Caesar Salad Dressing

This is the best recipe for Caesar Salad Dressing! Made with or without anchovies, this restaurant-quality Caesar Salad Dressing is creamy and tangy and the perfect dressing for Caesar Salads.

When it comes to Caesar Salad Dressing, homemade reigns supreme. And frankly, I believe that statement holds true for ALL salad dressings.

With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of time, you can whip up a creamy, flavorful Caesar Dressing that is made without preservatives, MSG, or corn syrup, and tastes a MILLION times better than any storebought dressing!

Not to mention, YOU get to control the flavor! Don't like anchovies? Don't use them! Hate garlic? Omit it! Worried about using raw eggs? This recipe for Caesar Dressing is made without raw eggs.

As written, I find that this Caesar Salad Dressing is perfection. It is rich, creamy, and perfectly flavored. The anchovies give it a hint of saltiness and earthiness, but there is NO overwhelming fish flavor. My entire family LOVES this Caesar Dressing, and I think you will as well.

Ingredients for Caesar Dressing

• Anchovies: For the most authentic and flavorful Caesar Dressing, I highly recommend using an anchovy fillet that has been canned in olive oil. The anchovy does not impart a fishy taste, instead, it gives the dressing a rich, salty, umami note. However, if you would like to make Caesar Dressing without anchovies, see my recipe variations at the bottom of this post.
• Mayonnaise: Most Caesar dressing recipes call for raw eggs and olive oil, to form an aioli as the base for the dressing. Instead of worrying about salmonella or emulsifying the olive oil with the egg, I find that mayonnaise is the perfect base for this dressing. Just be sure to use real mayonnaise, not miracle whip.
• Lemon Juice: Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. The lemon juice will add flavor and acidity to the dressing which helps to balance out the richness of mayonnaise.
• Garlic: This is one instance I find that it makes a big difference if you use jarred minced garlic, so stick to peeled, fresh garlic cloves when making Caesar dressing.
• Dijon Mustard: Be sure to use Dijon mustard, not yellow or brown mustard. The Dijon is crucial to achieving a really flavorful Caesar dressing.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Will add saltiness, tang, and powerful umami flavor to the dressing.
• Parmesan: Use freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese for the best flavor in your Caesar dressing.

How to Make Caesar Salad Dressing

It takes minutes and very little effort to make Homemade Caesar Dressing. For the best results, you do need to use either a food processor or a blender. This will ensure that your garlic cloves and anchovy fillet are fully broken down and emulsified into your dressing.

• Place the mayonnaise, anchovy fillet, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into the food processor fitted with an s-blade or blender.
• Peel the garlic cloves and roughly chop, or grate the garlic using a Microplane, right over the food processor. I have found that when I leave the garlic cloves whole, you may find a stray chunk of garlic that escaped the blades of your food processor or blender. Chopping, grating, or pressing the garlic cloves through a garlic press, will prevent this issue.
• Pulse, or blend, the ingredients together until the anchovy and garlic cloves are completely broken down and the ingredients are well combined.

Note: If you are preparing this caesar dressing without anchovies or using anchovy paste, you can vigorously mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl rather than using a food processor or blender. Just be sure you finely grate your garlic before adding the dressing to prevent any large bits of garlic from overwhelming the caesar dressing.

• Give everything a quick taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Transfer the dressing to a jar or airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Serving Suggestions

Caesar Dressing is the obvious choice for a Caesar salad, but there are many other ways to put this salad dressing to use. Use it as a dipping sauce for grilled chicken or vegetables or as a condiment for sandwiches or wraps. It also makes a fabulous marinade for salmon, chicken, or beef.

Recipe Variations

• Egg-Free Caesar Salad Dressing: While this Caesar Dressing Recipe does not use raw eggs, it does use mayonnaise which contains eggs. To make an egg-free Caesar Dressing, I suggest replacing the mayonnaise with ¼ cup of olive oil plus ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt. Alternatively, you can use vegan mayonnaise.
• Caesar Salad without Anchovies: In place of anchovies, add 2 teaspoons of miso paste or an additional teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Either or will add a nice salty, rich taste to the dressing.
• Caesar Salad Using Anchovy Paste: This recipe calls for 1 anchovy fillet, which is the equivalent of ½ teaspoon of anchovy paste.

More Homemade Salad Dressings

• Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing
• Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Homemade Raspberry Dressing
• Easy Poppy Seed Dressing

More Homemade Salad Dressings

• Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing
• Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Homemade Raspberry Dressing
• Easy Poppy Seed Dressing

If you tried this Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.