Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
Love a fresh salad? Try this Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe. It's creamy and tangy and beats store-bought every time. I'll show you how to make Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing at home.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise full-fat for creaminess
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from 1-2 lemons
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 anchovy fillets finely chopped (optional for umami)
Instructions
Prep the Base Flavors
- Mince garlic and chop anchovies if using. Juice lemons fresh. Grate Parmesan cheese finely. This takes 2 minutes. It builds bold taste from the start.
Blend the Wet Ingredients
- Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to blender. Pulse 5-10 times until smooth. Scrape sides if needed. This creates the creamy heart.
Add Cheese and Seasonings
- Sprinkle in Parmesan, salt and pepper. Blend again for 10 seconds. Taste it here. Adjust salt if anchovies add enough. The cheese melts right in.
Slowly Drizzle in Oil
- With blender running on low and pour olive oil in a thin stream. Blend 20-30 seconds until thick and emulsified. It turns silky like magic. Stop when it ribbons off a spoon.
Taste and Chill
- Dip a spoon in. Add more lemon for zing or pepper for kick. Pour into jar. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Flavors blend beautifully. Shake before use.
Notes
- Use room-temperature mayo for smoother blending.
- No blender? Whisk by hand in a bowl—it works great.
- Make it lighter: Swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt.
- Vegan twist: Use tahini instead of mayo and nutritional yeast for cheese.
- Extra garlicky: Double the garlic for bold lovers.
- Add fresh herbs like parsley for a garden-fresh vibe.
- Store-bought shortcut: Skip anchovies; fish sauce mimics the flavor.