Classic Homemade Caesar Dressing

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This recipe was originally published on February 8, 2018.

Can’t find your favorite Caesar salad dressing anymore?  No need to fret. 

Homemade Caesar dressing isn’t hard to make, and doesn’t require fancy kitchen gadgets.  You might even like it better than favorite store bought one.

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Questions

Who invented Caesar dressing?

An Italian immigrant named Cesare Cardini claims to have invented the dressing back in 1920. 

What does it taste like?

A traditional Caesar recipe is creamy from the mayo, and has a flavor profile that is cheesy, briny, tangy, and zesty.  Most people will agree that the best Caesar dressings also have a strong garlic taste.

Is this dressing made with raw eggs?

Egg yolks are a key ingredient in homemade mayo, so unless you use store bought mayo for your recipe, you’ll be using a raw egg to make this from scratch.

Does all Caesar dressings have anchovies?

The best tasting Caesar will have minced anchovies ground into a paste.  Anchovies are an essential ingredient because they provide the right umami flavor.  It will add a briny, fishy, umami flavor profile or the savory element, which is so important.  I’ve also added Worcestershire sauce, which also has anchovies in it, for some extra umami.

If you must substitute because you are vegan, use ground up kelp for the anchovies.  This seaweed will still provide some of the fishy taste, and replace the Worcestershire sauce with the vegan version.

What components are essential?

To make an amazing Caesar dressing, it has to be made with the right balance of fresh ingredients.  Most people agree that a creamy Caesar dressing is preferred over a vinaigrette.  Its thicker texture nicely coats the Romaine lettuce, and adds a pleasing creamy taste to the Caesar salad.

• Hard Cheese: freshly grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Romano, or Asiago
• Fat: homemade mayo, or good quality mayo such as Duke’s or Hellmann’s
• Unami, Briny, Fishy flavor: minced anchovies, Worcestershire sauce
• Acidic Tang: freshly squeezed lemon juice and vinegar
• Garlic: raw, freshly minced garlic, or minced roasted garlic
• Pepper: freshly ground black pepper

Is this recipe bad for you?

For two tablespoons of our Caesar dressing, there is 196 calories, 20g of fat, and 33.3mg of cholesterol.  Since most creamy versions have egg yolk in them, you might want to reduce the amount you put on your Caesar salad if you have high cholesterol.  For more nutritional information, scroll past the recipe card.

What do you serve with this recipe?

The most obvious choice is a Caesar salad which has Romaine lettuce, bacon, homemade croutons, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and freshly cracked black pepper.  To make your Caesar more of a meal, add some grilled or rotisserie chicken.  For an amazing Caesar salad, taste it as you go to make sure it has enough lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can.  It keeps well in the fridge as long as it is stored properly in an airtight bottle, so making it the night before would be perfectly fine.

How to Make

Gather all the ingredients.  You’ll need a light tasting olive oil, egg yolk, minced garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced anchovy fillets, grated Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and the spices.

The mixing method we will show in the pictures below is hand whisking.  If you prefer to use a blender or a food processor, feel free to do so as it will speed up the process.

To make the homemade mayo, place the egg yolk in a large bowl.  Pour the light tasting olive oil in a measuring cup with a spout.  Slowly drip the oil into the egg yolk while constantly whisking.

When you are half way done, pour the oil in a thin steady stream.  Don’t forget to still keep whisking. 

When your homemade mayo is finished it will look like this.  If you want to skip this step, make sure to use a good quality mayo like Hellmann’s or Duke’s.

The next step is making the anchovy paste.  You can use the blade of a large chef’s knife and a wooden cutting board or a mortar and pestle.  It’s in this step that the minced garlic and the chopped up anchovies are ground together into a paste.

Add the anchovy paste to the homemade mayo and whisk it together.

Next add the grated Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and the Dijon mustard to the dressing and whisk.

Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste and to thin the dressing.

Taste, and add the black pepper and a dash of salt.  Whisk in the spices and taste again.

Add some more lemon juice. Whisk.

Taste.  Don’t be in a hurry.  Tasting and adjusting is key to the perfect Caesar dressing.

