Caesar Salad Dressing

Caesar Salad Dressing – This classic recipe is something everyone should know how to make! This isn’t at all what you’ll get in a bottle. Made with traditional ingredients and a modern-day twist, this recipe gives you a gourmet restaurant feel without any raw egg.

After trying a classic Caesar salad dressing years ago, I’ve never been able to go back to the bottled version you find at the grocery store. It is so drastically different from the bold harmonious flavor of a traditional Caesar salad! I honestly have no idea how it’s ended up to be such a bland, creamy disappointment.

That’s where I come in to save the day! While flavors like dijon, capers, and garlic are strong on their own, together they create such a beautiful concoction that you’ll want to slather all over everything. There’s a reason this dressing rose so swiftly in popularity, and you’re about to find out why!

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

• Garlic – Since the garlic will be raw, I only used a couple cloves. You can use more or less.
• Anchovy paste – Find the paste in a tube rather than full anchovies. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, don’t worry, you won’t really taste them but they do provide a briny flavor to the dressing, that umami thing we love.
• Pepper – Freshly cracked.
• Capers – Brined and drained.
• Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed.
• Dijon mustard – Smooth works best.
• Mayonnaise – Find a mild-flavored mayo, or make your own.
• Parmesan cheese – Grana Padana, pecorino, or romano will also work.
• Olive oil – Good quality extra virgin olive oil. You can use other types of oils, but keep in mind they may change the flavor.
• Salt – Season to taste.

How to make Caesar salad dressing

1. Mash: Add the garlic, anchovy paste, pepper, and capers to a mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the ingredients together.
2. Finish: Whisk the lemon juice, dijon, mayo, and parmesan cheese into the bowl. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour in the olive oil. Continue to stir until completely emulsified. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Do I have to use anchovies?

Some people are very surprised to find out that Caesar salad dressing is not vegetarian! Looking at a plate of romaine lettuce, croutons, and a few shavings of parmesan cheese, who would guess the non-vegetarian component is hiding in the dressing?

Whether you want to make this a vegetarian meal or you simply don’t like anchovies, you can leave this ingredient out. While it’s called for in the traditional recipe, I consider anchovies completely optional but they do provide a briny flavor to the dressing. At the end of the day, it’s your kitchen! Leave them out, add extra; it’s up to you.

How to store Caesar dressing

Transfer your dressing to a sealable jar, bottle, or container. Store in the fridge up to one week. You can multiply or reduce this recipe depending on how much you think you and/or your family will consume in a week.

The process of whisking the oil in slowly should completely emulsify the dressing, however if you see any separating occurring, you can simply mix everything back together with a spoon or fork.

Want to try more homemade grocery store staples?

• Thousand Island Dressing
• Greek Salad Dressing
• Homemade Mayonnaise
• Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
• Easy Pesto Recipe
• Marinara Sauce
• Enchilada Sauce
• Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
• 1 Ingredient Caramel Sauce