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This is the absolute best Caesar Dressing ever (no anchovies required)! It’s creamy, zesty, and ready to serve in less than 10 minutes!
Caesar Dressing Fit For a King (or Emperor)
I rarely buy Caesar dressing anymore because it’s just so easy to whip up a batch at home. It is so much better than anything you can buy at the store! The taste and freshness doesn’t even compare. Plus, you can make this and clean it all up in less time than it takes to run to the store! Honestly, there’s no good reason not to make at home!
I love using this dressing with our Salmon Caesar Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, and our hand-held Chicken Caesar Wraps. You can also use it as a chicken marinade (or baste), a spread on sandwiches, or as a seasoning for roasted potatoes (just toss ’em with a few tablespoons of dressing and roast). I’m so excited for you to try this dressing and can’t wait to hear all the ways you like to serve it!
🩷 Erica
Key Ingredients
- Mayonnaise – This will be the base of your recipe so you want to use a good brand like Best Foods (Hellmann’s) or Duke’s for the best flavor.
- Avocado Oil – This is a great mild oil to use for salad dressings. Even extra-virgin oil is too strong and could overpower the other flavors (however “light” EVOO is ok). Canola oil and grape seed oil are great substitutions that are also very mild. If you have none of these on hand, vegetable oil will also work.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – This is a must. At the very least a block of parmesan cheese and shred yourself. Do not use the powdery grated parmesan from the plastic canister. It will not turn out right.
- Capers – This is what will give the dressing the “briny” flavor without having to add anchovies. You can absolutely swap the capers out for anchovies or Worcestershire sauce if you prefer. I will go into more detail on these substitutions below.
- Other Seasonings – Garlic, fresh lemon, black pepper, and dijon are all flavors and seasonings that add to the brightness of the dressing. You will find that this dressing is plenty salty without adding any additional salt.
Caesar Dressing With Anchovies
Traditionally, Caesar dressing is made with anchovies, which honestly is my favorite way of making this dressing but some people just can’t do anchovies and I totally get that. If anchovies don’t bother you or you want a truly authentic Caesar dressing, just swap out the capers for 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste. It’s that easy! If you want a flavor that is somewhere in the middle, you can also use 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies but doesn’t have as strong of an anchovy taste).
How to Make Caesar Dressing
- Combine mayonnaise, garlic, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, capers, lemon juice, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process or blend until ingredients are well combined.
- While blending, slowly add avocado oil a little at a time until oil is completely incorporated. This will emulsify the dressing and keep it from separating.
- Add shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse just a few times until you get your desired consistency.
- I usually just pulse 2-3 times because I like to keep the texture of the Parmigiano-Reggiano but you can pulse more for a smoother consistency.
- Place dressing in a jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Toss with Romaine lettuce and top with croutons and any of your other favorite Caesar salad toppings.
Taste as you go
Once your dressing is all blended, give it a little taste. If you want a more brine flavor, add caper juice or Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon at a time. Add more pepper for a little more kick. If it’s too thin, add a little more mayo. Too thick? Add a splash of water or milk to thin it out. Adjust until this dressing is just right for you.
Expert Tips for Making Caesar Dressing
Emulsify the dressing – When adding the avocado oil, pour it in a slow, steady stream while the blender is running. This gradual process helps the oil emulsify into the mayonnaise base instead of separating. If added too quickly, the dressing can “break” and turn thin or oily.
Rinse and drain the capers – Capers (and the juices they are brined in) are very salty so, personally, I like to give them a little rinse before adding them to the dressing. If you don’t mind the saltiness you can always just put them straight in.
Adjust the thickness – If you prefer a thinner dressing you can whisk in a tablespoon or two of water or milk until you reach your desired consistency. It may also thicken after refrigerating so you can add a little liquid before serving if you find it has thickened up too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Although traditional Caesar recipes often include anchovies (or anchovy paste) for an umami flavor and depth, you can omit them and use substitutes like capers or Worcestershire sauce (which itself may contain anchovies).
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano has better flavor and mixes more smoothly into the dressing. Pre-grated cheeses often have additives or anti-caking agents, which can affect the texture and flavor.
Yes. Whisking by hand works fine, just whisk vigorously while gradually adding the oil to incorporate evenly.
More Creamy Salad Dressing Recipes
Have you tried this homemade Caesar Dressing? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked it and what you tried it on. And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🥗
Caesar Dressing without Anchovies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic, (about 2-3 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brined capers, rinsed and drained, (you can also use Worcestershire sauce, see notes below)
- juice of 1 lemon, (fresh squeezed)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmigiano reggiano
Instructions
- Place mayonnaise, garlic, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, capers (or Worcestershire sauce), lemon juice, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process or blend until ingredients are well combined.
- While blending on low, SLOWLY add avocado oil a little at a time until oil is completely incorporated.
- Add shredded parmigiano reggiano and pulse just a few times until well combined. For best results, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve with Caesar salad or place in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes 12 ounces.
Equipment
- 1 Blender (or food processor)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Delicious!! Like you, I have tried multiple caesar dressings from grocery stores and never finish them because they don’t taste very good, certainly not restaurant quality or taste. Wasted money. Very happy to find your recipe, try it, love it and will be making my own from now on. I love that it’s with ingredients I have in my pantry. I used Worcestershire instead of capers. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Susie! I’m so happy you like the recipe as much as we do!
This was delicious and I added the anchovies as I really like them.
Thanks for the recipe😁
Joan E. Schott
(Grandmomqueenie@aol.com)
Thank you, Joan! I’m so glad you enjoyed the dressing with the anchovies.
Thank you for a great recipe
I’m so happy you like it! 😀