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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I really like this recipe a lot. Have made it a few times and it’s always great. Yes the “real” dressing is great but this is easy and simple and you usually always have the ingredients on hand. Using the anchovy paste is best but it’s ok without it too.
Love this easy Caesar dressing…will not buy store bought again…didn’t have anchovy’s so used a few splashes of fish sauce .
WOW ! This recipe just got me promoted from busboy to executive Chef !…amazing recipe ..thank you Jen !…plus its the first time i have eaten a salad in over 30 years
Ooh! Fish sauce! Great idea. 👍
I thought the last Caesar dressing I had was amazing… nope, wrong! This dressing is like absolutely delicious! I didn’t alter the recipe at all, I only eyeballed the measurements other than the mayo. I also couldn’t find anchovy paste, so I used anchovies from a can and chopped them up. I used two. It’s perfect, simply perfect. Thank you for sharing and Happy 4th!
This is, hands down, the best caesar salad dressing out there! Just the right blend of ingredients. I cannot buy store bought caesar dressing anymore after tasting this one. I follow the recipe exactly and it tastes like an upper end restaurant dressing.
I love this! But I do double the garlic….. I love it garlicky! But very simple and easy to mix up- I use my home made avocado oil mayo
Hello! Wondering what lettuce to dressing ratio you use when preparing the salad? Thanks!
Hi Brittany, I usually just eyeball it but I’m guessing 3 to 4 tablespoons per serving (which is about 2 cups of chopped romaine). Hope that helps!
Pls suggest a vegetarian substitute for anchovy paste?
Unfortunately, I know of no good substitute for anchovy paste. I’d probably just increase the Dijon and Parmesan a bit to add flavor.
We all love this recipe. My son-in-law wants a jar for every occasion – he uses it for everything.
Thank you for sharing your recipes. I am an old time cook and have used and enjoyed many of your recipes.
This recipe is fantastic. Right ratio of ingredients. Easy to make. Tastes great. Best recipe out there. No more store bought dressing. This deserves 10 stars **********
Pretty much every recipe we have made from the Once Upon a Chef website has been 5-Star. This might be the one of the best ones. Just trust me on this! 👌
This was good! My husband loved it. (And he almost never eats salads), so thank you for sharing your recipe.