I love this creamy homemade Caesar salad dressing recipe! It’s easy to make, so flavorful, and tastes better than store-bought.
I love Caesar salad. The best Caesar dressing is flavorful, tangy, and creamy. This homemade dressing gets high marks across the board!
You can make this dressing by hand or using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender. I’ve included directions for all of them below.
Key Ingredients
- Egg Yolk: I use raw egg yolks to make this traditional dressing. I also use fresh, local eggs (like when I make homemade mayonnaise). If you are worried about using raw egg yolks, look for pasteurized eggs at the store and use them. See this egg-free Caesar dressing if you don’t want to use the egg.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon cuts the creaminess of the other ingredients. If you are sensitive to lemon, hold back slightly and squeeze in a little more as needed just before tossing with your salad.
- Dijon Mustard: Helps bring our dressing together (emulsifies) and makes it taste incredible.
- Anchovies: For a classic, super authentic Caesar dressing, you need anchovies. I use the real thing and buy anchovies packed in oil. They taste better than anchovy paste, but I have provided substitutions below.
- Garlic: A must! I use two medium cloves, which makes the dressing reasonably garlicky. You can reduce or increase based on how much you love raw garlic.
- Oil: I use a more neutral oil like avocado oil since it allows the flavors of the other ingredients to come through. You can also use a light, fruity olive oil if you’d like.
- Parmesan Cheese: For the best results, I always add a few tablespoons of grated parmesan to the dressing.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Our Favorite Caesar Dressing
Tip 1: Make the dressing by hand: This takes about 10 minutes and requires a bowl and whisk. It is also my preferred method since it means I have less dishes to clean, and I love the texture of hand chopped garlic and anchovies.
Start by whisking egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard together until frothy, then slowly stream in oil. Keep whisking the entire time until the oil is incorporated and the mixture looks like thinned-out mayonnaise. Finish by whisking in finely minced anchovies, garlic, and shredded parmesan.
Tip 2: Use a blender or food processor. This takes less than 5 minutes, and there is no whisking. Blend everything but the oil first, and then, while the machine is running, slowly stream in the oil until it’s emulsified and creamy.
Tip 3: Use an immersion blender. This takes less than 5 minutes. You will add everything to a jar, turn on your immersion blender, and then move it slowly up and down until everything is blended and thick.
Recipe Variations
- Egg-free (and mayonnaise-free) dressing: I recommend using this egg-free Caesar dressing.
- Vegan dressing: Leave out the cheese, substitute the egg and oil for vegan mayonnaise (1/2 to 1 cup), and replace the anchovies with a tablespoon of minced capers. Hummus or tahini are also excellent bases for the dressing (I use tahini for this tahini dressing). You should also leave out the parmesan cheese.
- Made without anchovies: Use capers instead of anchovies. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of drained capers and mince them really well before adding to the dressing. A tiny splash of Worcestershire sauce is also a nice addition to help with replacing the briny, umami flavors missed by not including the anchovies.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
- Italian Dressing
- Blue Cheese Dressing (perfect for wedge salads!)
- Lemon Vinaigrette
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Homemade Ranch
- Or, see all of our Salad Dressings
The Best Caesar Salad Dressing
- PREP
- TOTAL
You can make this Caesar dressing recipe by hand, in a blender, a food processor, or an immersion blender. Directions for all methods are below. I particularly love the texture you achieve when making it by hand (you see little bits of garlic and anchovy). Oh, and don’t forget the homemade croutons!
It makes such a fantastic salad, and I love this for my family’s favorite chicken Caesar salad made with Greek marinated chicken.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
2 medium garlic cloves
3 to 5 anchovies packed in oil, depending on taste
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅓ cup (80ml) oil, like fruity olive oil, avocado oil, or safflower oil, plus more as needed
¼ cup (15g) grated parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
- How to Make by Hand
1Use a chef’s knife to mince the garlic and anchovies finely. Using the side of the knife, mash them into a paste by pushing and pulling the mound of anchovies and garlic across the cutting board (see video). Set aside.
2Whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard in a medium bowl until frothy. Placing a dishcloth underneath the bowl helps to steady it as you whisk.
3Get into a comfortable whisking position, and while you whisk with one hand, slowly stream the oil into the bowl with the other hand. You are looking to add the oil in tiny drips and will notice that as you whisk in the oil, the mixture in the bowl will start to lighten in color and thicken.
4When all of the oil is added, check the consistency. If it’s too thick, whisk in a teaspoon or so of water. If it’s too thin, continue to whisk and stream in a bit more oil.
5Finish by whisking in the mashed anchovies, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Then, taste and generously season with salt and pepper.