If necessary, add a pinch more salt.

Whisk in the salt.  When the dressing is to your liking, you can pour it into a glass jar with an airtight lid.

Now you are all ready to assemble the Caesar salad: Romaine hearts, homemade croutons, bacon, fresh garlic, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and lemon wedges. 

Remember, to achieve the perfect classic Caesar dressing, taste as you go.  Don’t be in a rush.  Adjust your fat, acid, and salty flavors and you will be thrilled with your final result as it will be customized to your taste buds.

Variations

• Need this to be vegan?  Use vegan mayo, soy milk, nutritional yeast, kelp, and vegan Worcestershire sauce.
• Want less salt?  Add the salt in last, and only a small amount of it.  Taste as you go.  The anchovies and Parmesan will have most of the sodium

Pro Tips

• Making homemade mayo?  Add the oil in very slowly as you whisk constantly.
• Need this to be keto friendly?  You are already go to go as this dressing has no sugar and uses olive oil and has .8g of carbs for a 2 tbsp. serving.
• Taste test as you go.  You want the right balance of fat, saltiness, cheese, pepper, garlic, fishy flavor, and acid (lemon and vinegar). 

Recommended Tools

• Set of 3 Whisks: these stainless steel whisks are durable and easy to clean.
• Measuring Spoons: we’ve loved using these accurate spoons for years.
• Box Grater: grate your cheese quickly and effortlessly with this box grater.
• 2-Cup Measuring Cup: this convenient measuring cup has a spout for pouring.

Throwing together a salad?  You’ll want to check out these other recipes.

• Best Ever Easy Croutons
• Irish Pub Salad
• Kale Christmas Wreath Salad

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Classic Homemade Caesar Dressing

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Brooke
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup 1x

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Description

This classic homemade Caesar dressing will transform your salad into something amazing!  It’s an easy recipe for a traditional creamy dressing flavored with lemon, garlic, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature (farm fresh or pasteurized)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil (150 ml)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon (30 ml)
• 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced (5g)
• 1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (35g)
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• light sprinkle of salt

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Instructions

Making the Easy Homemade Mayo

1. Start by making the mayonnaise.  Separate the egg, reserving the whites for another use.  Put the room temperature egg yolk in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Measure the light tasting olive oil into a measuring cup that has a pouring spout.
3. Choose your mixing method for the dressing: hand whisk, blender, or food processor.  For this recipe, I will describe the hand method.
4. Drip the vegetable oil very slowly, while constantly whisking, on top of the egg yolk.  When most of it is mixed in, then pour the remaining light tasting olive oil a little faster.  Next, in a steady, thin stream, pour the rest of the light tasting olive oil while whisking.  If the homemade mayo needs to be thinned, use a little lemon juice.

Making the Anchovy Paste

1. Rinse and finely chop the anchovies.  Mince the two cloves of garlic, and add it to the anchovies.  Mash them together on a cutting board with a blade of a knife or with a mortar and pestle.

Assembling the Dressing

1. Add the anchovy paste to the bowl of mayo, then pour in the liquids (vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and most of the lemon juice), then add the Dijon mustard, grated Parmesan cheese, and the black pepper.  Taste and add a dash of salt.
2. Taste again, adjusting the flavors with a bit more lemon juice and/ or vinegar.  If the dressing is too thick, add more lemon juice.  Taste again.  If needed, add more salty ingredients or more black pepper.
3. If not using right away on your Caesar salad, use a wide mouth funnel and pour the dressing into a glass jar.  Store in the fridge with an airtight lid.  For best results, use within 3 days.

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Notes

• If your planning to make homemade mayo, add the oil in very slowly as you whisk constantly.
• Want this to be keto friendly?  This dressing has no sugar and uses olive oil and has .8g of carbs for a 2 tbsp. serving.
• You want the right balance of fat, saltiness, cheese, pepper, garlic, fishy flavor, and acid from the lemon and vinegar, so taste as you go.

• Category: Salad Dressing
• Method: Stirred
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: traditional caesar salad dressing, easy caesar salad dressing

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