This creamy, super easy caesar dressing recipe comes together in seconds! It uses simple pantry staples (and no raw egg!), yet it tastes far better than anything you’d buy at the store.
Easy Homemade Caesar Dressing
Still buying bottled salad dressing? My easy caesar salad dressing might just be the one to convince you to start making your own. It’s semi-homemade (we’re just skipping making our own mayo), so fast, and tastes incredible!
I’ve been making this recipe for quite a while now and figured it was about time I shared it here with you. It’s quick and easy (grating the parmesan takes the most time) but so good. Favorite way to eat it: Zach will grill some chicken and we’ll serve everything over chopped romaine with shaved parmesan, homemade croutons, and copious spoonfuls of this dressing. One of my all-time favorite, easy weeknight dinners!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Surprisingly easy: Instructions include: 1) Combine ingredients; 2) stir. If you’re looking for more easy dressings, try my homemade Italian dressing or my homemade ranch dressing next.
- Semi-homemade: I take some shortcuts in my recipe (we’re using mayo instead of raw egg) yet keep it true to the traditional version with authentic ingredients. The recipe is approachable and simple.
- A kitchen staple: Like my tartar sauce recipe and taco seasoning recipe, I keep this in my back pocket for when I’m in a pinch!
- Not just for salads! I include a few of my favorite non-salad uses below.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise. Using mayo allows us to skip the egg yolks you’d use in a traditional caesar dressing recipe. This not only allows us to avoid the raw eggs (something I also avoid with my French silk pie, no mayo there though 😅) but also extends the shelf life of the dressing. Use your favorite type of mayo; I’ve even used avocado oil mayo here, and it worked fine!
- Garlic powder. If you prefer fresh garlic, you can use 1-2 fresh garlic cloves instead, but you’ll need to finely mince or grate it. Processing the dressing in a food processor will also work if you use fresh garlic.
- Lemon juice. Fresh really is best and I can definitely can taste a difference when I use this vs. bottled lemon juice. Will I still use bottled if I don’t have a fresh lemon on hand? 100% yes.
- Anchovy paste. My sisters lost their minds when I told them we needed anchovy paste to make this dressing (actually, we first tried it with whole anchovies… they were not very mature about it 😂). It may not seem super savory, but you simply can’t get a true caesar flavor without it (trust me, I tried)! Real caesar salad dressing is made with real anchovies. You can usually find this in the Italian section of your grocery store or near the canned tuna. If you’re absolutely 100% opposed to using it, increase the Worcestershire sauce by a splash or two and lower your expectations a smidge.
- Dijon mustard. Don’t try to swap yellow mustard, you need dijon for the right flavor.
This is just an overview of a few of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: For the best results, use freshly cracked black pepper AND freshly grated parmesan cheese–none of that stuff in the green can!
How to Make Caesar Dressing
Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Taste test, adjusting the salt and pepper as needed, then cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Use as desired–this caesar dressing recipe tastes equally good on a salad as it does on a pasta salad or as a sauce for chicken/fish. I talk more about my favorite ways to use it below!
SAM’S TIP: Always taste test your dressing to check if it needs more salt or pepper. Salt levels will vary between different brands of cheese and mayonnaise, so you may or may not need to add more than I include here. And black pepper can be more potent if freshly cracked (and far less potent if it’s been sitting in your pantry for years), so that’s a good one to double check too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional caesar dressing is made with raw egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, oil, whole anchovies, dijon mustard, freshly grated parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly cracked black pepper.
My recipe takes a few easy shortcuts by swapping the whole anchovies for paste (makes combining everything easier), fresh garlic for dried (also makes combining easier, but also doesn’t leave a lingering aftertaste like raw does) and swaps raw egg for mayonnaise (egg-based, but pasteurized) instead.
When you taste caesar dressing, the garlic, parmesan, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies will likely stand out the most. You really need all of the ingredients for the proper flavor though–they balance each other out!
Besides using it as a salad dressing, you can use this caesar dressing recipe as a drizzle over a roasted veggie like roasted brussels sprouts or roasted broccoli, as a dip for chicken fingers or fresh cut veggies, as a sauce over fish, or you can even use it as a marinade for baked or grilled chicken.
It makes a great sauce for a chicken caesar wrap too!
Pair Your Caesar Salad With
Want to see more homemade dressing recipes? Comment your favorite below so I know what to tackle next! 👇
Enjoy!
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Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (236 g) mayonnaise
- ½ cup (40 g) grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt plus additional to taste, as needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper plus additional to taste, as needed
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk together until all ingredients are well-combined.1 cup (236 g) mayonnaise, ½ cup (40 g) grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 4 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons anchovy paste, 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos, ¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Dressing may be used immediately, but for best flavor allow it to sit, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before using.
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
ChaCha
Wow! I’ve never thought to make my own Caesar dressing, especially when I looked at the ingredients “anchovy paste”. anywho, I gave it a whirl, and let me tell you this stuff is delicious. I actually didn’t know Caesar dressing could taste this good.. btw, I had to research what anchovy paste even look like to even attempt to go buy it at Kroger. Well, thanks again for another great recipe!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Joan Russo
Thank you so much for sharing all your recipes and techniques
Joan
Sam Merritt
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed everything so much, Joan! 🙂