• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
PantsDownApronsOn
  • About
  • Shop
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Shop
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Shop
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauces

    How To Make Caesar Dressing | Classic Recipe

    Published: Jul 5, 2021 by Charlé Visser · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments · 1504 words. · About 8 minutes to read this article.

    jump to recipe

    If you wanted to know how to make the best homemade Caesar dressing for your Caesar salad you came to the right place. This recipe is traditional but uses smart professional methods to take it to the next level.

    It's punchy, creamy and packed with umami. Perfect as a go-to sauce for fresh and roasted vegetables, or baked chicken breast.

    Homemade caesar salad dressing
    Jump to:
    • What is classic and how should it taste like?
    • Interesting facts
    • Why this recipe?
    • Useful equipment for this recipe
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to roast garlic
    • How to make the dressing
    • How to fix a split or broken sauce?
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related sauces and dressings
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Although Caesar dressing is mainly used in Caesar salad, it is also a great back-pocket recipe that you can easily and quickly whisk up for a wide variety of other salads and snacks.

    I have seen many different Caesar dressing recipes in my time. Some include parmesan, soy sauce, tabasco and even orange juice.

    These variations might be tasty but it's not a traditional Caesar dressing that honour the original recipe.

    I have personally made many imitations but, there is ultimately only one way to make it.

    What is classic and how should it taste like?

    A classic Caesar dressing should be creamy but not heavy and unbalanced. It should have a punchy umami taste, zingy freshness and well-rounded saltiness. No single ingredient should dominate.

    The ingredients should all work together to create wonderful harmony you can drizzle all over Caesar salad or dip freshly cut crispy vegetables into.

    Interesting facts

    Traditionally it was whisked up tableside. It's origin dates back to the 4th July 1924.

    Caesar salad was invented out of necessity by Caesar Cardini.

    The Italian immigrant restauranteur had to throw together something for hungry guests on Independence day as his restaurant Caesar was overwhelmed by guests and ran out of food.

    Although the original recipe did not contain anchovies it did have a rich fermented anchovy flavour it got from the Worchester sauce. One of the key ingredients in Worchester sauce is anchovies.

    Earlier versions had a punchier taste and used more anchovies which contributed to the rich flavour.

    Nowadays the flavour of anchovies are not so predominant so we add a bit of anchovy to make up for the loss.

    This is an optional step in the recipe but I highly recommend you add it.

    Why this recipe?

    By tweaking a small part of the recipe we can make this dressing stand out from the crowd.

    Our secret little trick is using roasted garlic instead of raw. It transforms this recipe from great to fantastic.

    We also use a mix of olive oil and neutral oil to make sure the dressing is not bitter.

    Useful equipment for this recipe

    mixing bowls

    Mixing Bowls

    BUY NOW
    whisk

    Whisk

    BUY NOW
    high speed blender

    High Speed Blender

    BUY NOW
    immersion blender

    Immersion Blender

    BUY NOW

    Ingredients needed

    Ingredients for Caesar dressing are very few and easy to find. For this reason, buy the best you can afford.

    • Eggs - You will only need the yolks and if you are afraid of a raw egg then use pasteurised egg yolk. Easily found in many stores.
    • Dijon mustard - Use a smooth no grainy version.
    • Worchestershire sauce - Lee & Perrins is a good brand.
    • Lemon - Nice and fresh.
    • Garlic - The freshest young garlic. Although, Roasting Chinese garlic is ok.
    • Anchovy fillets(optional) - Sold in most stores. Alternatively, use anchovy paste.
    • Olive oil - Use a good extra virgin that's not too bitter.
    • Neutral oil - Canola, sunflower or groundnut oil. Anything with a neutral taste. Stay away from hydrogenated oils.

    You might realise there is no Parmesan in the list above. That's because real Caesar dressing does not contain Parmesan cheese.

    The salad however does.

    How to roast garlic

    Using roasted garlic is optional. However, It is the secret ingredient that sets our Caesar dressing recipe apart from any other recipe you might have come across.

    It adds an amazing depth of flavour, smoothness and richness to the dressing.

    We use roasted garlic instead of raw garlic because the taste compliments the rest of the flavours instead of fighting against it and we end up with a much smoother creamy Caesar dressing.

