Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
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My family loves this rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s not overly garlicky or fishy — it’s just right.
Though most people buy Caesar salad dressing in a bottle, homemade is incredibly easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought. There are many variations, but this rich and creamy version is the one my whole family loves. It’s not too garlicky and not too fishy – it’s just right. Unlike authentic Caesar dressings which are made with olive oil and thickened with raw eggs, this one has a mayonnaise base, which means you don’t have to worry if you’re squeamish about raw eggs. My kids love this dressing so much that they’ve learned to make it themselves. They don’t even wait for me to make a salad; while I cook dinner, they sit at the kitchen table with a big heart of romaine and dip the leaves in.
This recipe is part of my classic salad dressing collection, which includes go-to recipes for oil and vinegar based dressings, like vinaigrette and balsamic vinaigrette, as well as creamy dressings, such as buttermilk ranch dressing and blue cheese dressing, which are typically made with mayonnaise and dairy products.
What You’ll Need To Make Caesar Salad Dressing
Instead of whole anchovies, I use anchovy paste — makes it 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!)
For the cheese, it’s important to use imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy; domestic Parmesan pales in comparison. You can always tell if it’s authentic 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.”
Step-by-Step Instructions
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.
The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week. For a main course Caesar, try pairing this with my best grilled chicken. Enjoy!
Caesar Salad Dressing Video Tutorial
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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. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week.
Notes
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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Ever since I found this recipe I have never bought pre-made Caesar salad kits since. My family loves this recipe and we never have leftover salad.
Much, much better than anything I’ve had out of a bottle. Will always use this recipe in future. Thank you!
Can you upgrade the recipe to 340 people?
Wow, that’s a lot of dressing! I’ve never prepared something for that many people. I suspect you could do it but would encourage you double or triple the recipe and make as many batches as you’ll need to get to that number. Good luck!
Easy and awesome… I realized too late that I didn’t have any anchovies, so I substituted Asian fish sauce (made with anchovies) but still really great taste. Thanks for the recipe!
My family’s favourite Caesar salad dressing. So easy to make and delicious. No more store bought for us. Thank you!
Love this recipe however I did see where a lot of people said do 1/2 cup mayo instead of the 1 full cup. I did 1/2 cup mayo because I figured if it wasn’t enough I could always add the other half. Glad I did the 1/2 was great for my taste. I loved it and my husband loves it. It was my first time ever making a creamy dressing. I made this along with the simple grilled chicken and it was a hit. It’s a staple in my food rotation. Thanks again.
Normally, I love recipes from this site. For my palate, this dressing tasted too much of mayonnaise and not enough of anything else. It just didn’t taste like a caesar dressing to me.
This recipe for Caesar Salad Dressing is amazing. Perfectly balanced. Simple, and I will never go back to any of the other versions I have made, and there were many. Excellent.
Made it with the suggested Grilled Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Herbs.
Perfect. Easy!
Everyone loved it.
Thank you!
Delicious! I added a whole tin of mashed anchovies instead of the paste and doubled the garlic because I prefer strong flavours. Superb, and no worries about having to use uncooked egg. This will be my go to Caesar dressing recipe from now on.
I love caesar salad, and I’m very particular about the dressing. I read many reviews and then made 3 adjustments. I added slightly more garlic and anchovy paste, and just a heaping 1/2 c. mayo. It turned out delicious but, very salty, and I love salt. Next time I will leave the salt out and see how that goes. Overall I am super pleased I found this recipe!! Thank you. 🙂