Easy Caesar salad dressing is deliciously rich and creamy and takes just minutes to shake up with on-hand ingredients (no anchovies or raw egg needed)!
I remember going to a very fancy, members-only restaurant uptown with my family when I was little. My Dad belonged to take clients to lunch, but we’d go now and then as a family for dinner too.
I had to dress up and brush my hair and wear a bow, but it was worth it.
Sure, the food was probably a little too fancy for my tastes, but I loved being uptown, loved being so high up in the building and loved the fanciness of it all.
I also remember that they were one of those restaurants where they made Caesar salad dressing table side.
They brought out a lovely cart that had all of the ingredients prepped and ready to mix and they’d whisk it together right in front of you.
I always thought that was pretty cool.
But I digress. Back to the food…
Today, my version of mixing it table side is shaking this easy Caesar salad dressing up in a jar and drizzling it all over our salad bowls on the kitchen counter.
Before we sit at the kitchen table with paper napkins and brightly colored plastic cups with milk for the kids.
Totally the same level of sophistication, right?
Although, spoiler alert: This is a cheater’s version of the original dressing because it doesn’t have anchovies.
I never have those on hand and I like to make this dressing a lot, so I created a work-around.
(If you bought anchovies knowing you wanted to make this dressing, well then kudos to you! Also, keep reading cause I’ll tell you how to use them.)
But it's good to know you won't even miss them.
This dreamy Caesar dressing recipe is loaded with fresh Parmesan and is just so creamy, rich and addictive.
You’ll want to go back for forkful after forkful!
It’s perfect for all of your Caesar salad needs - and easy enough to mix up last minute!
Be sure to check out my easy chicken Caesar salad and seared romaine salad that both feature this same cheater’s Caesar’s dressing for ways to use it.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips, substitutions and FAQs coming up below. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
What’s in a traditional Caesar salad?
The usual ingredients are romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese and Caesar salad dressing.
What are Caesar salad dressing ingredients?
Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Parmesan cheese, anchovies, sometimes egg, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper. Sometimes Dijon mustard.
How to make Caesar salad dressing?
Combine the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. (Also add finely chopped anchovies if using.) Shake, shake, shake to get everything well combined.
You can also whisk this together really well in a medium bowl. It just takes an extra minute and an extra bit of muscle.
Either way you go, it's seriously so easy.
And if you’re a food history nerd like me, check out this article about where this salad came from. (Spoiler alert: Tijuana, Mexico. Crazy right?!)
Notes on easy Caesar salad dressing:
- This version has no anchovies, making it even easier to whip up anytime.
- However, if you have some you’d like to use, add a teaspoon of anchovy paste or 3 small oil-packed anchovies, finely chopped. (It helps to mash them with the side of a knife along with the garlic and salt on your cutting board.)
- No raw egg here either. Which means no tempering to try to eliminate any risk for salmonella.
- However, you could add a tablespoon of mayo or even Greek yogurt if you’d like a creamier texture to your dressing.
Now, let's talk how to store and use this delicious homemade dressing!
How long can I keep Caesar salad dressing in the fridge?
- Homemade Caesar dressing will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Keep it in a covered container.
- You may need to rewhisk or re-shake your dressing before using to get it well mixed again.
And if you love this dressing as much as we do, you’ll want to find some new ways to use it.
Got you covered!
Ways to use Caesar salad dressing:
- Traditional Caesar salad or a chicken or shrimp Caesar salad
- Caesar salad wraps or roll-ups
- As a dressing for coleslaw
- Mixed with pasta or potato salad
- Use as a marinade for grilling meats
- Toss with veggies then roast them in the oven
- Use as a spread for burgers or sandwiches
- Drizzle onto grain bowls for a creamy finish
- Serve as a dip for crudite
And stay tuned, because I’ve got a fun twist on Caesar salad coming up tomorrow that also makes use of this dressing.
You can also sign up for free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You may also want to check out these other homemade dressings:
- Homemade Italian dressing - always great to have on hand
- Soy ginger dressing - seriously addictive
- Creamy cilantro lime dressing - so creamy and dreamy
Easy Caesar Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 4-5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- To make the dressing, add all of the dressing ingredients to a large jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. (Alternatively, you can whisk this together really well in a bowl.)
- Cover and shake well to combine. If you aren’t using it immediately, you may need to reshake it before you pour it on your salad.
- The dressing will keep for up to a week in the fridge.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Mary
Not allowed any additives, no Worcester sauce. Also, I like European, French, Canadian or American and Italian and Thai food. Please tell me how I change my food preferences. I can eat eggs.
Joanne McGoldrick
We love this dressing! How much Dijon mustard? It mentions Dijon mustard in the commentary above the recipe, but it isn’t in the recipe.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you love this Joanne! Also, I'm glad you pointed that out. That was a typo in the post, there isn't any Dijon mustard in this dressing. The recipe card is correct. Thank you!