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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This caesar salad dressing recipe saved the day, thx!
I am curious, has anyone tried making this with Hellmann’s Olive Oil Mayo? How did it taste?
That’s the kind I used. Delicious!!!
I made this recipe for the first time on Christmas Eve and brought it to our big Italian Family dinner. I cannot tell you how much EVERYONE loved it! My Italian mother whom I adore, but never compliments many food things because she is a very picky eater, grabbed my arm and squeezed it gently during dinner and said to me it was the best tasting Caesar salad she has EVER tasted. She asked me to send the recipe. I will remember that moment forever. I gave you all the credit, Once Upon a Chef. I told all the family ladies about your website. I also got rave reviews on your coconut macaroons as well! Thank you for making me look good!
Thank you, Faith! I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it, especially your mom 🙂
This is the best dressing I’ve ever tasted! Will not be purchasing store bought ever again. Doubled up the amount of garlic and Dijon mustard and it came out perfect!
I love this dressing!! I have made this many times, everyone loves it!! Thank you!!
I love this recipe. The dressing is just so tasty! I have started a tradition of making it for our Italian dinner on Christmas Eve. Last year I cut the salt in half and this year I left it out completely. With all the sodium in the other ingredients you just don’t need it. And yes a little extra lemon and a dash of olive oil thins it out perfectly. Happy Holidays!
Hi Jenn!
Can I mince anchovy fillets in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients? Can’t find anchovy paste where I live!
Yes Yussra, you can definitely definitely do that. Hope you enjoy!
Yes Yussara, you can definitely do that. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn! I have always eaten Ceasar salad in restaurants and really wanted to try the dressing at home. And I found your blog🤩 The dressing is soooooo simple and soooo yumm(slurp!) Me and my son went on tasting it and forgot to leave any for the salad🤣 I could not find anchovy or dijon mustard. I used the American mustard instead. Thank you so much for sharing😘
LOL — So glad you enjoyed it!
This has become a staple recipe in our home. We are a family of 9, and EVERYONE likes this dressing! The first time I made this, I was in a hurry to get to a potluck, so I had to work with what was in the pantry. I was missing the anchovy paste and Worcestershire sauce, but it was excellent anyway. Many people asked for the recipe. I do think good quality mayo makes a difference, though.
I love this recipes but I do it with 1/2 the mayo. Thins it, makes it more flavorful, and less of a splurge health-wise.
Wow! This dressing was excellent and a hit at our Christmas party. I did add a bit more lemon juice (about 1 tsp.) to thin it a bit (with the added side benefit of punching up the flavor some too). Also added an extra small clove of garlic. It can hardly be too garlicky, can it?!?