You won’t miss the anchovy flavor in this easy homemade Caesar dressing recipe made without anchovies! Capers are used instead of anchovy filets or anchovy paste to add a salty umami flavor. This creamy dressing comes together in just a few minutes, with a food processor, blender, or immersion blender. Zesty, savory, and herbaceous, you’ll never need another homemade Caesar salad dressing recipe.
🥗 Types of Caesar Dressing
Classic Caesar Dressing is a good caesar dressing with a few basic ingredients: lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy fillets (or anchovy paste), garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. While the traditional version of this authentic caesar dressing is good, there are many styles of making this dressing.
To make a Healthy Caesar Dressing, Greek yogurt is used in place of the homemade mayonnaise base to lighten up the dressing.
Vegan Caesar Dressing is made without anchovies using a vegan mayonnaise base and a vegan Worcestershire sauce.
🧄 Flavors in this Dressing
Why you should make this dressing
This is an original caesar dressing recipe with a few unique key ingredients that tantalizes your taste buds. Many people tell me it's the best caesar dressing recipe! This dressing is:
Tangy
Savory
Herbaceous
Creamy
Cheesy
A flavor explosion!
🗒 Ingredients
- Raw eggs - The base of this recipe is homemade mayonnaise using raw eggs and a blend of neutral and olive oil.
- Dijon Mustard - My go-to mustard for this recipe is whole grain mustard like Edmond Fallot. I have also used Trader Joes whole grain mustard for this recipe. Certain mustards create specific flavors. Some mustards can be spicier than others and overpower all the other flavors, so choose milder whole grain mustard for this dressing.
- Garlic Cloves - I love to make this dressing garlicky with fresh garlic. If a stronger garlic flavor isn’t your thing, simply use a little less garlic.
- Capers - Capers are the immature, unripened, green flower buds of the caper bush that has been pickled in a salty brine. They are salty with a subtle lemony and green olive umami flavor and make a great substitute for anchovies.
- Red Wine Vinegar - Red wine vinegar adds a ton of unique tang that really perks up your taste buds.
- Distilled White Vinegar - Distilled white vinegar rounds out all the flavors in this dressing while adding a subtle tangy flavor.
- White Balsamic Vinegar - White balsamic vinegar adds a touch of sweetness to balance all the acid and garlic flavors. I buy it at Trader Joe's. If you can't find white balsamic vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar instead.
- Lemon Juice - You can use the real thing: fresh lemon juice, or lemon juice concentrate. Both work well here and add great lemony flavor.
- Dried Thyme - Thyme adds a savory herbaceous flavor. While not used in classic Caesar dressing recipes, I find that adding thyme takes the dressing to the next level.
- Italian Seasoning - Sometimes used in Caesar dressing recipes, Italian seasoning adds a wonderful herbaceous flavor and commonly consists of basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. However, there are several variations out there.
- Black Pepper - Use fresh cracked black pepper if you have it. If you don't, ground black pepper works fine. Black pepper adds a subtle heat.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Extra virgin olive oil adds flavor and dimension. Be careful not to use too much extra virgin olive oil or your dressing will taste bitter. This recipe calls for ½ cup which seems to work perfectly.
- Neutral Oil - It is important to use a neutral oil for Caesar dressing because you want to showcase all the flavors in the dressing. Great neutral oil choices include avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil.
- Fresh Parmesan Cheese - Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds a touch of salt and creaminess to the dressing giving you a creamy Caesar dressing.
🔪 How to Make This Homemade Caesar Dressing
For both methods:
- Gather together all of the ingredients.
- Finely mince the fresh garlic and capers.
Food processor/Blender Method:
- Combine all ingredients except the oils and parmesan cheese in a food processor or blender. Blend on low speed for 20 seconds or well combined.
- Mix your neutral oil of choice with the olive oil in a measuring cup with a spout. In a slow and steady stream while the blender or food processor is on, add the oil a little at a time until the dressing thickens in consistency.
- Once the dressing has thickened, add the parmesan cheese and blend for a few seconds to fully incorporate.
- Dressing should have a medium-thick consistency.
Store in an airtight container with a lid.
Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Immersion Blender method:
This method is the best way to make the dressing if you aren’t familiar with emulsifying, however, it does require special equipment.
