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 dressing is amazing and so easy! I couldn’t find fresh parmesan-reggiano cheese so I just used regular parmesan in shaker jar increasing amount slightly so I imagine the real deal would send this to another level and will try next time. It will not disappoint!
Excellent! Loved the fact that the recipe uses ingredients I keep in my kitchen, with the exception of anchovy paste. And honestly, I think it is excellent without anchovy paste. Thank you!
This is a terrible recipe; caeser salad dressing does not have mayonnaise in it, unless you want it to taste like mayo straight out of the jar. Waste of time.
@NICE TRY: You have either used some awful (or ridiculously cheap brand of mayo) or you have no palate for food in general. Perhaps follow the directions a little better. I have used this recipe countless times and it produces a high-end restaurant quality dressing without the concerns over raw egg and bacteria. Thanks Jenn.
This would be considered CREAMY caesar salad dressing as I believe the regular is made with olive oil. I searched for the creamy version, this recipe came up, and it is as authentic as it gets! My husband used to make caesar dressing table-side at an expensive Las Vegas restaurant and he absolutely loved this recipe. I bought Hellmann’s mayo (and the anchovy paste) from Amazon, since I live on the west coast and they don’t sell it here, and pre-grated/shredded Parmigiano Reggiano from Wholefoods. I will never buy ceasars dressing in a bottle again!
Deb, not sure where you live on the west coast, but generally, Hellmann’s is Best Foods out here.
Any suggestions for an anchovy substitute for vegetarians?
Thank you!
Hi Julee, Unfortunately, I don’t know a good substitute for anchovy paste. I’d probably just increase the Dijon and Parmesan a bit to add flavor. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Capers will do the trick!😊
This was a really excellent Caesar dressing! Perfect for how my family likes it! Thank you!
Absolutely delicious!!!!
Always thought Caesar dressing was too difficult. Saw this recipe and knowing where it came from had to give it a try. Have made it numerous times this summer for lake group gatherings and everyone loves it. It’s now become an every other week thing for the wife and I.
I always meant to make this dressing and glad I finally did! I mixed the full recipe with a box of cooked bowtie pasta and extra Parmesan and voila! excellent pasta salad!
BEST Caesar dressing out there! Thanks Jenn!!
Everybody loved my Caesar salad! What a great recipe, thank you for posting it. I’ve raised the bar for our family dinners and can’t wait to use it again tonight.
It was a hit at a dinner party! Everyone raved!!
This is the best Caesar Salad I have made and so easy!! I have given it to many of my friends as their husbands love it!! Thank you, Jenn, for this and all your other fabulous recipes. Your family is so lucky to have you!!
💗