The key to a good salad is an amazing dressing, and this classic Caesar Dressing is the best, hands down!
With just a few basic ingredients, you can whip up your own homemade Caesar in no time flat. You’ll never go back to that overpriced bottled stuff again.
It’s rich, creamy, and absolutely pops with flavor. Give this one a try tonight!
Perhaps there’s no more famous salad in the world than Caesar. It goes with everything from Steak to Spaghetti, Ribs to Pot Pie. Maybe that’s what it’s on every restaurant menu in the universe!
But since the salad itself is so simple, you’ve just gotta have a good dressing. And fresh is always best.
This Caesar dressing is as fresh as it gets. And it’s so easy to make, you have absolutely no excuse not to make it. Dietary restrictions? No worries, we have substitutions for you.
What is Caesar Dressing
Despite popular belief, it’s not a dressing invented by Julius Caesar!
Caesar dressing, and the salad it graces, was invented in Tijuana, Mexico, by restaurateur Caesar Cardini in 1924.
So the story goes, during a big rush on 4th of July the kitchen supplies were depleted. Cardini made due with what he had left, dramatically tossing his new creation together at the patrons’ tables.
And the rest is history…
Caesar Dressing Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive oil – The base for so many salad dressings. We prefer light olive oil over extra virgin, as it doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. You can also use other neutral oils like avocado or canola.
- Egg yolks – It lends creaminess to the dressing. If you prefer not to use raw egg, you can substitute mayonnaise. For a vegan option, use vegan mayo.
- Garlic – Just enough.
- Lemon juice – For a little tang.
- Dijon mustard – Another Caesar essential.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated.
- Anchovies – For a vegetarian option, replace with capers.
- Worcestershire sauce – Just a little splash. Can replace with vegan Worcestershire.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
How to Make Caesar Dressing
It’s a simple matter of mixing up all of the ingredients. We use our magic bullet, but am immersion blender is another great option. Either one only takes a few seconds, just enough to emulsify the oil.
If you don’t have either of these kitchen gadgets, you can also whisk everything together by hand. In this case, mince the garlic and finely shred the parmesan. First whisk the liquid ingredients, then add in the garlic, anchovies and parm.
Uses for Caesar Dressing
- In a Caesar salad, of course!
- We love it as a dip for veggies like carrots and celery. Great get together appetizer.
- Use it as a spread on sandwiches or wraps. Chicken Caesar wrap? Yes, please!
- It makes a great dressing for pasta salads or coleslaw.
- Try it as a chicken marinade, it’s great.
- Drizzle it on roasted vegetables like asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower.
Leftovers and Storage
Any leftover Caesar dressing should be immediately refrigerated in an airtight container. As it contains raw eggs, leftovers should be used within 2-3 days. If you use the mayonnaise substitute, it can be stretched to 5 days.
Caesar dressing should not be frozen.
Make your side salad special with your own homemade Ceasar dressing. Trust us, it’s well worth the few minutes it takes to make.
Caesar Dressing, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great homemade sauces!
Sriracha Mayo
Garlic Aioli
Salsa Verde
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Louisiana Remoulade
Cilantro Mint Chutney
Tzatziki
Fry Sauce
Caesar Dressing Recipe
This easy homemade Caesar Dressing will brighten up your salads so much that you'll never go back to store bought!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 anchovies
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a food processor or immersion blender, pulse together all ingredients until smooth. Alternately, whisk together wet ingredients with a hand whisk, then add in garlic, anchovies and parmesan (see note 1).
- Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
- If using a hand whisk, mice the garlic, finely chop the anchovies, and finely grate the parmesan cheese.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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