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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Wow! Hard to beat this recipe…the picture of our salad (unlike yours) is swimming in this luscious dressing!
Best ceasar dressing ever! I made my own mayonnaise beforehand and this was better than Renee’s ceasar dressing. So fast and easy too.
I have to say I am an avid home cook, I generally don’t use recipes because I have spent my life cooking but I want to say I found your website looking for homemade buttermilk ranch. SO GOOD ! I just made your tomato and basil recipe last night and my 11 year old loved it. I am making your Caesar tonight and your double chocolate pavlova. You have great recipes. Thanks 🙂
Very very good!!
What a fantastic recipe. I didn’t have any anchovy paste so I just used an anchovy fillet from a tin, chopped up small. I’ve never made my own Caesar dressing before but from now on I’ll be making it all the time! My family loved it – such a great easy twist on a classic recipe! Thanks so much for posting it!
Made the Caesar dressing exactly as written. My husband is a huge anchovy fan and he loved it! (although the flavors a blend beautifully and the anchovy does not stand out) Told him the sweet story about your kids taking out the ingredients so you would make the dressing. Husband’s question: What are those kids going to do when they go away to college and have to eat cafeteria food!?! ?
How much romaine lettuce will I need to get for this recipe, of 1 1/3 cups dressing? Thanks, Debi
The dressing is the perfect amount for about 10 medium salads (about 2 cups of romaine per serving). Hope you enjoy!
One of the best recipes I have ever been given, if not the best. This salad dressing is at least 5 times as good as any other salad dressing I’ve tasted. LOVE it! Well done Jenn! It deserves a 7 out of 5.
This is my first time making Caesar Dressing, and I must say I will never buy store bought again. Absolutely fantastic. Thank you!!!!
I would have given this recipe 5 stars, but I did make a few modifications. After reading some of the other reviews and knowing my general dislike of mayonnaise, I added about 2/3 of a cup vs the 1 cup called for in the recipe. I also added a whole lemon’s worth of juice (probably 4-5 tablespoons) to thin it a bit and just because I love lemon and had the other half of the unused lemon sitting out. All of the other ingredients seemed spot on.
When you review a recipe with changes, you’re not reviewing the recipe but your changes!