Homemade Caesar Dressing

Homemade salad dressing is a boon for anyone who is trying to save cash or improve their cooking! Our homemade Caesar salad dressing recipe is tastier than anything we’ve ever bought from a store, and it can be made for just pennies on the dollar in just a few minutes! 

Why should I make my own salad dressing?

Making your own dressing can save you money and gives you full control over the flavor and ingredients. A great salad dressing can turn a boring salad into something delicious! Learn more about homemade salad dressings in our Salad Dressings 101 post.

What’s the difference between Caesar and ranch dressing?

While ranch dressing gets its flavor from lots of herbs, Caesar dressing gets its signature taste from egg yolk, anchovies, and garlic. That ingredient list may sound a little off-putting, but those really are what is in a classic Caesar dressing recipe. Trust me, it all combines into the umami flavor-rich dressing that you know and love.

What is Caesar salad dressing made from?

To make this homemade Caesar dressing recipe, you’ll need:

• Egg
• Anchovy fillets or anchovy paste
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic clove
• Salt and black pepper
• Coconut aminos, soy sauce, or tamari
• Lemon juice and zest
• Olive oil
• Avocado oil

How do you make Caesar dressing? 

Our favorite way to make this dressing is to use an immersion blender in a wide-mouth mason jar. That way, you can just pop a lid on the jar to store the extras! If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also use a food processor or blender to make your dressing.

To get the smoothest, creamiest salad dressing, pour all the ingredients into the jar in the order listed in the recipe. Push the immersion blender to the bottom of the jar, and turn it on low. Once the dressing starts to thicken up, slowly pull the immersion blender upwards to mix the rest of the oil in.

Uh, is it safe to eat a dressing made with raw eggs?

If the raw eggs in this recipe weird you out (or if you are immunocompromised), you might consider using pasteurized eggs—raw eggs that are heated to hot enough to kill any pathogens but not so hot that they cook. In most large supermarkets, you can find pasteurized eggs in the same section as regular eggs.

Or, you can pasteurize eggs at home yourself!  Take room temperature eggs and place them in a pot with cold water covering them. Heat the water to 135°F and then maintain that temperature for 3 minutes (3 1/2 to be extra safe). You don’t want the temperature to get above 142°F, or it will start to cook the egg. To maintain the temp, just add some cold water or turn the heat down. After your 3-4 minutes are up, transfer your eggs to an ice bath to halt cooking. The eggs are now pasteurized and safe to use raw.

How do I store the leftover dressing?

Store leftover Caesar salad dressing in an airtight container in the fridge. We prefer glass as it won’t take on the smell of garlic and anchovies like plastic will, but you can use either one. 

How long will Caesar salad dressing last? 

This dressing can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Can Caesar dressing go bad?

Yep. If the dressing smells off or starts to develop mold, toss it out!

How should I use this salad dressing?

A classic Caesar salad is made with crisp romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. But you’ll also love our kale Caesar salad!

Looking for more homemade salad dressings?

We have a whole collection of salad dressing recipes, including:

• Chili Lime Vinaigrette
• Italian Dressing
• Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Balsamic Vinaigrette 
• Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
• Honey Mustard Dressing
• Ginger Dressing
• Coconut Milk Ranch Dressing
• Dairy-Free Cashew Ranch Dressing