Homemade rich and creamy Caesar dressing. It’s perfectly balanced, not overly fishy, or garlicky, and once you try it you’ll never buy store-bought Caesar dressing ever again!
Caesar dressing is so versatile, you can keep it authentic, make it using the easy shortcut way, or keep it vegetarian. In this post, I’ve included the recipe for my Caesar dressing and explained how you can change the recipe to suit your preference.
This dressing is so easy to make, and the result is incredible! Smooth, flavorful, and delicious Caesar dressing that can go in more than just in the classic Caesar salad (which happens to be America’s favorite salad), but it can also go in sandwiches, wraps, canapes, and pasta.
Most people opt for store-bought bottles of Caesar dressing, but the truth is, making your own homemade dressing is so easy, much healthier, and cheaper than store-bought. The authentic Caesar is made with raw egg yolks that are emulsified with oil, but my version here is simple as it’s made with ready-made mayonnaise. So no raw eggs here!
And if for some reason you want to ditch that jar of mayonnaise, no problem, just use yogurt instead! And you’ll end up with a lighter version of Caesar dressing that is equally as delicious.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make this dressing:
- Mayonnaise – You can either use just mayonnaise or a mix of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt for a lighter version. Try my 5-minute homemade mayonnaise, it’s so easy to make and tastes much better than the store-bought stuff!
- Anchovies – I normally use anchovy fillets as they result in a better flavor, but anchovy paste is also great. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, then you can substitute the fish with Worcestershire sauce. For a vegetarian version, leave the anchovies out.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – High-quality cheese is what will take this dressing to the next level. Try to find cheese that is labeled as Parmigiano Reggiano rather than just Parmesan.
How to Make The Best Caesar Dressing
The idea is to whisk everything together, so if you’re using anchovy fillets you can either mash them separately and add them to the mixture or blend everything in a food processor (I don’t recommend using a blender).
If you’re using anchovy paste, then there’s no point in using a food processor (but make sure to crush the garlic cloves). Just whisk everything together in a bowl, and your Caesar dressing is ready to be enjoyed.
The Caesar dressing will keep in the fridge if stored in a sealed bottle, jar, or container for up to a week. Serve it over a classic Caesar Salad, chicken Caesar salad, grilled Caesar salad, or a Caesar pasta salad (chicken is optional).
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Homemade Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 4 anchovy fillets minced then mashed
- 2 cloves garlic mashed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- If using anchovy paste, then whisk everything in a bowl until well combined. If using anchovy fillets, then place all of the ingredients in a food processor.
- Blend until you get a creamy and smooth Caesar dressing.
Notes:
- Store homemade Caesar dressing in a sealed container, jar, or bottle for up to a week.
- You can either use mayonnaise or a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
- I normally use anchovy fillets as they result in a better flavor, but anchovy paste is also great. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, then you can substitute the fish with Worcestershire sauce. For a vegetarian version, leave the anchovies out.
- High-quality cheese is what will take this dressing to the next level. Try to find cheese that is labeled as Parmigiano Reggiano rather than just Parmesan.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Dietrich Look says
Great recipe, very tasty with the right ingredients. Made it a few times.
Margie Benson says
How much anchovy paste should go into this recipe?
Diana says
About 1 ½ teaspoons
Claire Leonard says
This is my favorite Caesar Salad dressing recipe.
It is rich and full of flavors. I love the thick creamy texture with freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano and the garlicky, lemony tang that comes through.
I find I don’t need to add any salt because the anchovies provide enough salt.
I have yet to eat a Caesar salad in any restaurant that even comes close to this recipe.
Claire Leonard says
I have loved Caesar salad all my life and made my own dressing for years too BUT THIS is absolutely my all-time favorite creamy tasty
Caesar Salad Drsg hands down! It kept in my fridge for 2 weeks with no problem & tasted better each time I used it.
Claire Leonard says
I make Caesar Salad a lot and I enjoyed this recipe with mayo. I added more lemon simply because I put lemon on everything . I like that it is a flexible recipe and really flavorful.