- Make with a Blender or Food Processor
1Combine anchovies, garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and parmesan cheese in the bottom of a blender or food processor bowl. When using a food processor, if you have a small bowl attachment for your food processor, use it.
2With the blender or processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until a smooth dressing forms. If it seems too thick after adding all of the oil, add a teaspoon or so of water to thin it out. If it is too thin, slowly drizzle in a bit more oil with the machine on. Taste and generously season with salt and pepper.
- Make with an Immersion Blender
1Combine all the ingredients at the bottom of a cup that fits the head of an immersion blender. Blend, slowly pulling the blender up and then back down again to incorporate all the ingredients into the oil.
2If after adding all of the oil, it seems too thick, add a teaspoon or so of water to thin it out. If it is too thin, with the machine on, slowly drizzle in a bit more oil. Taste and generously season with salt and pepper.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Dressing made with egg yolks will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store it in an airtight jar or container. I do not recommend freezing this. The emulsification will break as it thaws.
- Anchovies: Substitute anchovies for anchovy paste: 1 anchovy fillet equals ½ teaspoon anchovy paste (anchovy fillets and anchovy pastes do taste slightly different so add based on your own tastes)
- Dressing without anchovies: If you don’t enjoy anchovies, try capers instead. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of drained capers and mince them really well before adding to the dressing. A tiny splash of Worcestershire sauce is also a nice addition to help with replacing the briny, umami flavors missed by not including the anchovies.
- Egg-free (and mayonnaise-free) dressing: Take a look at our eggless Caesar dressing.
- Vegan dressing: Substitute the egg and oil for vegan mayonnaise (½ to 1 cup) and replace the anchovies with a tablespoon or so of minced capers. Hummus or tahini are also excellent bases for the dressing. You should also leave out the parmesan cheese.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I followed this recipe and it was strong on the garlic, more pungent flavor with that and the Dijon. How do you make it smoother in taste?
You may want to reduce the garlic and mustard next time.
This recipe is delish!!!! So easy to follow! Made this 3 times already and it’s always a hit!!!!
This has made our day! 🙂
I have been chasing a Caesar dressing since having the tableside one at BOA in Los Angeles a long time ago. This recipe was absolutely amazing. Made exactly per your recipe but I did add just a few drops of Worcestershire too. I also used Donostia Cantabrian anchovies that will change everything in your anchovy world, lol. Can’t tell you how many recipes I have tried plus trying to create it myself. Always close but just not quite there. My search is over now! Thank you for the recipe and your site is awesome except there is no option for a 10 star rating. This is definitely worthy of it!
Excellent recipe. I’m not sure if this was mentioned before. For those who don’t like to use raw egg. A table spoons of egg based Mayo can do the trick. As always you recipe was a hit. Thanks so much
I used the correct amount of ingredients but it came out way too lemony. How can I fix this?
Hi Sarah, It’s possible your lemon was more tart than average. You can whisk in a bit more olive oil or parmesan to balance it out.
Absolutely delicious. Flavour is balanced and texture is creamy. Excellent tip regarding making a paste of the garlic and anchovies.
Can I use a soft-boiled egg yolk in place of a raw egg yolk?
Yes! The flavor changes slightly, though.
Excellent dressing. I am allergic to mustard so I used 1/2 tablespoon of mayo instead. Wonderful taste, very delicious salad.
So delic! Used this dressing with simple romaine, grilled chicken, parm and crutons. A great easy weeknight meal. Thank you! Love love love!
Yay! 🙂
Great recipe. Although I had a bit of Worcestershire sauce
I just found this recipe today (1/16/25), and it looked so yummy, I decided to make it today. It is absolutely DELICIOUS! I used a whisk, and I did add in 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce. What I love about Caesar dressing is, you don’t use much at all. A little goes a long way, and what I made today, will last the next few days. This is not a 5 star recipe. It’s a 10 star recipe!! 🙂 I used olive oil (the top shelf – good kind), but I have a question: Would it be ok, if I used a hand mixer, in the step where you slowly pour the oil in? I’m fine with whisking, but I want to be careful when adding the oil, so I’m thinking using a hand mixer might be easier for me. And, if I do use a hand mixer, when adding the oil, what speed do you recommend I use? I have slow, medium and high speed. I am so glad I tried this! THANK YOU so much for sharing this recipe. I’m thrilled to have found you. You have a new fan, and I look forward to checking out more of your incredible recipes! Beth in Raleigh, NC
I was asked to make a Ceasar Salad Dressing for for an upcoming party. I tried another seemingly authentic Ceasar Salad dressing. It contained worcestershire sauce. I did not like it. The flavor was not correct. I looked for another and made yours. It was tasty. I did it the whisk by hand method. It turned out creamy and tasty. Thank you for sharing your recipes! I will return for more.
