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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Fantastic recipe! Always made my own, as I have Celiac and some bottled dressings have wheat gluten in them. But never liked the idea of raw eggs in my dressing, so your recipe rocks! It’s our go-to recipe, great with my homemade g-free croutons!
Tammie
Fantastic! The only thing I reccomend is crushing up the anchovies. I did that the first time and it was amazing. Substituted paste this go around and it wasn’t as flavorful. Who knew this is what ceasar salad is supposed to taste like. Never going back. Thank you!
So so so delicious. And easy! Thank you for making this and inspiring me to never buy bottled dressing again.
Hi Jenn,
Is there a way to modify using flat filet anchovies packed in oil? Thanks!
Sure Amy. I’d drain the oil and mince them. (I’d start with one anchovy, then add more to taste.) Enjoy!
I used 4 very small filets and put everything in the blender. Was delicious
This is an absolutely kick ass dressing!!!
I will never use another one.
Dee fricken licious!
This THE BEST caesar dressing recipe ever! I love caesar salad, but in my opinion all of the bottled store bought dressings are terrible. I found this recipe and I’m obsessed! I make it once a week! Everyone I’ve made it for loves it and asks for the recipe!! Goes great with some fresh made croutons too!
I’m going to be 80 in early August and love to cook and entertain. Love, love this recipe so much I’m making it for family and friends to use. Just made a double batch for a dear friend who is entertaining her daughter’s in-laws and my daughter who begs for it. I did add more anchovy paste and deleted salt.
Kudos to the chef for this oh, so simple but delicious recipe.
Turned out absolutely fantastic! So easy. Never buying a caeser dressing again. I did add a splash of double cream, which gave it a smoother texture. Many thanks
This is the best Ceasar dressing I’ve ever had. Made this recipe numerous times, exactly as the recipe calls for. Family favorite. Unfortunately, I have developed an allergy to soy so I can’t use traditional Hellman’s anymore. I miss this Ceasar dressing so much! I’m going to try it with Hellman’s soy-free mayo and hope that the other ingredients make up for the taste difference. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute like sour cream?
Hi Karla, Glad you like this and sorry to hear about your new allergy! I think you could get away with sour cream but would suggest reducing the lemon juice a bit because sour cream will add some tartness to the dressing. Please LMK how it turns out with the sour cream!
Jenn, what about creme freche or soft cream cheese?
Creme fraiche would work (with a reduction in the lemon juice similar to sour cream), but I wouldn’t recommend cream cheese.
Delicious! I halved the recipe, but boy did you deliver! Just the right combo of lemon, garlic, and anchovies. Thanks!