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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.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Sauces & Dressings
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 185
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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

Equipment

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

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard to the bowl. Whisk everything together until combined.
  3. Add the egg yolk and whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until the mixture looks slightly thickened and pale.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.