Easy Homemade Caesar Dressing
How to Make Caesar Salad Dressing – This fabulous restaurant-style Caesar dressing recipe is easy to make and delicious to enjoy on salads, wraps, or as a creamy dipping sauce. PLUS, we’re sharing a simple recipe for crunchy croutons to add to the best Caesar Salad!
Why We Love This Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe
Classic Caesar Salad Dressing is typically made with raw egg yolks, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and oil whisked together to create an aïoli. Then anchovies, garlic, and Parmesan cheese are mixed in to create a robust and unique flavor.
We have an old Caesar salad recipe on the site with a classic steakhouse table-side style dressing. We are sharing that recipe below… However, today’s Easy Homemade Caesar Dressing recipe is a slightly paired-down variation when you don’t want to mess with egg yolks but want the same classic Caesar flavor.
It’s quick and simple to make but offers a super rich, tangy flavor that tops any restaurant Caesar salad dressing. You will LOVE this mayo-based recipe for drizzling on salads and wraps, or enjoying as a creamy dipping sauce!
Ingredients You Need
- Mayonnaise – regular or low-fat mayo
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed, not bottled
- Anchovy filets – from a can, minced
- Garlic clove – a small clove, peeled and minced
- Parmesan cheese – grated
- Dijon mustard – adds tanginess and a bit of bite
- Worcestershire sauce – for deep, umami flavor
- Salt and pepper – a bit of both to taste
Get the FULL list of ingredients with detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to Make the Best Caesar Salad Dressing
- First, prep the ingredients: Finely mince the anchovies and garlic cloves, and squeeze a couple of tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
- Add the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, minced anchovies and garlic to a small mixing bowl or pitcher. Whisk until smooth.
- Then whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Taste the creamy Caesar dressing, then salt and pepper as desired.
Pro Tip: If desired, you can add a little more lemon juice for an extra tangy dressing.
- Cover the salad dressing and pop it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It will keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Get the Complete (Printable) Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve ramekins of Caesar dressing as a zesty, creamy dipping sauce with any of your favorite appetizers, side dishes, and snacks! The creaminess and flavor are perfect to balance heavier fried foods like fried green tomatoes, air fryer breaded mushrooms, onion rings, or crispy potato wedges and french fries.
I also love to drizzle the dressing onto wraps for some rich tanginess. It’s delicious on our simple veggie wraps, hearty chicken wraps, and chicken Caesar salad wraps.
And, of course, this is the BEST homemade Caesar salad dressing! Fill a large bowl with chopped fresh Romaine lettuce and top with shaved Parmesan cheese, crunchy croutons, and plenty of dressing.
Keep reading for our fabulous homemade croutons recipe below!
How to Make Croutons
Crunchy ‘lil crouton squares are perfect for topping salads or soups… But these homemade croutons are so good, don’t be surprised if you find yourself snacking on them!
Ingredients You Need
- Italian bread – cut into 1-inch cubes
- Butter – unsalted
- Spices – garlic powder, salt, and pepper
Easy Recipe Steps
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it is melted, add in the bread cubes. Toss well so the bread is coated in butter on all sides.
- Toast the bread cubes on all sides, tossing every minute for even browning.
- After 3 minutes, sprinkle the croutons with the spices.
- Continue turning and cooking another few minutes until golden.
Remove the croutons from the heat and cool them before adding to salads or serving with soups. Or transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Truly, minced anchovy makes the BEST dressing. But if you aren’t a fan (or simply don’t have them available), there are a few alternative options. Try an equal amount of minced kalamata olives, some minced capers, or even just a bit more Worcestershire sauce to get a similar salty, umami flavor.
Yes and No… Mayonnaise contains eggs, so technically, there are eggs in this recipe.
However, scratch-made Caesar Dressing contains raw eggs. Since this salad dressing recipe is not made from scratch, we use mayo as the base, you do not need to worry about using or consuming raw eggs.
If you want to make the dressing completely from scratch, we include our restaurant-style recipe below!
Pour the dressing into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 10-14 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
Looking for More Delicious Dressing Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- All-Purpose Tahini Sauce
- Mystical Green Goddess Dressing
- Homemade Catalina Dressing
- Texas Pete Vinaigrette
Easy Homemade Caesar Dressing
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 8 anchovy filets minced, about 1 tb (from a can)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Finely mince the anchovies and garlic cloves. Squeeze 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
- Set out a small mixing bowl or measuring pitcher. Combine the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, minced anchovy, and minced garlic. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk again until smooth. Taste, then salt and pepper as desired. If desired, you can add a little more lemon juice for an extra tangy dressing.
- Cover the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve. The salad dressing can be kept for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Caesar Salad Recipe Ingredients
For the Homemade Croutons:
- 5 cups rustic Italian bread cubes, approx. 1 inch size
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
For the Caesar Dressing from Scratch (No Mayo):
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons oil, grapeseed or vegetable
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 anchovy fillets, from a 2 -ounce can
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
For the Best Steakhouse Caesar Salad:
- 12 ounces romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
- Homemade Croutons
- Shaved Parmesan Cheese for garnish
Instructions
For the Croutons:
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the bread cubes. Toss well.
- Toast the bread cubes on all sides, tossing every minute for even browning. After 3 minutes, sprinkle the croutons with garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper.
- Continue turning and cooking another 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and cool.
For the No-Mayo Caesar Dressing:
- Whisk the egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice together in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in both oils, while whisking the mixture vigorously. This emulsifies the dressing for a thick silky texture.
- Finely mince the anchovy fillets and garlic together. Whisk the anchovies, garlic, and grated Parmesan cheese into the dressing.
- Taste, then whisk in another 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
For the Salad:
- Chop the lettuce and place it in a large salad bowl. Drizzle two-thirds of the dressing over the lettuce. Toss well to coat.
- Add more dressing if needed, but do not drench the lettuce.
- Then toss in the croutons. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately!
This tastes just like the caesar dressing from my favorite restaurant! I’m obsessed with caesar salads and this dressing was delicious!
I can’t believe even my kids loved this recipe! I kept the anchovies a secret and they never even knew they were there! This caesar dressing is flavorful, not too salty, and a new family favorite!
I usually buy my caesar dressing in a bottle, but I decided to put in a little extra effort this week and make it myself. This recipe was shockingly easy and WOW so delicious!!!