This homemade Caesar dressing is hands-down our favorite! It’s thick, creamy, and full of flavor, perfect for a rockin’ Caesar salad.
So my 4 year old is officially obsessed with ghost stories.
I, on the other hand, am terrified of clowns, scary movies, and anything that goes bump in the night so her creepy new hobby kiiiiiiind of freaks me out…
“Once upon a time we went to a haunted house. There was a spooky ghost and we were so exhausted so we went home to snuggle up and go to sleep. While we were sleeping the ghost followed us home and WATCHED US SLEEP. The End.”
What the fork!?
#nopenopenopittyNOPE
Equally creepy is the ingredient list on some store-bought dressings: hydrogenated oils, thickening agents, preservatives, and fillers galore. #hardpass
I don’t want ghosts watching me sleep and I certainly don’t want MSG in my dang salad dressing.
This totally goes without saying, but homemade salad dressing is where it’s at!
Not only will you know each and every ingredient in your jar-o-dressing but you’ll also have a custom flavor that you totally adore. Gone are the days of buying 4 different brands of salad dressings only to realize that none of them taste even half as good as you had hoped they would. Love your dressing crazy thick, thin + pourable, extra creamy or with an added burst of citrus + acidity? Whisking together your own delish dressing will guarantee you get the texture and flavor your craving!
Homemade Caesar Dressing
For this creamy Caesar dressing, anchovies are a must! If you pick up an itty bitty tin, you’ll have enough to make 2-3 jars of dressing. Make a jar now, then store the rest in your fridge for the next time you make the dressing! Discard the tin and store in a clean container along with the oil it’s packed in to keep it fresh. According to BBC good food, you can also freeze anchovies by laying them out individually on a parchment paper lined tray and open freeze them. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and return to the freezer until needed. Easy peasy!
While many traditional Caesar dressings rely on a raw, pasteurized egg for a little extra oomph, I’m not one to go out and buy an entire carton of pasteurized eggs just to make a dang dressing. As written, the dressing is my idea of flavorful, delicious, and totally-craveworthy!
Homemade Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-2 anchovies*
- 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 + 1/2 large lemons)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup quality mayonnaise (homemade or store bought)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese**
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For a perfectly blended dressing, I highly suggest using an immersion blender or food processor. You'll simply combine all your dressing ingredients and blend well. To thin the dressing, add extra lemon juice as desired.
- You can also make the dressing with simply a bowl and a whisk by mashing then mincing your garlic and using anchovy paste in place of whole tinned anchovies. Easy peasy!
- You are totally welcome to add extra of your favorite ingredients. I suggest starting with the above recipe and tasting it with a few lettuce leaves, then adding a little of any particular ingredient you choose. Some opt for extra garlic, some prefer more anchovies or Worcestershire sauce, and some people (like myself) love extra lemon juice.
Notes
Nutrition
More Scrumptious Salad Dressing Recipes:
- Paleo Ranch Dressing (Dairy-Free + Whole30)
- Blueberry Balsamic Dressing
- Easy Homemade Greek Dressing
- Easy Homemade Italian Dressing
I made this for dinner tonight and it turned out amazing. I just added a tablespoon more of the lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to thin out the dressing. I made a chicken Caesar wrap with romaine lettuce and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe!
ahhh yay! So so glad you enjoyed it!
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Hi Gill! I believe with dressings the food safety guidelines are the same as typical leftovers. I typically make what I need for the week when I’m doing a bit of meal prep or ingredient prep. Hope you enjoy the recipe! xoxo
Mine seems too thick should I use milk or water to thin it?
Hi Ann! I usually use a little milk or lemon juice to thin mine when I want it a bit more pourable. I keep it thick to toss/mix into kale salads (since the greens are so sturdy) and thin it a little for romaine.
We love Caesar dressing in our house and, you are so right, that you can’t find a really decent tasting one in the store. And OMG, all the ingredients that go into that bottle! I’m with you on that! I love that this dressing is so easy and similar to one that I make. I use an anchovy paste and have some in the fridge. Will that work?
Thanks Linda! Anchovy paste works great! I used to use it exclusively but lately it’s impossible to find at my closest grocery store so I opt for anchovies straight up. Both are gloriously interchangeable! xoxo
Love this fresh dressing. Totally worth hunting down and using anchovies!
Caesar Salad is a staple food in our house…this will be SO great to have on hand!
This is a go-to! We’ll be making it all summer 🙂
A Caesar is my hubby’s favorite salad and I’m so happy for this egg free recipe for the dressing!! Delish!
Woot! You’ll totally have to surprise him with a jar! 🙂
Our family is all about salads…I love the idea of a homemade dressing like this. Can’t wait to try it!
It’s totally a staple here – hope you get a chance to try it Sandi! xo
I totally approve of your caesar dressing as this is exactly the way I make it! It’s just so good!
I am about to make another jar right now! 🙂 Thanks Amber!