- Add all ingredients except parmesan cheese to a 16oz mason jar.
- Place the immersion blender at the bottom of the jar.
- Carefully turn on the immersion blender, you will see the dressing start to thicken almost immediately. Slowly lift up and push down with the immersion blender until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and the dressing has thickened.
- Add parmesan cheese and blend for 5-10 seconds.
Store with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
👩🍳 Substitutions, Tips, and Tricks
If you want more umami or anchovy flavor (without the anchovies) in this dressing you can add one of the following:
1 teaspoon - miso paste
1 teaspoon - soy sauce
1 teaspoon - fish sauce
👩🍳 Chefs Tips:
- For the best flavor make this dressing the day before serving.
- Emulsifying dressing can be slightly tricky if you are not familiar with the process. I recommend using the immersion blender method if you have one.
- Use the whole egg. Just using yolks and or egg white will not produce the same results.
💬 How to use this Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
Make a Classic Caesar Salad - Traditional Caesar salad includes crisp romaine lettuce, homemade croutons, and parmesan cheese tossed with tangy caesar dressing and finished with fresh cracked black pepper.
Make any Caesar salad a main dish by adding grilled chicken, steak, or garlic shrimp.
Kale Caesar Salad - My favorite salad at home! A healthy caesar salad recipe made with shredded kale, radicchio,(or purple cabbage), grated carrots, garlic croutons, and parmesan cheese.
Really, you can dress any salad with this dressing. Its' that good!
Use as a dip for breadsticks or for these Parmesan Garlic Bread Bites.
Use as a sauce for a chicken caesar inspired pizza.
💬 How to store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I like to store in 12oz mason jars with these plastic lids.
The metal lids that come with the mason jars will work, but tend to react with the acids in the dressing and can get a little funky. It won't hurt the dressing, just wastes a little.
Freezing is not recommended.
🍴 Recipe
Homemade Caesar Dressing Recipe (without anchovies)
Equipment
- Immersion Blender Or Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 1 Large Whole Egg
- 1 tablespoon Whole Grain Mustard I like Edmond Fallot or Trader Joe's
- 1 tablespoon Capers chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Garlic chopped - use less if desired
- 1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon White Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tsp Distilled White Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper fresh cracked or ground
- ¾ Cup Neutral Oil sunflower, canola, avocado or vegetable
- ½ Cup Olive OIl extra virgin
- ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Food Processor/Blender Method
- Combine all ingredients except the oils and parmesan cheese in a food processor or blender. Blend on low speed for 20 seconds.
- Mix your neutral oil of choice with the olive oil in a measuring cup with a spout.
- In a slow and steady stream while the blender or food processor is on, add the oil a little at a time until the dressing thickens in consistency.
- Once the dressing has thickened, add the parmesan cheese and blend for a few seconds to fully incorporate.
- Store in an airtight container with a lid. Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Immersion Blender Method
- Add all ingredients except parmesan cheese to a 16oz mason jar.
- Place the immersion blender in the jar at the bottom. Carefully turn on the immersion blender. You will see the dressing start to thicken almost immediately. Slowly lift up and push down with the immersion blender until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and the dressing has thickened, about 20 seconds.
- Add parmesan cheese and blend for 5-10 seconds.
- Store with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- For the best flavor make this dressing the day before serving.
- If the dressing is thicker than desired, add a bit more vinegar or milk until you've reached the desired consistency.
- Emulsifying dressing can be slightly tricky if you are not familiar with the process. I recommend using the immersion blender method if you have one.
- Use the whole egg. Just using yolks and or egg white will not produce the same results.
- Dijon Mustard - My go-to mustard for this recipe is whole grain mustard like Edmond Fallot. I have also used Trader Joes whole grain mustard for this recipe. Certain mustards create specific flavors. Some mustards can be spicier than others and overpower all the other flavors, so choose milder whole grain mustard for this dressing.
- Capers - Capers are the immature, unripened, green flower buds of the caper bush that has been pickled in a salty brine. They are salty with a subtle lemony and green olive umami flavor and make a great substitute for anchovies.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Extra virgin olive oil adds flavor and dimension. Be careful not to use too much extra virgin olive oil or your dressing will taste bitter. This recipe calls for ½ cup which seems to work perfectly.
Nutrition
🍽 Other Salad Dressings + Sauces You May Enjoy
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