    Bonus Reason. No garlic breath)

    roasted garlic and tin foil on marble
    Roasted Garlic

    How to make the dressing

    Which order you add ingredients to Caesar dressing is very important. It's an emulsion sauce. Which means that we need to whisk oil into a water base. Essentially making a mayonnaise.

    This can be done either by hand, in a high-speed jug blender or with a hand-held mixer and whisk attachment.

    caesar sauce in a glass bowl
    Making Caesar Dressing
    1. Combine all the ingredients apart from the oils in a mixing bowl or jug blender.
    2. Blend or whisk until combined and smooth.
    3. Slowly add the oils while quickly whisking or blending until fully emulsified.
    4. Adjust the seasoning if you want.
    5. Store in the fridge or use straight away.
    Homemade caesar salad dressing

    How to fix a split or broken sauce?

    You might end up splitting the dressing if you add the oil too quickly.

    Not to worry. We can easily fix this.

    1. Wait for the oil to separate a bit more and pour or scoop off this oil layer placing it into a separate container. We will add it back in a minute.
    2. Add a teaspoon of cold water to a bowl or blender.
    3. While whisking or blending vigorously, add the base part to the water. The oil goes next
    4. Add the oil back in, slowly but whisking vigorously.
    5. Your emulsion should now be stable again.

    Variations

    • If you are pressed for time you can skip the baked garlic and use fresh minced garlic. Use ¼th of the measure in the recipe as it will be too strong otherwise.
    • Caesar dressing without anchovies? No problem just remove it from the recipe.
    • You could use ready mayonnaise instead of making your own emulsion. Replace the oil part with mayonnaise and whisk in as usual.
    • You could make a vegan version by using vegan mayonnaise, removing the anchovies and Worchester sauce and replacing it with a vegan alternative.

    Caesar dressing is already Keto, so there is no need to adjust anything unless you are vegan and Keto and your mayonnaise are loaded with carbs. In That case, proceed by making your own emulsion.

    Serving suggestions

    Apart from using this dressing in authentic Caesar salad You could use it as a dip for Crudités or pour over any other salad or vegetable dish.

    • Use instead of a similar dressing in Salmon and egg salad.
    • Roasted carrots with chanterelles - Drizzle over these carrots when cooled down a bit.
    • Coleslaw - Use instead of the dressing for coleslaw for a completely different coleslaw experience.
    • Dip sourdough bread into this dressing for a no-fuss snack.
    • Pour over these roasted Romano peppers.
    • Great with steamed vegetables like broccoli, spinach or bok choy.
    • Even with roasted meats and fish like this pan-seared salmon fillet or this fire-roasted pork belly braai.

    Frequently asked questions

    How long does it keep?

    1 week if you store it correctly and made it with pasteurised egg or mayonnaise.

    Can I freeze it?

    No, emulsions split when frozen. So you would have to follow the fix mentioned above to bring it back together. Better eaten straight away.

    Is caesar dressing gluten and dairy-free?

    It's dairy-free but not gluten-free. There might be trace amounts of gluten in the mustard and Worchestershire sauce. You can easily buy gluten-free alternatives though.

    Can I make this recipe without eggs?

    You can but, it's not as good. Egg provides richness, creaminess and helps the dressing emulsify. If not using egg you would need to use a bit more mustard or aqua faba to help emulsify the oil.
    If you are familiar with lecithin you could also add a teaspoon to the liquid part of this recipe before adding the oils. Lecithin is a surfactant. meaning it binds to oil and water.
    It's natural and found in health-food stores.

    Related sauces and dressings

    • Honey lemon vinnaigrette
    • Greek salad
    • Balsamic glaze
    • Salsa verde
    • Homemade lemon mayo
    • The Perfect Apple Sauce Recipe
    • How To Make Chimichurri - Argentine Steak Sauce
    • Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
    • Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing

    THIS PAGE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS - I MIGHT EARN A TINY % OF THE SALE THROUGH THESE LINKS AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. PROBABLY NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO BUY A BEER).

    If you found this post helpful or have learned something, comment, subscribe and follow me on social platforms for more tasty recipes.

