Homemade Caesar Dressing

This homemade Caesar dressing recipe beats any store-bought salad dressing I've tried. With a mayo base, it's creamy, tangy, and easy to make.

Jeanine Donofrio

Phoebe Moore

Updated Dec 23, 2024

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A great Caesar dressing is the secret to a great Caesar salad! This Caesar dressing recipe is my favorite.

I love it because it’s easy and delicious. Unlike a traditional Caesar dressing, which is made with an emulsion of raw egg yolk and oil, this one has a mayo base. It’s super simple to stir together (and it doesn’t contain raw eggs!).

Still, it’s rich, creamy, and packed with tangy, savory, umami flavor. Try it on your next Caesar salad, and you’ll never get a store-bought Caesar dressing again! Trust me, this homemade version is so much better.

Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade Caesar dressing recipe:

• Mayonnaise – It gives this dressing a delicious creamy texture.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds rich, fruity flavor to the dressing and loosens the mayo.
• Fresh lemon juice and Dijon mustard – They make the dressing tangy and bright.
• Garlic – For sharp, savory bite.
• Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese – They add salty, umami flavor.
• And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

A note for vegetarians: Worcestershire sauce traditionally contains anchovies. Seek out an anchovy-free brand to make this recipe vegetarian (I like Annie’s and 365). You should also look for Parmesan that’s specifically labeled as vegetarian, as most is made with animal rennet. I like BelGioioso’s vegetarian Parm!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Caesar Dressing

This Caesar dressing recipe is super simple to stir together—no food processor or blender required!

Just whisk together the mayo, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Then, stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste.

• Tip: Use finely grated Parmesan so that it melds into the creamy dressing.

If the dressing is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin it to your desired consistency. That’s it!

How to Store Caesar Dressing

This recipe makes a fairly large quantity—about 1 1/2 cups. That’s enough for about 2 large salads. Find more serving suggestions in the callout below!

Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to 5 days.

More Favorite Salad Dressings

If you love this recipe, try one of these easy salad dressings next:

• Greek Salad Dressing
• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Green Goddess Dressing
• Homemade Ranch Dressing

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Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

rate this recipe:

4.92 from 117 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Serves 8

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This homemade Caesar salad dressing is rich, creamy, and easy to make! It has a delicious tangy, garlicky flavor. We love it on salads, wraps, and more!

Equipment

• Liquid Measuring Glass
• Small Whisk

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Pinch sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese*

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Instructions

• In a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and several grinds of pepper until smooth. Stir in the cheese and season to taste. If the dressing is too thick, stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Use on a Caesar salad, or try another of the serving suggestions in the blog post above. The dressing keeps well for about 5 days in an airtight container or jar in the fridge.

Notes

*If you're vegetarian, make sure to use a Parmesan made without animal rennet. I like BelGioioso's vegetarian Parmesan.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups