Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (2024)

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freegluten freenut free

Skip the heavy, creamy dressing and make this easy, Caesar vinaigrette instead. This homemade caesar salad dressing recipe only takes a few minutes and it’s egg and dairy free.

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Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (1)

This is the best Caesar salad dressing recipe

I have a major love-hate relationship with salad. I’m not sure why, but I go through major phases of wanting to eat salad everyday to avoidingit like the plague. I seriously can’t decide how I feel about it. Though, I will say that I think dressing is a major contributing factor.

I’m pretty against bottled dressing even though it’s inevitable that I’ll have to use one every now and then, and I’m really picky about having my salad dressed. I’m not a fan of putting my dressing on at the table. I know it seems like there isn’t much of a difference, but it seems huge to me.

So I try to make homemade dressing whenever I can. It’s not all that hard, and it makes such an impact on the flavor of a salad.

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (2)

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Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (3)

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (7)

Why you’ll love this caesar dressing

  • Now, I know caesar dressing can be a bit controversial. There’s so many stances you can take on the subject – creamy vs. non-creamy, anchovies or not, and is there seriously supposed to be raw egg in this.
  • I’m actually onboard with all of them (I’m not about to do the whole raw egg thing just out of laziness). But, I have to say, a caesar vinaigrette with anchovies is by far my favorite.
  • And, it’s so easy to make. The secret is anchovy paste. Ok, it’s not actually a secret, but it’s quite a time saver and gives you the flavor you’re looking for from the anchovies without having to actually chop up those squishy little filets.

This recipe makes enough for 1 really big salad or two average sized ones.

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (8)

Everything you need to know about recipe name

What can I substitute for anchovies in Caesar dressing?

I like to use anchovy paste to add this particular flavor to caesar dressing. This is easily kept in the fridge and can be added to all sorts of things for adding salty, fishy flavor. Whole anchovy fillets can be pureed, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce or even capers can be substituted as an alternative to anchovy paste.

Do all Caesar dressings have anchovies?

Traditionally Caesar dressing does include anchovies or anchovy paste, and you won’t quite get the flavor right without it.

More salad dressing recipes:

  • Dijon vinaigrette
  • Homemade ranch dressing
  • Thousand island dressing
  • Ginger dressing
  • Cilantro dressing

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Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (9)

Caesar Salad Dressing

★★★★★4.7 from 6 reviews
Print Recipe

Skip the heavy, creamy dressing and make this easy, Caesar vinaigrette instead. This homemade caesar salad dressing recipe only takes a few minutes and contains no raw egg. Plus, it’s healthy, dairy free and paleo friendly so you can enjoy it whenever you want.

  • Author: Melissa Belanger
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: about 2/3 cup 1x

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 23 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Whisk together dressing ingredients until the oil has emulsified.
  2. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Mixing
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 176
  • Sugar: 0.4 g
  • Sodium: 498.7 mg
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.6 g
  • Fiber: 0.1 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 2.6 mg

Keywords: dairy free, gluten free, egg free, easy, dressing, vinaigrette, salad dressing, caesar salad

Published: June 8, 2020. Updated: October 10, 2022.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (10)

Melissa Belanger

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  1. I’m the exact same! SO picky about dressings, and they have to be dressed before they come to the table. Otherwise you end up trying to poke through an already packed bowl of salad trying to coat everything in dressing.. yeck. This sounds awesome because we could whip it up at any time, without having to go through all the steps of a traditional Caesar!

    Reply

  2. Did have anchovy paste, so used worcestershire sauce instead (not the same, but ok). I used half the oil, and added water and a little bit of honey as I found the lemon to be overwhelming. Otherwise, yummy!

    Reply

    1. Not a Caesar salad dressing

      Reply

  3. Pingback: 10 Homemade Condiments - Simply Whisked

  4. Pingback: Kale Chicken Caesar Salad - Simply Whisked

  5. Where do you find anchovy paste in the store usually?

    Reply

    1. I usually find it by the canned fish, like tuna and salmon. If it’s not there, check near the Italian stuff where tomato and garlic paste are located!

