Description
Once you learn how easy it is to make Homemade Caesar Dressing, you’ll never go back to store-bought!
This classic dressing is a creamy mix of egg yolks and oil, seasoned with garlic, parmesan, anchovy paste, and – my secret ingredient! – a touch of zesty lemon to balance the rich, savory flavor. Use an immersion blender to create a restaurant-worthy, thick, and creamy Caesar dressing in 5 minutes or less!
Easily Vegetarian—Modifications Provided!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 lemon, juiced (approx. 3 tablespoons)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 finely chopped anchovy fillets OR 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (see Recipe Notes)
- ¼ cup neutral, light oil (such as grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, “light” olive oil, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Caesar dressing prep: To the jar that came with your immersion blender, add the egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovy, & lemon juice. Season generously with ground black pepper. (Alternatively, you can also use another similar wide-mouth jar/container, but if you do not have an immersion blender, see Recipe notes for more guidance.)
- Emulsify the Caesar dressing: Insert the immersion blender into the jar, submerging it into the egg mixture. Blend to combine the egg mixture well. With the immersion blender running, very slowly stream in the neutral oil. The mixture will emulsify as you add the oil & blend, transforming into a beautifully thick & creamy dressing. Once all of the neutral oil is added, add the extra-virgin olive oil in a similar fashion. Once combined, remove the immersion blender & set aside.
- Finish the Caesar dressing: Stir in the parmesan cheese. Taste & season with additional salt or ground black pepper as desired. Use immediately as desired – this Kale Caesar Salad with Parmesan Croutons is my personal favorite. Enjoy!
Notes
Jess’ Tips & Tricks:
- Equipment: Preparing homemade Caesar dressing is easiest with an immersion blender & I love this cordless immersion blender. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can certainly emulsify your homemade Caesar dressing by hand, using a large whisk & lots of elbow grease. Alternatively, you can prepare Caesar dressing easily in a food processor – please note that you’ll need to double the listed ingredient quantities to successfully emulsify in the larger bowl of a food processor – use the “Scale” buttons next to the Ingredients List, above, to easily double the recipe.
- Anchovy is an essential ingredient for a classic Caesar salad dressing. For this particular Caesar dressing recipe, feel free to use canned anchovy fillets, finely chopping them before you add them into the egg mixture. I prefer the convenience of anchovy paste, which is pre-minced anchovy sold in a squeeze tube – a great shortcut ingredient! You can find anchovies & anchovy paste near other tinned fish at most conventional grocery stores – my favorite is DeLallo anchovy paste. If you prefer to make your Caesar dressing without anchovy, feel free to swap it out with a dash of Worcestershire sauce or fish sauce – they taste a little different than anchovies, but they both have similar umami & depth of flavor.
- Oil: Since Caesar dressing is very rich & flavor-forward, it’s best make it using mostly a lighter oil that won’t compete too much with the natural flavors of the Caesar dressing. I like using grapeseed oil, though any light vegetable oil (canola, light olive oil, etc.) works well.
- Dietary Restrictions: To ensure your homemade Caesar dressing is vegetarian, use your favorite rennet-free parmesan & swap anchovy with a few dashes of vegan Worcestershire.
Storage:
- Homemade Caesar dressing will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.