Creamy Anchovy Vinaigrette

This quick and easy anchovy vinaigrette is lush, creamy and piquant. Use canned anchovies for this creamy salad dressing and assemble it in a mini food processor or blender for a beautifully emulsified anchovy sauce that’s so versatile, you’ll always want a jar of it at the ready. Anchovy fillets create depth of flavor without dominating and they are completely blended into the creamy dressing, so picky kids will never know they’re there.

I always have a few tins of canned anchovies in my pantry. I love the way they melt into tomato sauces, punching up the flavor, adding deep umami notes without making the dish taste overly fishy. Just one or two anchovy fillets is all it takes to perk up a simple marinara and turn it into a heady puttanesca. I even use them in my creamy Caesar dressing. In this simple anchovy sauce, they add depth and flavor.

I found this recipe in Poole’s Diner Cookbook and have been smitten with it ever since. If you like Caesar dressing, this luscious anchovy sauce will be your new favorite. It’s naturally dairy-free and has the same funky notes you’d expect from that classic dressing. The sauce starts by zesting a lemon and soaking it in white wine vinegar. The vinegar and lemon zest give this anchovy dressing a bit of pucker, and counterbalances the preserved fish.

Making dressing in a food processor

1. In a mini-prep food processor (or blender), combine the egg yolk, sea salt, anchovies, Dijon mustard and garlic. Pulse several times to combine.
2. Add the lemon-vinegar mixture and pulse again until frothy and well combined.
3. Add the Worcestershire sauce and pulse to combine.
4. While the food processor (or blender is running), Add the canola and olive oil in a slow but steady stream until the dressing is thick and creamy.

FUN FACT: The lid of your mini food processor has a little vessel with small holes in it — it’s designed specifically to add oil a little at a time to emulsify creamy salad dressings and sauces. Just pour the oil into that reservoir and keep the machine running as you do. It’ll do all the work for you – while pureeing the garlic and anchovy fillets completely for the most luxurious anchovy sauce you’ve ever tasted.

I’ve got a recipe coming up soon that PRACTICALLY REQUIRES this creamy anchovy dressing, but I know you won’t want to wait for me to publish it before making your own. So here are a few ideas to sustain you until I can share that recipe with you.

Uses For Anchovy Vinaigrette

• Use as a dip for crudité and vegetables (raw carrots, radishes, celery, snap peas, fennel, sweet bell peppers).
• Replace the standard mayo spread with this punchy anchovy sauce on sliced chicken sandwiches or your next BLT.
• Dollop a spoonful onto a plate and top with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp. Sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley.
• Over sliced boiled eggs and endive lettuce.
• Drizzle over steamed veggies (asparagus, green beans, carrots).
• …and, of course, in a salad.

How long will anchovy sauce keep?

This creamy dressing can be stored in a glass container with a screw-on lid for up to a week in the refrigerator. When refrigerated, the anchovy vinaigrette thickens up. If you’re using the anchovy sauce as a salad dressing, add a few spoonfuls to the salad, then use your tongs to toss it well and coat the lettuce evenly.

More creamy salad dressings you might like:

• Thick and Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
• Curried Mango Salad Dressing
• Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
• Parmigiano Reggiano Dressing
• Homemade Russian Dressing

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