This is a great recipe! I used avocado oil and an immersion blender and it turned out really well! Yum!!
Nice recipe, because you make it properly from scratch not by adding factory-made mayonnaise. I tried it with Stilton instead of Parmesan as well. Made a lovely dip for carrot sticks and celery sticks.
This is a great recipe. I love that it’s a reasonable portion that I can use for one meal for my family. It’s also easy to adjust this for personal preference. I doubled the garlic (it ended up REALLY garlicky) and added a few extra anchovies to finish off the can. An absolute winner.
This is super yummy and so easy with a stick blender, but mine came out too salty. I wish I would have waited until after blending to taste and salt if needed. Since salt and pepper were in the ingredients list I guessed and added 1/4 tsp of each, but next time I’ll leave both out until after blending!
This is perfect for “handaan” at home! Thank you.
I adore this dressing! I keep coming back to this specific recipe. It’s delectable! Totally different from anything store-bought, and honestly, it’s better than what you get in most restaurants.
Perfect flavor! Just like fine dining. I have been too intimidated to try making caesar dressing, but finally decided, why not? Wow! Just a few easy steps to perfection. I’m sure top quality ingredients helped. Sent the recipe to my friend who made it for her husband. She said he hates salad, but couldn’t stop eating this one.
Love this dressing. But I used 1 and a half lemons instead of 2 tablespoons. Added a ton of black pepper and more salt. Added a few drops of Worcestershire sauce just because. But a great basic recipe you can easily make modifications to for your taste. Well done!
Love the additions! Glad you loved it 🙂
This dressing was easy to make and so delicious ! A restaurant I used to work at we made this table side and this was just as good if not better . For anyone who is vegan the worcstershire sauce is not vegan because of it containing anchovies . This dressing is a winner !
So glad you enjoyed it Darlene! Thank you so much for sharing.
I only have a can of whole anchovies from Wild Planet – should I use about 2 whole fish?
Yes (then you can always add more to taste).
Very nice recipe… I also add a little Trader Joe’s Yuzu Hot Citrus Sauce and a splash of tabasco to give it a little kick. I don’t understand people who buy caesar salad dressing from the store. Home made is infinitely better tasting.
Love your add-ins. Thanks for sharing, Richard.
Liked the dressing with one exception- too much dijon mustard. next time i will cut the amount in half and that should be perfect.
Hi Jeanine, I love the mustard, but it can be strong. Thanks for coming back and sharing.
This is a lovely dressing, not too much garlic or salt, just right. My husband says it’s the best ever… and so easy with a wide mouth mason jar and the submersion blender…
So happy you enjoyed it, Polly!
First time making this dressing. I used the manual method and it was outstanding! I did use an excellent olive oil (ROI), but that was my only change.
So happy you gave it a try, Liz!
Best Caesar I have had in a long time!I will be serving it again!
I would cut the lemon juice down by a quarter teaspoon. I would add a 1/8 teaspoon of ground pepper. Otherwise it was bang on.
Glad you gave it a try, thanks for coming back.
Simply the best thank u so much for sharing.
You are very welcome!
You are very welcome. So glad you enjoyed it!
This is by far the best Caesar salad dressing I have ever had. My husband and daughter agreed it is the best. Used sunflower oil and followed the recipe exactly. So creamy, thick and full of flavour. Simply perfection.
We are so glad that your family enjoys it 🙂
Yay! We are so happy that you came back to let us know you loved the dressing 🙂
Yummmm!! First time using anchovies. I used fresh parmesan plus a pasteurized egg yolk. This is an excellent dressing. I was able to pasteurize the egg using my instant pot on sous vide mode. If making this for ourselves I wouldn’t mess with the pasteurization but since we are serving an elderly guest I didn’t want to take a chance. Thank you for the great recipe!
Perfect recipe. Scales to personal taste which for me is a little more anchovy and dash of fish sauce. Loved it. thank you
Glad you could tweak the flavors to make it perfect for you 🙂
Is an yolk an absolute must or can you make it w/o or replace it with something else?
Hi Margaret, For the best results, we recommend using yolks. You can try substituting with mayonnaise. You will need to hold back the oil, though.
This is an awesome recipe, it’s not too heavy on the garlic or anchovies but I do use a super grade of EVOO although avacado oil works well too. Imported Italian parmigiana is essential. A nice touch for the salad is sautéed shrimp.
Awesome dressing!!! I used avocado oil and added some extra oil and lemon juice and it was perfect, thank you xx