Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Thank you for posting this recipe. It’s just perfect!!!
Simply the BEST caesar salad dressing I have ever tasted. Every time I make it, everyone asks for the recipe and website! The number one comment heard is this tastes better that any Caesar I have had in any restaurant. Also, lasts for a long time stored in glass Pyrex in fridge. AWESOME!
Fabulous!
This is the best recipe! Better than any restaurant dressing and way better than any bottled caesar!!! Will use it over and over again! Thanks for the recipe!
BEST EVER! & Thank you for introducing me anchovy paste! Even my husband devoured it and now requests it every time we do caesar salad ha. I finally told him there is anchovy in it and to my surprise doesn’t mind one bit 😉 this is a keeper for life. I don’t change or modify a single thing.
Fabulous. I have to make a batch every Sunday and we use it for Caesar Salad but any leftover for dip.
Love it! I subbed Greek yogurt for half the mayo to cut back on calories a little. Otherwise followed recipe exactly.
Hands down my favorite Caesar dressing! I’ve made it several times in the past year and it never disappoints. I actually think it tastes better than dressings I’ve had at restaurants.
Delicious dressing! No more store bought for me 😊
There is mayonnaise in this recipe, that’s all you need to know.
Also anyone who says ‘If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”’ Shouldn’t be trusted…. Like…. what?
Oil and raw eggs is mayonnaise
Maybe you should actually try it before leaving a negative review?
Best Caesar salad dressing recipe yet! I have passed along the URL to your recipe numerous times. 🙂
I made this but it was so very salty. I tried everything to doctor it but I ended up throwing it out and made it again. It was better the second time. I feel the addition of 1/8 tsp salt should be removed from recipe. There’s plenty of salt already in most of the ingredients and I’m surprised I’m the only one who feels this way. If there’s a reduced-salt option, please let me know. Overall, the dressing was very good & everyone was very impressed.
I forgot to mention this: I omitted the salt on the second batch. You can always add more salt on your individual salad.
I finally bought some anchovy paste and tried your recipe. It was perfect! And it gave me enough for a Caesar Salad for lunch later that week.