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 recipe exceeded my expectations. I will be making this over and over again.
My last dried up lemon produced only 1T juice so I halved the recipe. I added a tablespoon of water to thin and it was perfect. Next time I’ll omit the salt. Thank you for a great easy recipe. Off to get a bag of lemons!
I am a salad dressing snob-I only want freshly made. This Caesar dressing is everything you want it to be. Creamy and rich with just the right balance of flavors. Not too fussy to put together either. Thanks, this is my new Caesar dressing recipe!
Would love to buy your cookbook! Can you send the link? Thank you!
Hi Danielle, Thanks for inquiring about the cookbook! Just click on the “Buy Now” link on this page to see the different places you can buy it. (It’s also available at most local bookstores.) I hope it becomes an often-used tool in your kitchen! 🙂
This is an incredible dressing! I share it all the time. Homemade croutons are a must. I also add extra lemon juice. I think the thing that I love the most is not one component overtakes another. Perfect!
OMG!! This is the BEST Caesar dressing! I finally had all the ingredients on hand & followed the recipe exactly. Yum!! I could eat the whole bowl with a spoon, it’s that good. I see a lot of salad (and whatever else I can put it on or dip in it) in the future. Thanks Jenn for another terrific recipe !
Best Caesar dressing EVER! I do double the lemon juice-really brings that flavor to life! I also use 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil (depending on what I have on hand) and 1/2 cup mayo vs 1 full cup mayo. Soooo good! I make your grilled chicken with lemon zest to go along with this!!
All of Jenn Segal’s recipes are amazing!! I always share them with family and friends! 😊
Ok, WOW, this was delicious! Perhaps the best homemade dressing I’ve ever made! It was a winner with everyone. I have always been a little afraid of anchovy paste but I’m so glad I went outside of my comfort zone. My daughter is coming home from college for Thanksgiving and this is on the menu the first night! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
So, I’ve never made caesar dressing because the thought of smashing anchovies, using the necessary amount, but not the whole tin, and then throwing the rest away always made me feel like it was something I couldn’t and wouldn’t do. But, without anchovies you don’t have caesar dressing. Then came you and anchovy paste!! Who knew?! This opened a whole new world for me. I love Caesar dressing and this recipe is amazing and tastes as good as any I have had in any good restaurant. So, thank you, Jenn, for this. It is wonderful and I expect that this is a recipe I will use for the rest of my life. I’m still bragging about it and you to anyone who will listen! Also, I bought your cookbook. My daughter was home and paged through it. She wants it for her birthday.
So glad you like the dressing and the cookbook (and thrilled that your daughter wants one as well)! 💗
Absolutely wonderful!
AMAZING. I used 1/2 mayo + 1/2 0% greek yogurt and it was still rich & delicious. I also added a dash of olive oil & a little more garlic