      Reply

  6. I just made this dressing – DELICIOUS!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you liked it!

      Reply

  7. Great dressing. I added some parm in and it tasted great!

    Reply

  8. How many calories are in this per tbsp? Is it really 0???

    Reply

  9. Good flavor, I used canned anchovies is oil and created the paste myself. It was a little too tart. I will scale back on the lemon juice next time around. Otherwise, the kids enjoyed it initially. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi! I’m very excited to try making this today, I came upon vinaigrette Cesar dressings from a little cafe a while back. My question is, how much anchovies should be used in place of the paste? I couldn’t find it at the store.

      Reply

      1. You should use about 6 anchovy filets!

        Reply

  10. Made this tonight and it’s good! But gosh, it’s really salty. I definitely would have cut the added salt by at least half

    Reply

  11. In place of anchovy paste is use capers and then blend the dressing. A little bit of Worcestershire helps.

    Reply

  12. Very good basic dressing, who can wrong with oil, mustard, and lemon. Used fresh anchovies instead, added Romano cheese….yum!

    Reply

    1. Im sure adding some cheese would be delicious, not so dairy free though!

      Reply

  13. This was so good! I haven’t been able to have a Caesar salad in like 15 years because of various dietary restrictions, but finally found a way around them and this recipe was a part of it. It was better than any Caesar I ever remember having. So good!

    Reply

  14. I’m going to try using Thai FISH SAUCE instead of the anchovy paste which I don’t have. The dressing looks good. Thanks. Just found your nice website today.

    Reply

  15. I’m a Caesar dressing aficionado!! I’m thrilled with this recipe -it’s the very best, short of doing the old recipe with raw egg. Thanks alot. I’m glad to find your website.

    Reply

  16. It a little heavy on the lemon and not creamy enough

    Reply

    1. This is more of a vinaigrette recipe, and it’s not meant to be super creamy. Sorry you didn’t love it!

      Reply

  17. I haven’t made this yet but I THINK THIS IS THE DUPE I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!!! Trying this tonight, trying to get away from vegetable oil and I loved the Ken’s Lite Caesar dressing and I tried my hand at it but I think this will be the perfect recipe! Can’t wait to try it!!!!!! Subscribing!

    Reply

  18. This is one of the easiest and tastiest Caesar salad dressings ever! I always get complements about it when I make it for guests.

    Reply

    1. I’m so happy to hear that you liked the recipe! Thanks for the review!

      Reply

  19. I just made this (with pureed anchovies instead of anchovy paste). It’s very good, but I may add less lemon juice next time as it’s a bit overwhelming!

    Reply

  20. Hi Melissa,
    This recipe looks really tasty! One tip to share bc simply shaking an already separated dressing doesn’t *fix it*. Once a dressing is separated, it’ll continue to separate the instant the shaking stops. The only way to solve this is by preventing the separation. To do so, combine all the non-oil ingredients first – THEN pour the oil in a thin stream into that mixture while simultaneously whisking it. It’s that thin, gradual stream of oil while whisking that helps the ingredients incorporate better without separating. 😉

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is caesar salad dressing made of? ›

Raw eggs, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce aside, traditional Caesar dressing is made with Dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. These ingredients are all staples in my kitchen.

What are the ingredients in craft Caesar dressing? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Vinegar, Romano and Parmesan Made from Cow's Milk Cheeses (Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Sugar, Egg Yolks, Salt, Contains Less than 2% of Dried Garlic, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Spice (Contains Celery), Corn Syrup, Xanthan Gum, Dried Onions, Whey, Cream, Modified Food Starch, ...

What is the basic salad dressing formula? ›

Here's my master salad dressing that I use as a base for every salad! You just need 1 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp mustard. Finish with salt and pepper, or choose from any number of flavourings – garlic, fresh or dried herbs, pinch of spice, touch of honey.

Are there two types of Caesar dressing? ›

Caesar salad dressing comes in a few basic forms. First, some are creamy, like ranch dressing, while others are more like vinaigrette, with a visible separation of oil and water-based ingredients.

Is Caesar dressing made from mayo? ›

Ingredients
  1. 6 cloves garlic, peeled, divided.
  2. 3/4 cup mayonnaise.
  3. 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided.
  4. 5 anchovy fillets, minced.
  5. 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste.
  6. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
  7. 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
  8. salt and ground black pepper to taste.

What was the original Caesar salad made of? ›

The seven ingredients of the original Caesar salad: whole leaves of romaine lettuce, a raw egg yolk, Italian olive oil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice and a toasted round of baguette. Photo by Bill St. John, for UCHealth.

