake. lol love love love
Hands down the BEST Caesar dressing I have ever had, anywhere!! Fantastic!
All I taste is Mayo. I tried adding more of the other ingredients but it didn’t help.
Use a different Mayo brand. I use Duke’s because, to me, Hellmans/Best Foods has an after-taste.
This is so good,
I will never purchase store bought again.
I can not leave it alone it is that good.
Yes I have made this recipie a few times now and I am making it again today. It was absolutely delicious and my husband and my adult son thought it was amazing . Going to take some for my daughter and her husband to try as I know they will love it. Many thanks
I’ve never eaten so much salad as I do with this dressing! Absolutely delicious!
Yummy in my tummy! This recipe is soooo good!
I made a shrimp Caesar salad. I love the dressing. I think next time I might put in just a little more and anchovy paste. I didn’t use salt. I thought there was enough between the paste and the bacon. Thanks for the recipe!
This dressing is far better than store bought. Now that I have the main ingredients in my fridge it won’t take but a couple minutes to make more. Add shrimp or chicken to the romaine and it becomes the main course. Easy to add extra amounts of ingredients to your liking. My new favorite dressing💗
For someone who makes all of my salad dressings from scratch…..this is THE BEST Caesar Dressing I have ever eaten. Bravo!
This is the best caesar I have ever had/made! I use it all the time. It is my go-to caesar recipe. So good!!!
This is okay but sanitized. Commercial mayo instead of eggs?? seriously? “not to fishy or to garlicky?? How polite.
It seems that the sole purpose of your comment was to be sarcastic and rude. Jenn Segal is a classically trained chef and she EXPLAINED CLEARLY why it is made with mayo and NOT raw egg yolks. There are some people who cannot or should not consume raw yolks, raw shellfish, etc. You sir, should grow up!
Jen is the successful chef, and you’re not. Enough said. Your comment is very bitter and lacks value.
Absolutely fabulous recipe. I do add more lemon juice just because we love the tang, but the ratio of the other ingredients is just right. Don’t skip the anchovy paste, it adds to the flavor and doesn’t taste fishy in the overall product. Thanks for the recipe!!
It is truly amazing I don’t add salt it’s tasty without salt 😘
Yes !! Definitely a winner in my book
Love Love LOVE this Caesar Salad dressing !!!! It is simply the BEST !!!
My boys are crazy about it. NO more store bought. Thank you !!!
This is the best Caesar dressing I’ve ever had. Ever. I only made two edits, otherwise prepared exactly to recipe:
-I don’t do fish and the anchovies is typically why I can’t find a good pre-made Caesar dressing, so I subbed it out for a tablespoon of white vinegar
-Cutting back on the salt intake so left that out completely
I am SO glad I finally have a Caesar salad dressing that not only I know exactly what the ingredients are, but that I absolutely love also!
Thanks!
The best! My ‘go-to’ Caesar Dressing! Quick, easy and delicious ! Thanks!
This is the best ceasar dressing! My husband loves it. We use it in salads, wraps and burgers. I don’t use the anchovy paste and, since we love it extra garlicky, I use 6 garlic cloves.
What an amazing Caesar Dressing recipe! I originally discovered this recipe a couple years ago but it was so much easier to grab a jar of Marie’s. So glad I re-discovered it today. I’m the type of cook who thinks – this is a great recipe but I’m going to try it this way. With this recipe, I mostly follow the recipe. I did add extra anchovy paste and extra Parmesan-Reggiano. It was delicious and I look forward to making it more often. Thank you for a great recipe.
Amazing!!! I’ve made this a couple times now and it is great! No store bought dressing can compare… I’ve tried many before I tried this homemade recipe.
We love this dressing, but have amped up the flavors a bit ie doubled the lemon, anchovy paste, and Worcestershire sauce. I agree with others who say they won’t buy Caesar dressing again.
How long does this last in your fridge?
Hi Elle, it keeps nicely in the fridge for about 5 days. 🙂
I will be making this soon, but will be leaving out the anchovy paste. Should I substitute it with something else or simply leave that ingredient out.
Hi Linda, There’s no perfect substitute for anchovy paste, but Worcestershire sauce would work, or you could just increase the Dijon and Parmesan a bit to add flavor. Hope that helps!
The addition of more Worcestershire sauce and a bit more pepper worked perfectly. Thank you.
Thank you for this recipe. When I realized at the last minute that my favourite store bought Caesar was expired it saved me a run to the store. I will never buy Caesar dressing again. Did not have any Worcestershire sauce and it turned out fantastic regardless of the missing ingredient.
P.S. It was actually so simple to make that my 9 yr old whipped it together for me after chopping the garlic for her of course ;). Thank you again!
Loved this recipe. I used Duke’s Mayonnaise.
Absolutely delicious!!! I have made this recipe twice in one month. I can eat it on many things.
I agree with you that Maille Dijon is THE best, but Trader Joe’s Dijon is an extremely close second, and at $1.69 for 13 oz beats the heck out of Maille at $4.49 for 7.5 oz.
I did make this recipe with a couple changes. I used Trader Joe’s mayo. which has a cleaner, fresher flavor, a shot of hot sauce and added 2 T of Extra Virgin Olive oil. Really good recipe. Also if you have Meyer lemons they are the best and add a lot of flavor.
TCB
This has become a family favorite. My nieces are allergic to seafood and I’ll make some without fish separate for them- even leaving out anchovy paste and Worcestershire it’s a yummy lemon garlic Parmesan creamy dressing.
This is the recipe that got me hooked on your blog! I make this regularly. So easy and delicious and pairs wonderfully with your favorite grilled chicken or steak. My boyfriend requests this for every birthday dinner. Thank you for sharing all these wonderful recipes.
Super easy and seriously delicious! My new favorite for Caesar salad
This is the best Caesar dressing – it is the only one I now use. Thank you for sharing this.
Exceptional! It’s a lot less expensive than the bottled dressings and far superior to anything else I’ve tried. I’ve shared this recipe with a friend and will certainly keep it on hand for future gatherings with family and friends. Love it!
Great recipe. We use whole anchovies and add lemon zest. We mix it with an immersion blender. Delicious!
I never thought I could make this dressing! I would either dine at a restaurant or just buy a bottle at a grocery store. And since it’s my dad’s 86th birthday today, I wanted to make it special by preparing his favorite dressing myself. I was so impressed with the outcome! We loved it! It had all the taste elements we wanted. Thank you for this awesome recipe! Love love love!
OM. This is a great recipe. I didn’t have mayonnaise, but a generic “whip” dressing (I use it for deviled eggs) and I only had a Dusseldorf mustard. I also do NOT like anchovies, whether I am seeing their slippery skin or not. Yet, this recipe was still fabulous. So my recommendation is to experiment and Jenn gives a fantastic start.
My go to recipe for Caesar salad dressing and we love it. We use any left over for a dip with our pizza crust!
Omg! I found the best recipe ever!!! I am super picky with my caesar dressing and this is it. I did make mine thick because that’s my preference, but this is a recipe that will be saved. Thank you so much.
This is by far the best recipe for Caesar dressing I have found! I love that it doesn’t require raw egg and uses anchovy paste (rather than wasting most of a tin of anchovies for just one or two little fish). It really tastes like the ‘real thing’ and made the best Caesar salad I’ve had, in or outside of restaurants! The only deviation I made was to add an extra clove of garlic-and I wish I hadn’t, as it was a bit distracting. Perfect recipe, thank you for sharing! Can’t wait for my next dinner party 🙂