Creamy Caesar Dressing

a small pitcher of caesar dressing.

Are you looking for the best Caesar salad dressing? One that’s rich and flavorful but easy to make from scratch? This creamy Caesar dressing is a winner. Made in a blender in about 10 minutes, this homemade Caesar salad dressing thickens up in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for Caesar Salad dressing.

This recipe is for you if you love a thick and creamy Caesar dressing but are squeamish about raw eggs. This is the best Caesar salad dressing because it swaps out mayonnaise for the raw egg for a perfectly emulsified salad dressing that’s thick, creamy and flavorful.

Traditionally, Caesar dressing uses raw egg yolk to emulsify, and if your eggs are pasteurized, they should reach a degree of food safety — so it’s no problem… until it is. That’s why I made this dressing with store-bought mayonnaise, instead of eggs.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • You make it in a blender, so it comes together fast.
  • The recipe makes an ultra-creamy Caesar dressing
  • You can make it an advance and it keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

  • Whole Garlic Cloves – Don’t be shy with the garlic in this dressing. I use 5-6 large cloves.
  • White Wine Vinegar – is the essential acid for this dressing recipe.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – adds a depth of flavor and umami richness to the dressing.
  • Dijon Mustard – Has just the right tang to balance the flavors and helps emulsify the dressing.
  • Mayonnaise – I use mayo instead of an egg to make the Caesar dressing creamy.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Must be added extremely slowly otherwise, you risk breaking the sauce.
  • Kosher Salt – We like Diamond Crystal
  • Lemon Zest – Lemon zest brightens the flavors in this dressing without overpowering it.
  • Whole Anchovies – Packed in oil – whole anchovies add a salty, umami component that a Caesar dressing requires. (If you don’t have canned anchovies, use 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste.)
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese – Preferably freshly grated from a 1-ounce square of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Adding garlic, dijon and vinegar to the blender.

Creamy Caesar dressing should be thick, with a noticeable hit of garlic and a subtle salty bite.  It should cling to the lettuce without wilting it or making it soupy. To get that perfect emulsification, I use a blender and follow these easy steps:

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Directions

  1. Add the garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard to the blender and blend until the garlic is chopped.
  2. Add the mayonnaise and blend for about 10 seconds.
  3. With the blender running at its lowest speed, very slowly, stream in the olive oil.
  4. Add the lemon zest, anchovies and salt and blend until the anchovies are dissolved in the dressing.
  5. Add the parmesan cheese and blend until smooth.
  6. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

If you don’t have a blender or mini food processor:

  • You can make this creamy Caesar salad dressing by hand. Finely mince and mash the garlic, lemon and anchovies into a fine paste using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a knife.
  • Combine the paste mixture with the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
  • Drizzle in the olive oil, quickly whisking the entire time until all of the oil is emulsified in the dressing.
  • Stir in the parmesan cheese.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
Adding mayonnaise after chopping the garlic in the blender.

Pro-Tip:

There have been times when I’ve been in a hurry and added the olive oil to the blender too quickly, resulting in a broken Caesar dressing with a less creamy – more curdled look. Avoid this mistake and take your time adding the extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream. It should take a FULL MINUTE to add the oil.

If you do break the Caesar dressing, don’t fret, you can usually save it.

  • Add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise to a small bowl (like a cereal bowl).
  • Pour the broken dressing into the bowl about 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk it in until it’s emulsfied and smooth.
  • Continue to add the broken dressing in small amounts, whisking until smooth after each addition.
After adding the oil, the dressing should be smooth and creamy.

Variations:

  • Swap the white wine vinegar for fresh squeezed lemon juice.
  • Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
  • You can skip the lemon zest for a more authentic Caesar dressing.
Season the dressing with anchovies and lemon zest.

FAQs

Where was Caesar dressing invented?

Interestingly, the original Caesar salad dressing was invented in Tijuana, Mexico by an Italian named Caesar Cardini during prohibition. However, as these things go, other members of the staff claimed to have been the brainchild of this famous dressing.

Does all Caesar dressing have anchovies?

No. Several sources, close to the original rendition, say that the dressing didn’t have anchovies and instead got its umami depth from Worcestershire sauce.

How do you make a Caesar salad?

Traditionally, the Caesar dressing is assembled and whisked directly in the salad bowl (done tableside at restaurants for flair). The chopped romaine lettuce was added and tossed so that every leaf was draped with dressing. Finally, fresh grated parmesan cheese and croutons are added.

Add freshly grated parmesan cheese for richer flavor.

