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Homemade Caesar Dressing (From Scratch)

This is the real deal Caesar dressing made from scratch -- creamy, tangy, and loaded with umami from anchovy paste and fresh parmesan. No bottled shortcuts. Ready in 10 minutes and miles better than anything from the store.
Course Sauces & Dressings
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 185kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Measuring spoons
  • Garlic press or knife
  • Glass jar with lid (for storage)

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste from a tube -- or 3-4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, mashed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Lea and Perrins recommended
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 egg yolk room temperature
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil good quality -- the flavor matters here
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Parmigiano Reggiano if you can get it
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt taste before adding -- anchovy paste and parmesan are already salty

Instructions

  • Add the minced garlic and anchovy paste to your mixing bowl. Use the back of a fork or a whisk to mash them together into a paste. This step is worth doing right -- you want them fully combined before anything else goes in.
  • Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard to the bowl. Whisk everything together until combined.
  • Add the egg yolk and whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until the mixture looks slightly thickened and pale.
  • Now comes the key step: drizzle in the olive oil very slowly while whisking constantly. Start with just a few drops at a time for the first 30 seconds, then increase to a thin, steady stream. This is how you get the dressing to emulsify and turn creamy. If you dump the oil in all at once, it will break and you will have a greasy mess.
  • Once all the oil is incorporated, fold in the freshly grated parmesan and black pepper. Taste the dressing before adding salt -- the anchovy paste and parmesan both bring significant saltiness. Add kosher salt only if needed.
  • Use immediately or transfer to a sealed jar and refrigerate. The dressing will thicken slightly as it chills. Give it a good stir before serving. Best within 3-4 days.

Notes

Egg yolk note: This recipe uses a raw egg yolk, which is traditional for Caesar dressing. If you are concerned about raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs or substitute 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise -- it will still taste great and gives you the same creamy emulsification.
On anchovy paste: Tube anchovy paste is the practical choice here and works perfectly. It dissolves completely into the dressing. If you use whole oil-packed anchovy fillets, mash them into a paste first. Either way, do not skip the anchovies -- they are not optional. You will not taste fish. You will taste depth and savory richness that nothing else replicates.
Parmesan matters: Buy a block and grate it yourself. Pre-grated parmesan has anti-caking agents that affect texture and flavor. A Microplane makes fast work of this.
Oil matters: This is not the recipe to use the cheap stuff. A decent extra virgin olive oil makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor.
If the dressing breaks: Start fresh with a new egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken dressing into the new yolk. It will usually come back together.