Caesar Salad Dressing

This creamy Caesar dressing delivers the classic combination of parmesan, lemon, and savory anchovy flavor in a simple homemade version that's ready in minutes. Rich, tangy, and perfectly balanced, it clings beautifully to crisp romaine but is just as good as a dip, spread, or sandwich topping.

Simple ingredients. Restaurant-style results.

Homemade Caesar dressing is one of those recipes that surprises people. With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of whisking, you can create a dressing that's richer, fresher, and more flavorful than most store-bought versions.

It's especially good when made with our homemade mayonnaise, but store-bought mayo works perfectly well too.

Once you've made it yourself, it's hard to go back.

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp anchovy paste (we like Giovanni's Anchovy Paste)
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard (we like Inglehoffer Traditional Dijon)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
1 – 3 tsp cold water; optional / as needed

10 mins

Prep Time:

0 mins

Cook Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

Tags:

Salad Dressing

About 1 cup dressing

Servings:

Condiment

Course:

Human

Human or Dog:

Published:

June 24, 2026

Instructions

1. Whisk together all ingredients except water.

Note: Everyone's tastes are different. We recommend adding the lemon juice and anchovy paste gradually and tasting as you go. You may find you prefer a little more or a little less than the amounts listed here.

2. Add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until dressing reaches your preferred consistency. We often skip the water entirely when we're in the mood for a thicker Caeser dressing.

3. Taste and adjust if desired.

4. Refrigerate 15 - 30 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Dog Commentary:

Notes/Variations

Notes:

Finely grated Parmesan works better than shredded.
Start with less water than you think you need. A little goes a long way.
Anchovy paste adds savory depth rather than a fishy flavor.
This dressing is excellent on romaine lettuce but also works as a dip or sandwich spread.

Leeloo says anchovies are the secret to authentic Caesar dressing.

Bobby says if there are fish in the salad, the salad deserves to know.