Use fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the best flavor

I prefer grating my own cheese from a block rather than using pre-grated cheeses because many brands that are labeled “parmesan” aren’t the real deal. (Some are even made with wood pulp).

To tell if your cheese is real Italian parmesan, look at the rind. The cheesemakers imprint the words”PARMIGIANO REGGIANO” on the rind and you can see it there plain as day. It’s really the best cheese for a homemade Caesar salad dressing.

A small pitcher of the Caesar salad dressing recipe.

Storage

  • Keep leftover dressing in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  • Do not freeze the lemon Caesar dressing.

Note: as the dressing chills, it gets thicker, so if you like it that way, give the freshly made dressing a few hours in the fridge.

Pouring dressing onto lettuce leaves.

Say goodbye to bottled dressings

After you make this easy Caesar dressing, I promise there’s no returning to those bottled Caesar dressings.  Not even the ones in the dairy case. This lush and creamy Caesar dressing is plucky and vibrant, perfect for all your salads.

What to serve with:

  • Romaine lettuce – for an outstanding Caesaar salad.
  • Use this dressing recipe for this Shrimp Caesar salad.
  • Make other types of Caesar using different protein, like crab cakes, seared salmon, poached chicken or even grilled octopus.
  • Use the homemade Caesar salad dressing as a dip for veggies.
  • Smear a spoonful of dressing on a wrap or sandwich instead of mayonnaise.
  • Spread on grilled bread and top with sliced tomatoes and herbs for a tasty appetizer course.
Making a Caesar salad with the creamy dressing.

More creamy salad dressing recipes you might like: 

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Serving the caesar dressing recipe in a glass pitcher.
Print Pin
4.13 from 8 votes

Homemade Caesar Dressing

This lush and creamy Caesar dressing is everything you want in Caesar – garlicky with salty depth from anchovies and parmesan cheese. Bonus, there’s no raw egg if your squeamish and this qualifies as a keto Caesar dressing, so eat up.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword anchovies, caesar
Dietary Restrictions Egg Free, Gluten-Free
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

  • Blender or mini food processor with the drip receptacle in the lid.
  • lemon zester

INGREDIENTS:

  • 5-6 large cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 rounded teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  • Add the garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard to the blender and blend until the garlic is chopped.
  • Add mayonnaise and blend for about 10 seconds. With the blender running on low speed, drizzle the olive oil through the opening in the top VERY SLOWLY until it’s all been added, and the Caesar dressing is thick and creamy. (Note: food processors also have small “drip openings” in the top to add oil slowly to create emulsions.)
  • Add the salt and lemon zest. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of half the lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) into the dressing. Add the anchovies and blend until the anchovies have completely dissolved and the dressing is thick and creamy.
  • Add the parmesan cheese and blend until fully combined. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt or cracked pepper if desired.
  • You can use the dressing immediately or refrigerate for several hours so it thickens up even more.

NOTES:

The creamy Caesar dressing will keep in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to one week.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 18mg | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Love this recipe, but wondering is it possible to use a Cuisinart Immersion Blender Stick??

  2. 2 stars
    It is frustrating when searching the terms “eggless” and “egg free” and this recipe comes up. I replaced the mayo with plain Greek yogurt and skipped the lemon due to the tartness of the yogurt. It wasn’t bad…..I had to thin with a little water. Please do keep in mind that when you use those terms most of us are looking for a truly egg free recipe for a reason.

    1. Thanks for your comment, Amy. I’ve made changes to this post to reflect that this caesar dressing has no “raw” egg in it.

  3. This “eggless” recipe sounds delicious however it is NOT eggless as stated for any egg allergy people!!!! Real Mayonnaise list whole liquid eggs as one of their main ingredients ……

    Please change recipe heading as it is not eggless before someone becomes ill or has a reaction. This would have put my daughter into a hospital 🙁

    1. Hi Kim – I’m so sorry to hear of your daughter’s allergy. My daughter suffered from the same allergy — along with peanuts and milk when she was young, so I hear you. I’m sorry for the confusion. My intent in this recipe was to make a caesar dressing without “raw” eggs. The eggs in commercially made mayonnaise are treated so that the eggs are shelf stable.

  4. Jolinda Marshall says:

    No comment on why you skip the parmesean and croutons? I fear it’s going to be rather “without”, but I’ll try it out today. Also, I get eggs locally from a friend within a day of being laid… Makes a world of difference! Thanks!

  5. I can’t wait to make this!

  6. 5 stars
    Sounds great, I can’t wait to try it!