Caesar Dressing

This homemade Caesar dressing recipe has incredible creamy and savory flavor! You’ll ditch the store-bought salad dressing for good.

There’s something about the creamy, garlicky tang of Caesar dressing that’s pure perfection. It’s as classic as the pristine sweetness of a great vanilla bean ice cream, or the crunch of a French fry hot from the fryer. Try this homemade Caesar dressing! The intensely savory flavor tastes like a restaurant, but it’s easy to whip up at home. You’ll never been tempted by the store-bought bottle again!

Caesar dressing ingredients

What’s in in Caesar dressing? Here are all the flavor secrets! We’ve used the classic ingredients with one spin of our own: Greek yogurt. Combining yogurt with the mayo lowers calories, keeping it light but extremely creamy. Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll never go back! Here are the ingredients in this Caesar dressing:

• Mayonnaise: That signature savory creaminess comes from mayonnaise.
• Greek yogurt: For a fresh and healthy spin, use Greek yogurt to replace some of the standard mayo. It lightens it up while staying irresistibly creamy.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brings in that signature tang.
• Parmesan cheese: Parmesan brings in a savory saltiness.
• Anchovy paste: Anchovies are very traditional: they’re optional but add great savory flavor (see below)!
• Garlic & Dijon mustard: These round out the tangy, savory flavor

Wait…so it has anchovies?

A classic Caesar dressing recipe typically anchovies or anchovy paste. Why? This salty fish adds intensely salty, savory flavor (called umami) to dressings and sauces. Caesar dressing was invented by Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini in the 1920’s, who originally used Worcestershire sauce and not anchovies. However, anchovies became incorporated into the recipe by restaurateurs along the way and remains a common ingredient in the salad dressing today.

You can use either anchovy paste or anchovy fillets. You can find anchovy paste in your local grocery in a tube; then just store it in your refrigerator.

• Do you have to use anchovies? Not in this recipe! This recipe is so delicious that you can omit the anchovies without losing any of the savory flavor. It just adds a little something extra. But it’s easy to make a vegetarian Caesar dressing by simply omitting the anchovy paste or substituting Worcestershire sauce.
• How many anchovies in anchovy paste? If all you can find is whole anchovy fillets, blend 2 anchovy fillets to make 1 teaspoon anchovy paste. Keep in mind that anchovy paste has added vinegar and spices and is milder in flavor.

How to make this Caesar dressing recipe

This Caesar dressing recipe is very easy to make: you don’t even need a blender! Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this recipe:

• No blender needed! Just whisk together the ingredients in a bowl.
• Use a fine grater or microplane: To keep it extra creamy, use a fine grater or microplane on both the garlic and the Parmesan cheese. This helps the garlic and Parmesan melt right into the creamy texture of the dressing instead of making it chunky.
• Don’t have one? Simply buy grated Parmesan cheese and finely mince the garlic with a knife.

How to serve Caesar dressing

You can serve this Caesar dressing recipe in all sorts of ways, the most classic being the ubiquitous Caesar salad! But there are lots of other ways to use Caesar dressing. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use it:

• Classic Caesar Salad Crunchy romaine lettuce and crisp croutons are best way to eat this dressing, hands down.
• Kale Caesar Salad Serve it with kale, topped with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs.
• Wedge Salad Use on a wedge salad for a twist, then top with crunchy croutons.
• Grilled Caesar Salad Try this dressing with grilled romaine.
• Veggie Dip: Use it as you would a ranch dressing, for dipping carrots, celery and bell pepper strips.

Vegan variation

Want a plant-based or vegan variation? Whip up this Vegan Caesar Dressing! Unbelievably, it’s almost as good as the original. Here you’ll use a blender to mix chickpeas with Dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil and more. It might sound odd, but trust us. This Vegan Caesar Salad is just as dreamy.

More homemade salad dressing recipes

Love making homemade salad dressing? Ditch the grocery store bottles and opt for making our own! Here are some of our top favorite salad dressing recipes:

• Go classic with creamy Ranch Dressing, Blue Cheese Dressing, Cilantro Lime, or Green Goddess Dressing
• Make our favorite Best Balsamic Vinaigrette, Easy Vinaigrette or Homemade Italian Dressing
• Blend up Creamy Avocado Dressing or Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
• Make tangy Easy Honey Mustard Dressing

01

Healthy Ranch Dressing

02

Best Balsamic Vinaigrette

03

Green Goddess Dressing

04

Cilantro Lime Dressing

This Caesar dressing recipe is…

Pescatarian and gluten-free. For vegetarian, omit the anchovy paste. For vegan, go to Vegan Caesar Dressing.

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