What are the ingredients in simply nature Caesar dressing? ›

* Soybean Oil, Water, * Romano Cheese (pasteurized Organic Cow's Milk, Cheese Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes, Cellulose Powder), * Garlic, * Cider Vinegar,* Worcestershire Sauce (* Apple Cider Vinegar, * Tamari (water, * Soybeans, * Wheat, Salt, * Molasses, Water, * Agave Syrup, Salt, * Lemon Juice Concentrate, * Ginger ...

How does Gordon Ramsay make Caesar salad? ›

How to cook:
  1. separate the whites from the yolks;
  2. whisk the yolks and add Dijon mustard and wine vinegar;
  3. carefully whisk everything until the mass thickens;
  4. gradually introduce olive oil and whisk;
  5. add anchovies, garlic and grated Parmesan to the sauce;
  6. cut the chicken fillet into slices;
  7. sprinkle with salt and pepper;
Apr 21, 2020

How long does homemade Caesar dressing last? ›

From scratch Caesar dressing doesn't contain the preservatives of the store-bought stuff, so, unfortunately, it won't last as long. Homemade Caesar dressing will stay fresh for 3-5 days, so use it quickly! This is why you make small batches, just enough to cover the amount of salad you have.

What is the simplest form of dressing? ›

Lets start with a vinaigrette. These are the lightest of all dressings. On the simplest level they're merely any kind of acid (think lemon, lime, vinegar etc.) whisked together with oil salt and pepper.

What are the following ingredient you need to make the dressing? ›

Hot-process spoonable salad dressings are typically made by cooking starch, vinegar, salt, sugar and water to a paste, cooling the paste, and adding the remaining ingredients. The oil is added last, typically with egg yolks, whites or another emulsifier.

What are the two main ingredients of most standard salad dressings? ›

ACID: Traditionally, vinaigrettes are made with vinegar, often one derived from wine. But any kind of acidic ingredient can fill in, including citrus juice, tomato puree or soy sauce. OIL: The oil in a vinaigrette can be neutral, such as grapeseed, or nutty, such as walnut.

What is real Caesar dressing made of? ›

Begin by whisking together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Next, whisk in the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, and pepper. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week. For a main course Caesar, try pairing this with my best grilled chicken.

What is in Panera Caesar dressing? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolk, Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled White Vinegar, Anchovies, Garlic, Molasses, Onion, Salt, Sugar, Water, Chili Pepper Extract, Cloves, Natural Flavorings, Tamarind Extract), Red Wine Vinegar, Garlic (Garlic, Water, Citric Acid), Garlic Juice (Garlic, Vinegar, Salt), Anchovy Paste (Anchovies, ...

What is a Caesar salad dressing? ›

A Caesar salad (also spelled Cesar, César and Cesare) is a green salad of romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with lemon juice (or lime juice), olive oil, eggs or egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.

Do all Caesar dressings have anchovies? ›

Does Caesar Salad Dressing Have Anchovies In It? While anchovy fish or anchovy paste is an ingredient in some Caesar salad dressing recipes, the original recipe did not use this particularly pungent ingredient. You can make this creamy dressing without any fish at all, or use a different type altogether if you prefer.

Why is Caesar dressing so good? ›

The truth is, it's all of the above. "Texture, acid, and umami—that's like the trifecta. Caesar salad has everything," says Karen Akunowicz, the 2018 James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Northeast whose signature grilled broccoli Caesar salad is a day-one menu favorite at her Boston restaurant, Fox & the Knife.

What are the ingredients in Hidden Valley Caesar dressing? ›

Water, Soybean Oil, Maltodextrin, Egg Yolk, Nonfat Dry Milk, Sugar, Dried Onion, Salt, Dried Garlic, Less Than 1% Of: Romano Cheese From Cow's Milk (cultured, Part-skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Parmesan Cheese (milk, Cheese Cultures,, Salt, Enzymes), Spices, Garlic, Tomato Paste, White Wine Solids, Lemon Juice Concentrate ...

Is most Caesar dressing vegetarian? ›

When transitioning to a vegan or cruelty-free lifestyle, many beginners are shocked to find out how many of their favorite “meat-free” dishes were never actually vegan at all! Even without the addition of grilled chicken, traditional caesar salad dressing typically contains eggs, cheese, and anchovies.

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