This easy homemade Caesar dressing is a classic for good reason. It’s delicious, and it’s so easy to make at home. If you have all the ingredients on hand, you can put this together in just a few minutes. In fact, this might become your new go-to dressing for salads and other dishes.
Unlike traditional Caesar salad dressing, ours uses no oil and no eggs in the dressing. Instead, it relies on tangy buttermilk and mayonnaise along with a few other ingredients to make amazing. It just might become your new favorite recipe. We think it is so much better than the grocery store brand.
Caesar Salad without Raw Eggs
This recipe only uses a few simple ingredients, and it takes just minutes to prepare. Authentic Caesar salad dressings are made with classic ingredients of olive oil and thickened with raw egg yolks. However, this one uses a mayonnaise base, which means no raw eggs, so you don’t have to worry about giving it to your kids. Plus, it’s full of savory flavor, a bit tangy and extra creamy. It’s perfect for jazzing up your favorite salads or even serving as a dip.
Ingredients Used in this Salad Dressing
Learn what goes into this absolutely delicious homemade dressing with just the right amount of bold flavor. Just 10 simple ingredients. A full ingredient list with ingredient amounts is listed in the recipe area below this article. Find out why this recipe works and a few substitutes too.
Along with the lettuce, you’ll need the star of the show.
Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients
Buttermilk. Buttermilk gives this classic-style Caesar dressing extra creaminess and robust flavor. You can use low-fat or whole buttermilk for this recipe.
Garlic Cloves. Fresh garlic is a must for this salad dressing. If you have the garlic paste on hand, go ahead, and use that for this recipe. Adjust the amount based on how much you love raw garlic.
Anchovy Filets. I urge you to give whole anchovies a try they are minced in this recipe and you will not see them and they add a briny flavor. Get them packed in oil, they add so much umami depth to this recipe. However, the anchovy paste works well too. Or swap this out and use capers in place of the anchovies. Another great swap for this ingredient is the combination of Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. One more option is using the earthy umami flavors of Asian fish sauce.
Red Wine Vinegar. This adds a tang to this recipe. Another option is apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar. Some people have their preferred go-to vinegar and that is perfect for this recipe.
Dijon Mustard. Mustard is often a salad dressing staple, and this recipe is no exception. It helps with emulsification, binding the liquids together to help make it an ultra-creamy dressing. Additionally, it adds another element of tang to the recipe.
Mayonnaise. Since this recipe does not use eggs or oil, mayonnaise is a must for flavoring and emulsification. People have told me that they have swapped this out for sour cream, Greek yogurt, and Miracle Whip salad dressing.
Fresh Lemon Juice. If you have fresh lemons, use those as the fresh lemon juice lifts up all the flavors in this recipe. No fresh lemons? No worries, go ahead and use the bottled.
Cheese and Seasoning
Shredded Parmesan. Yes, we add fresh parmesan to this recipe. While a Caesar salad includes grated parmesan. Did you know that it adds another level of flavor to the dressing too?
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper. Make sure to taste the dressing and adjust these amounts to your liking.
How to Make this Simple Recipe
In a food processor or blender, process garlic and anchovy until smooth.
Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt pepper, and parmesan cheese and mix well.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
If you do not have a food processor or blender. You can add the garlic cloves and anchovies to a medium bowl and use a hand-held emersion blender to mince. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until well combined.
This makes the best Caesar Salad Recipe
It’s easy to make a Classic Caesar Salad with crisp homemade croutons for when you want to impress your dinner guests.
- 1 large or 2 small heads of romaine lettuce
- Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved
- Crisp croutons – homemade can be made several days ahead.
- Caesar salad dressing
Delicious Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe Variations
With just a few adjustments, this recipe can be healthier.
We recommend using mayonnaise to help make this a healthy salad dressing recipe. Why?
In this case, I recommend using it if you can for two reasons.
1. Since this recipe does not use raw eggs, the mayonnaise helps with the emulsifying process in a safe manner.
2. This recipe also has no oil. Since the mayonnaise has oil in it as an ingredient, it is enough for this recipe and no extra oil is needed.
We have not noticed too much flavor difference when using low-fat buttermilk, so go ahead and use that if you prefer.
Easy Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Garlic Cloves Peeled
- 3 Anchovy Fillets
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
- 2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly cracked
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, process garlic and anchovy until smooth.2 Medium Garlic Cloves, 3 Anchovy Fillets
- Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt pepper, and parmesan cheese and mix well.1 Cup Buttermilk, 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise, 2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard, 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice, 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper, 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Label, date and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
There is a Video of this Recipe
Serving Ideas
Serve on top of crisp romaine lettuce with parmesan cheese and croutons. Add a grilled chicken breast for an entire meal. Try this as a dip for fresh vegetablesNutrition
Can You Eat Caesar Salad While Pregnant?
Traditional recipes for Caesar salad dressing contain raw eggs. They are a risk of salmonella; therefore, this should not be ingested by pregnant women. So, a pregnant woman should not eat Caesar salad.
Good news, since this recipe does not contain raw eggs, it is safe to eat if you are pregnant.
What to Serve with Caesar Salad?
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing on top of romaine lettuce is a delicious way to start any meal. This great recipe is no exception. Caesar salad is one of the most popular salads in the world it seems. It also pairs perfectly with chicken, pork, steak, seafood, and grilled veggies. Here are a few of our favorite easy recipes that would be delicious dinner combinations with this homemade Caesar dressing recipe.
The Best Grilled Chicken Recipe
How to Cook Thin Pork Chops Without Drying Them Out
Slow Cooker Coffee Roast Beef with Garlic
Restaurant Style Poor Man’s Lobster
Here are a few other delicious recipes for you to try.
