This Easy Caesar Dressing takes just 5 minutes to make, and it's made without raw egg yolks! You only need a bowl and a whisk to make it, and a few simple ingredients. It's a classic and sure to become your go-to!
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Why This is the Best Easy Caesar Dressing
Simple yet so flavorful - If you've never had homemade Caesar salad dressing, you'll be surprised how flavorful it is compared to some store-bought versions! It's creamy, packed with flavor, and so good paired with some fresh romaine lettuce and homemade croutons.
So incredibly easy to make - The dressing can be made in just 5 minutes, and it has just 10 simple ingredients. It's made with mayonnaise instead of raw egg yolk and olive oil, which speeds up the process immensely. It also means that all you need is a bowl and a whisk! No need for an immersion blender or any special appliances, just stir everything together and you're done!
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise - A classic Caesar dressing is made with egg yolks and oil. To make things easier and to avoid the raw eggs, I'm using mayonnaise instead. I recommend pure avocado oil mayo or extra virgin olive oil mayo.
- Anchovy paste - Please don't skip this! It's not good on its own, but it plays a big role in the overall flavor of the dressing, trust me! I chose to use anchovy paste here to avoid any extra work, so you can add it straight into your bowl with the rest of the ingredients, but you can use whole canned anchovies as well and mince them finely with a knife.
- Worcestershire sauce - This adds more umami flavor, saltiness, and it just makes all the other flavors pop. Keep in mind that most Worcestershire sauces also contain anchovies.
- Dijon mustard - A little bit of Dijon mustard adds spice, and it balances the other flavors without standing out.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor.
- Garlic - You can either mince the garlic on a cutting board along with the anchovies, or you can use a microplane grater. I like grating the garlic. You only need one clove for a lot of flavor.
- Parmesan cheese - I like using commercially grated parmesan here because it's finer than when you use a box grater. If you want to achieve the same texture at home. Roughly chop your parmesan cheese and pulse it in a food processor! Most Parmesan is made with animal rennet.
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegan mayonnaise - While this dressing isn't meant to be made vegan because the anchovy flavor is just too important to me to leave it out, you can totally use vegan mayonnaise if you want to avoid the eggs for any reason.
- Vegan parmesan - You can use vegan parmesan if you're avoiding dairy.
- Pecorino cheese - If you don't have parmesan, pecorino is a great alternative. It has a stronger flavor, and it's saltier, so I would add less salt if you're using it. It's also usually made with sheep milk, which is great if you're avoiding cow dairy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated garlic, fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to a medium bowl or a jar.
- Whisk the mixture until well mixed.
- Add the mayonnaise and parmesan and whisk again until smooth. (The grated parmesan may make it look grainy, but it will melt into the dressing more as it chills.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk again. This is optional, but the dressing will be very thick otherwise.
- You can add more water if desired until you reach your desired consistency.
- Store it in an airtight container in the fridge or serve right away. I like to chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
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Tips & Tricks!
- Make it even quicker: In the photos above, I add everything at once. I add the ingredients from step one to one side, and the mayo and parmesan to the other side of the bowl. This way, I can whisk the ingredients that need more whisking first before mixing them with the mayo and cheese.
- Give it time to rest: While you can serve the dressing right away, it tastes the best when you let it rest and cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
How to Use the Dressing
- Classic Caesar Salad - Toss the dressing with torn-up or chopped romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan, and some homemade Sourdough Croutons for one of the simplest but tastiest salads!
- Add seafood, or other protein - There are tons of variations of the classic Caesar you can make, and one of my favorite ways to change things up is adding protein like shrimp, salmon, or chicken to make the salad more filling.
- Pasta salad - If you want to make the salad heartier, add some cooked pasta for a Caesar Pasta Salad! It's great for the summer when we're not really craving hot pasta, and you can also easily add protein like shredded chicken or grilled salmon to stretch it into more servings.
- Wraps, sandwiches, bowls - Make a delicious chicken Caesar wrap, add it to sandwiches, drizzle it over rice or quinoa bowls, or toss it with other greens like kale or spinach for a different variation of a Caesar salad.
Make-Ahead Options and Storing
Refrigerator: You can keep the dressing in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I've noticed many recipes state that it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, but I wouldn't personally keep it for longer than a week to be safe. I usually consume it within a couple of days for the best flavor and freshness.
Don't freeze it: I don't recommend freezing the dressing because the mayo and parmesan will have a different, more grainy texture once defrosted.
Making it ahead: I do recommend making it at least 30 minutes or up to a day ahead so that it has time to cool and thicken slightly in the fridge and for all the flavors to develop. You can also easily double or even triple the recipe for more servings!
FAQs
Some recipes suggest using a mix of miso paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard instead of anchovy paste to get a similar flavor, but I haven't tried this, so I can't guarantee results.
If it's too thick, add water. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more as needed. Be careful not to add too much.
This is most likely because you added too much water. You can add more parmesan or more mayonnaise, though this might change the flavors slightly. The dressing should have the right texture if you follow the recipe and use the correct amounts. It will thicken in the fridge as it cools.
Other Homemade Salad Dressings
Once you start making your own dressings and vinaigrettes, you'll realize how easy and tasty they really are! I have many on my site, and I'm always working on more for you! To see all the latest ones, head over to Dips and Dressings. Below are some of the readers' favorites.
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Print📖 Recipe
Easy Caesar Dressing
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Easy Caesar Dressing takes just 5 minutes to make, and it's made without raw egg yolks! You only need a bowl and a whisk to make it, no blender!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (½ lemon)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise (I recommend olive or avocado oil mayo)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp water (optional)
Instructions
- Add anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated garlic, fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to a medium bowl or a jar.
- Whisk the mixture until well mixed.
- Add the mayonnaise and parmesan and whisk again until smooth. (The grated parmesan may make it look grainy, but it will melt into the dressing more as it chills.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk again. This is optional, but the dressing will be very thick otherwise. You can add more water if desired until you reach your desired consistency.
- Store it in an airtight container in the fridge or serve right away. I like to chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storing: Store the dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it because it will separate after defrosting.
Substitutions: You can add ¼ cup mayonnaise and ¼ cup Greek yogurt for a lighter version, or you can use vegan mayo. Keep in mind that Parmesan is often made with animal rennet.
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Veronika Sykorova says
If you don't like making Caesar dressing with raw eggs, this recipe is for you! It's simple and takes just a few minutes!