This deliciously easy and authentic Caesar salad dressing recipe (made with or without anchovies) gets its signature creamy texture from good quality mayonnaise and sour cream with the tang of red wine vinegar.
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Creamy Caesar Dressing Recipe
Homemade salad dressings are some of the easiest recipes any home cook should master. Ironically, it’s just about as easy to whip one up as it is to stand in front of the grocery aisle trying to choose which one you’ll like best. Plus, with homemade dressing, there’s no guessing what’s in them because you get to decide which ingredients to include. I use this dressing in my classic Caesar salad recipe with homemade garlic croutons. When people see an ingredient list that calls for raw egg and anchovies, they can get a bit squeamish about traditional Caesar salad dressing recipes. However, this recipe omits the raw egg and calls for mayonnaise and sour cream to provide a creamy texture. And, you can omit the anchovies but you’ll miss out on the extra umami they provide. The power of Caesar is in your hands, and with this creamy salad dressing, you’ll always be the big winner.
Where Does Caesar Dressing Come From?
It’s likely you’ll find a killer Caesar salad on nearly every Italian restaurant’s menu. But, surprise! Did you know that Caesar salad was actually invented in Mexico? Just another fun fact for cocktail hour.
This Caesar salad dressing recipe hails from Salt Lake City’s Market Street Grill, where my husband and I met as servers, oh so many years ago. That place made a mark on me and on several of my favorite recipes here on the blog including THE BEST clam chowder recipe, my favorite tartar sauce recipe, the best steamed clams you’ll ever slurp, and my fave shrimp and crab seafood Cobb salad.
Still today, my husband can’t eat the clam chowder without a Caesar salad by its side. But then, it’s so easy to make, why wouldn’t you?
What is in Caesar Dressing?
Unlike the vinaigrette-style Caesar salad dressing I shared in my Chicken Caesar Salad recipe that calls for coddled eggs, this salad dressing is creamy and in line with popular restaurant versions.
The creamy Caesar salad dressing ingredients are simple and easy to pull together:
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- red wine vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- mashed anchovies or anchovy paste (see below for substitutions)
- garlic
- Parmesan cheese
- freshly cracked black pepper
- Tabasco sauce
Substitutions for Anchovies in Caesar Dressing
In the U.S., anchovies get a bad rap, where people squirm at the thought of eating them without ever even trying them. In reality, anchovies mash to a smear and are the salty ingredient that gives Caesar salad its signature flavor. Or instead of whole anchovies, try a good quality anchovy paste.
If you really can’t go for the anchovy flair, substitute the anchovies for an additional 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice instead.
How to Make Caesar Dressing
I make this homemade Caesar dressing super easy by adding everything to a canning jar, closing it tight with a lid, and shaking it until blended.
If you like a thick Caesar salad dressing, make it in a blender or food processor instead of shaking it in a jar or whisking. Blend all of the ingredients then slowly drizzle in ¼ cup of olive oil while the blades are going strong. This method will emulsify and thicken the dressing.
How to Store Caesar Salad Dressing
Store this homemade Caesar dressing in the fridge in an air-tight container. It’ll last up to 2 weeks if stored properly.
Tips for the Best Homemade Caesar Dressing
Choose the best quality mayonnaise you can find, and use regular fat sour cream for maximum creaminess. If you really want to go low-fat, you can, but your dressing may turn out a bit thin.
Skip the canned or pre-shredded Parm and use freshly, finely ground Parmesan cheese for this dressing. You want the cheese to melt into the dressing and provide its salted, umami flavor instead of leaving stringy chunks.
Pressed, not diced, garlic is essential here. You don’t want to bite down on a big chunk of garlic by accident.
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mashed anchovies (or anchovy paste)
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- ⅛ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small canning jar and shake to combine. Or, add to a medium size bowl and whisk to combine.
- Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
