Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (2025)

Home Easy Caesar Salad Dressing (10 Minutes & No Blender!)

By Natasha

Aug 03, 2018, Updated Mar 01, 2024

4.87

164

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This easy creamy Caesar salad dressing recipe comes together fast, and you don’t need any fancy ingredients to make it. It’s better than store-bought or at a restaurant!

Making Caesar salad? You definitely need to add in myEasy Homemade Croutons.

Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (2)

Why you’ll love it

This quick and easy Caesar dressing is the one you’ve been searching for. It’s so good. It’s incredibly simple to whip up on busy weeknights, and it doesn’t make a mess like other more involved versions do. You don’t have to deal with a blender, no food processor, nada.

You will never go back to the stuff in a bottle after trying this homemade Caesar dressing with pantry ingredients since you can feel good knowing exactly what’s going into it. I’m pretty picky when it comes to Caesar dressing, and this is by far my favorite!

What you’ll need

  • Mayonnaise – mayo makes a wonderful creamy base so that there are no raw eggs, and it eliminates all the guesswork. I use Hellmann’s mayo. You can also make your own mayo, but honestly the pre-made stuff is great for salad dressings.
  • Sour cream – adds more creaminess and a tangy zip
  • Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so we’re not using whole anchovies like other recipes do. This gives it just enough of that signature anchovy umami flavor in a great Caesar dressing without it being overwhelming!
  • Fresh lemon juice – for a pop of acidity and bright freshness
  • Dijon mustard – it’s a beloved trick of mine to give dressings and sauces even more savory depth of flavor
  • Garlic – we’ve got a good amount of fresh garlic here
  • Parmesan – freshly grated parmesan cheese is an absolute must in any Caesar dressing for that nutty, cheesy quality

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (3)

Pro tip

The S&L kitchen feels this Caesar dressing is perfect as written, but not everyone’s tastebuds are the same, and that’s totally okay! Feel free to adjust to your own preferences. Need more lemon juice? Add it. More salt or pepper? More garlic? Don’t be shy!

How to make Caesar salad dressing

This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

  • Grate your parmesan.
  • Add all the ingredients to a small bowl or a measuring cup. Stir or whisk until smooth.
  • Chill if desired in the fridge, and then drizzle it over romaine lettuce, croutons, and parm!

Substitutions and variations

  • You could leave the parmesan cheese out, but I recommend including it. It really tastes much better with it in here. You could also sub for asiago cheese in a pinch.
  • If your heart is set on using anchovies or anchovy paste, you could, but I prefer Worcestershire sauce. Be careful not to overdo it if you do go that route!
  • Need to make it vegetarian? Sub in some minced capers instead of the Worcestershire sauce for that briny, savory flavor. Start with 1 tbsp and adjust from there.

Leftovers and storage

  • This Caesar dressing recipe yields about a cup of dressing, so it’ll make two decently sized salads or one large one, so you probably won’t have leftovers!
  • But if you do have leftovers or doubled the recipe, this dressing will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.

What to serve with Caesar salad

  • Caesar salad goes with basically any main course, but I love it with this Creamy Garlic Chicken, Easy Pan Seared Pork Chops Recipe, or these Garlic Butter Steak Bites!
  • Want to make something other than a classic Caesar salad with this dressing? Try my Chicken Caesar Crostini or this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad.

More homemade salad dressing recipes

  • Homemade Ranch Dressing
  • Creamy Balsamic Dressing (Easy, No Blender!)
  • Simple Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing (Dairy-free)
  • Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
  • Creamy Pesto Dressing
Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (4)

Is this your new favorite Caesar salad dressing recipe? You’re only about 10 minutes away from finding out. Leave a star rating and review below if you made it!

Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (5)

4.87 from 61 votes

Easy Caesar Salad Dressing

By Natasha Bull

This easy creamy Caesar salad dressing recipe comes together fast, and you don't need any fancy ingredients to make it. It's better than store-bought or at a restaurant!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 16 tablespoons

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup mayo
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Grate your parmesan cheese.

  • Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. Give everything a good stir (or whisk it) until the dressing is smooth. Taste and adjust as needed.

  • Serve immediately or chill first.Dressing will keep in the fridge, covered, for a few days.

Notes

  • I encourage you to play with the ingredient quantities if the taste isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. I’ll occasionally make this without measuring and I usually end up adding more Worcestershire and Dijon than written.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. Serving size in this salad dressing is one tablespoon (it makes about a cup in total).

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon, Calories: 82kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 97mg, Potassium: 3mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 30IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

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Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (6)

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164 Comments

  1. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (7)
    This dressing is delicious! I just added small amount of milk to thin it a bit!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Leslie!!

      Reply

  2. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (8)
    So quick and simple! Will be making it this way from now on and sharing the recipe with my kids!! Thank you ☺️

    Reply

    1. You’re very welcome, Meg!! 😀

      Reply

  3. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (9)
    Really good!!!!!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Lynette!

      Reply

  4. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (10)
    This was so good and so easy to make!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much!! I just had some today myself haha I make it often. 😀

      Reply

      1. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (11)
        2 thumbs up for this recipe. Will make this from now on.

        Reply

        1. Thank you!!

          Reply

  5. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (12)
    Fantastic recipe! Easy, quick, foolproof. I am currently living abroad for school and bottled Caesar dressing is not available. I also don’t have any kitchen tools (i.e. food processor, blender etc). Luckily, I do have a micro plane which I used for the garlic, and modified with extra garlic for my taste. I also didn’t have Worchestershire, so I splashed in soy sauce for umami. I followed the ratios of the other ingredients, eyeballing measurements of course. At first taste, I was amazed, it was totally delish and exactly what I wanted! It only took moments to throw together, stirred up with a spoon. I’m so glad I found this recipe!!!! 😀

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Megan!! 😀 Glad you were able to adapt it based on ingredients you can source. Appreciate your review!

      Reply

  6. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (13)
    Super easy and delicious dressing!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Madie!! 😀 I literally just finished some for lunch haha.

      Reply

  7. This is really good & quick to make. Way better than bottled & not as “fussy” to assemble as recipes using egg yolks. I used Greek yogurt to replace mayo, then mayo for the yogurt/sour cream ratio. A little lighter & still tasted great.

    Reply

    1. So glad you liked it!

      Reply

  8. I added a teaspoon of anchovies paste! Your thoughts?

    Reply

    1. Hi! Did you like it? That’s the important thing! 😀 I personally do like anchovy paste, but some people do not, and that is why I use Worcestershire sauce here (it contains anchovies but is much milder). I find it’s easy to overdo anchovy paste, but when the right quantity is added, it’s amazing!

      Reply

  9. Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (14)
    I am a Caesar salad connoisseur and by far this dressing is the best. I’ve tried many and sworn by them until this. Simply the best!

    Reply

    1. Yay!! I’m thrilled to hear that. I feel the same way haha I make it often! 😀 Appreciate your review!

      Reply

Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe (2025)

FAQs

What is classic Caesar dressing made of? ›

To make the dressing: Mash anchovy fillets and garlic in a large salad bowl. Add lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, egg yolk, and Worcestershire sauce; whisk until smooth and creamy. Gradually stream in olive oil while whisking constantly. Season with salt and black pepper.

What is Caesar dressing sauce made of? ›

Mince 3 cloves of garlic and place in a small bowl. Add mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, anchovies, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard; mix well to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

What are the two types of caesar dressing? ›

Caesar salad dressing comes in a few basic forms. First, some are creamy, like ranch dressing, while others are more like vinaigrette, with a visible separation of oil and water-based ingredients.

Is Caesar dressing healthier than mayo? ›

Generally, salad dressings tend to be lower in calories and fat than mayonnaise. However, some salad dressings can be high in added sugars and preservatives, so it's important to read the nutrition label and ingredient list before consuming.

What does a real Caesar salad contain? ›

Caesar salad is made with romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing. The dressing is a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic. Tip: Skip the shaky cheese. Shaved Parmesan makes a big difference with this dish, elevating both presentation and flavor.

Do all caesar dressings have anchovies? ›

What is in Caesar salad dressing? Caesar salad dressing is usually made with a mayonnaise or egg yolk base, and it also contains anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and more Parmesan cheese. The creamy, rich, tangy dressing is, arguably, the most important part of the recipe.

How long does homemade caesar dressing last? ›

Storage suggestions: Leftover dressing will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. *Worcestershire note: To ensure that this salad dressing is vegetarian/fish-free, choose your Worcestershire sauce carefully, as most contain anchovies.

What to use instead of anchovy paste? ›

One of the best substitutes for anchovy paste is mashed anchovy fillets. Fish sauce can also be used as a substitute for anchovy paste in most recipes. Worcestershire sauce, Asian fish sauce, shrimp paste, capers, and umeboshi paste are other substitutes suggested in the article.

What is in Panera caesar dressing? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolk, Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled White Vinegar, Anchovies, Garlic, Molasses, Onion, Salt, Sugar, Water, Chili Pepper Extract, Cloves, Natural Flavorings, Tamarind Extract), Red Wine Vinegar, Garlic (Garlic, Water, Citric Acid), Garlic Juice (Garlic, Vinegar, Salt), Anchovy Paste (Anchovies, ...

Is creamy caesar dressing the same as ranch? ›

They are both creamy, but ranch is light, fresh, and herby. Caesar has a strong, zesty flavor. It is more powerful. Caesar Dressing is easy to make at home and SO much better than bottled store bought dressing.

What's in store bought Caesar dressing? ›

It's the Caesar dressing—generally made with lime or lemon juice, egg yolks, Dijon mustard, garlic, anchovies, olive oil, parmesan cheese, Worcester sauce, and black pepper—that makes this dish so iconic and enduring.

Why is Caesar dressing good for you? ›

Caesar Dressing – The main ingredient in caesar dressing is anchovies, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming foods rich in omega-3 reduces your triglyceride levels, slows the buildup of plaque in arteries, and lowers blood pressure.

Does all Caesar dressing have anchovies? ›

What is in Caesar salad dressing? Caesar salad dressing is usually made with a mayonnaise or egg yolk base, and it also contains anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and more Parmesan cheese. The creamy, rich, tangy dressing is, arguably, the most important part of the recipe.

Which ingredient is not commonly found in classic Caesar salad? ›

The ingredient typically not found in a classic Caesar salad is Iceberg lettuce. A traditional Caesar salad, made primarily of romaine lettuce, doesn't include iceberg lettuce. It may vary in different recipes.

Why is Caesar dressing called Caesar dressing? ›

Hearing the name of the famous Caesar Salad it's easy to assume that the salad was named after a historic Roman Emperor but in reality the salad was named after Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant restaurateur.

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