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You can whisk up homemade Caesar dressing in about 5 minutes with ingredients you probably already have. Mayo, fresh lemon, garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire, and plenty of Parmesan come together in one bowl. No raw eggs and no anchovy fillets required.
The start of my favorite girl dinner is right here.
Like most ladies, I have quite an eclectic taste when it comes to girl dinner. If the husband isn’t home, girl dinner might consist of a handful of nuts, a slice of cheese, and a candy bar. 🤷♀️
But I do have a version of girl dinner that I am not ashamed to eat in front of/with my husband and it’s a total classic: Caesar salad + a side of fries. Depends on the day if the salad is the star or the fries are the star, to be honest.
This combo is elite. Trust me, I’ve done my research and nothing beats it. I actually order it pretty regularly out at restaurants. Fairly cheap, very satisfying, just throw in a cocktail on the side.
My preferred Caesar salad starts with this homemade Caesar dressing. I honestly just eyeball it right in the salad bowl more often than not, but I wanted to write it up with proper measurements for all of you.
Once you’ve nailed the dressing, chop up some baby romaine (it’s a bit sweeter and crisper than regular romaine), crush some croutons and sprinkle them in like salt, and throw in a generous handful of shaved parm. The perfect salad.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- One bowl, 5 minutes. No blender, no food processor, no emulsifying anything. Just whisk and go.
- Bright, garlicky, and seriously creamy. Fresh lemon and grated garlic give it that punchy restaurant flavor the bottled stuff can’t touch.
- Cheaper than the good bottled brands. You’re mostly using pantry staples, and this makes plenty for a few salads through the week.
Ingredient Notes, Swaps, & Tips:
Use the powdery Parmesan. I buy mine already grated to a fine, powdery texture in the fancy cheese section. It blends right into the dressing. Skip the shelf-stable green jar if you can. Freshly grated Parmesan works well too, if you grate it into a powder.
Grate the garlic. A microplane turns one clove into a paste that disappears into the dressing. Minced garlic leaves you with sharp little chunks.
Tastes like it’s missing something? It’s almost always acid or salt. Add another squeeze of lemon or a small pinch of salt, whisk, and taste again.
Too thick? Whisk in a teaspoon or two of water until it pours the way you like.
Want more depth? Whisk in ½ teaspoon of anchovy paste. The Worcestershire already brings a little of that savory depth, so taste before you add more.
Lighter option: Swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. The dressing will be a bit tangier but still creamy.
Don’t skimp on the pepper. We like ours pretty peppery. I crack enough fresh pepper over the top to cover the surface of the dressing, then whisk it in. Adjust to your crowd.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Easy Peasy Step by Step:
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Helpful Tip!
Storage & Freezing:
- Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Give it a good whisk or shake before each use, since it can thicken and separate slightly as it sits.
- Don’t freeze this one. Mayo-based dressings break and turn watery when thawed, and there’s no saving them.
Leftover Hack!
Have more dressing than you need? Throw in some extra garlic + dijon and a few chicken breasts to marinate. Let marinate for 4-8 hours and then grill!
Recipe FAQs:
Hiding in the Worcestershire sauce! It’s made with anchovies, so you get that savory depth without buying a tin you’ll use once. Want more of that classic flavor? Add ½ teaspoon of anchovy paste.
Traditional Caesar salad dressing starts with raw egg yolks and oil, but we skip this in favor of mayo. It’s a simple swap and most people have mayonnaise in their fridge.
Fresh lemon really matters in this one since it’s a main flavor. Bottled will work in a true pinch, but start with less and taste as you go.
More Dressings & Sauces:
- Basic Cheese Sauce
- Nashville Hot Sauce
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Egg Roll Dipping Sauce
- Homemade Italian Dressing
Homemade Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic grated on a microplane grater
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Add a splash of water if you’d like a thinner consistency.
- Taste and season with additional lemon juice, salt, or cracked pepper.
- Store tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, whisking or shaking well before serving.
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