    Recipe

    Homemade caesar salad dressing
    5 from 8 votes
    Pin Recipe Print

    Homemade Caesar dressing

    The best homemade Caesar salad dressing anyone can easily make at home. It's creamy and silky smooth. Tangy, lemony and packs a massive umami punch.
    Author Charlé Visser
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 8 portions
    Course Condiments, Dressings
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 80 g (⅓ cups) egg yolk - 4 egg yolks - note 1
    • 40 g (2 ⅔ tablespoon) Dijon mustard
    • 12 g (2 teaspoon) Worcestershire sauce
    • 12 g (2 teaspoon) lemon juice - freshly squeezed
    • 40 g (5 tablespoon) baked garlic - optional - note 2
    • 16 g (1 tablespoon) anchovy fillets - optional - note 3
    • 40 g (2½ tablespoon) olive oil - extra virgin
    • 160 g (¾ cups) neutral oil - canola, sunflower or groundnut oil

    Instructions

    • Combine all the ingredients apart from the oils in a mixing bowl or jug blender.
    • Blend or whisk until combined.
    • Slowly whisk or blend in the oils until fully emulsified.
    • Adjust the seasoning if you want.
    • Store in the fridge or use straight away.

    Notes

    • If you are cautious about eating raw eggs then use pasteurised egg yolk. It's sold in most stores and safe to consume raw.
    • The secret to making this dressing mind-blowingly delicious is to use baked garlic. It's very easy to make, so go ahead and do it.
    • The anchovies are optional but I recommend using them as they provide the dressing with a serious umami flavour hit and goes extremely well with Parmesan cheese.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 50g Calories: 268kcal Carbohydrates: 3g Protein: 3g Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g Monounsaturated Fat: 18g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 110mg Sodium: 79mg Potassium: 59mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 150IU Vitamin C: 2mg Calcium: 30mg Iron: 1mg
    Keywords:anchovy emulsion, caesar dressing, salad dressing
    Save RecipeSaved!
    Did you make this?Tag @pantsdownapronson or hashtag #pantsdownapronson so I can see your hot skills!

    More Essential Sauces And Dressings Recipes

    • Indian Red Curry Paste
    • Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread
    • Pumpkin Puree
    • Balsamic Glaze Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patricia Daly

      at

      5 stars
      The sauce split but the instructions to fix a split dressing was spot on.

      Reply
    2. Anonymous

      at

      I want to make Caesar salad Ukraine style which I loved and thought was correct until I read the basic menu. They rarely, if ever, make the dressing correctly but always include two or three split quail eggs and some grilled Chicken or salmon. In some places raw salmon is offered.

      In one restaurant, the crouton was a dough woven into a basket containing the contents of the salad, very novel I thought.

      I will use your advice for salad and egg prep.

      Reply

    Have your say Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    black and white picture of chef standing against wall

    Hi, I'm Charlé!

    I'm a Professional Chef.

    I believe eating and cooking well attributes majorly to a happy life.

    I am here to teach you how to.

    The best thing is.

    It's free.

    Forever.

    More about me →

    Latest recipes

    • Traditional Homemade Bread Kvass (Video)
    • Thai Beef And Pork Jerky (Video)
    • Authentic Thai Jungle Curry | Kaeng Pa | แกงป่า (Video)
    • Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste (Video)
    • Homemade Orange Marmalade With Pectin (Video)
    • Homemade English Muffins (Video)

    Most popular recipes

    • Bavette Steak - What Is It And How To Cook It
    • Traditional Russian Pirozhki (Hand pies) - Complete Guide And Video
    • Flaxseed Meal Sourdough Bread
    • Caesar Salad Recipe
    • Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
    • Authentic Indian Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)
    • Pork Belly Braai | Slow-Roasted Over The Fire
    • How To Make Koji (Video)
    • Burst Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella And Parsley Pasta
    • Red Lentil Soup
    Subscribe

    Useful tools

    shop now page

    My favourite recipes

    • Ultimate Biltong Recipe - South African Beef Jerky (Video)
    • How To Cook A Ribeye Steak Perfectly In A Skillet
    • Luxuriously Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Video)
    • Perfect Fried Rice
    • Italian Salsa Verde - The Ultimate Green Sauce
    • Easy Thai Spiced Beef Koftas
    • Authentic Greek Salad Recipe
    • Semi Dried Cherry Tomatoes
    • Beef Adobo | Famous Filipino Streetfood
    • The Best Carrot Cake Recipe In The World Ever(Video)
    youtube subscribe link

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Legal stuff

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.