Homemade Caesar salad dressing is easy to make and so flavorful. Made in only 15 minutes, this is the best Caesar dressing recipe there is, and will spoil you for any other Caesar dressing!
4(4)garlic cloves, roughly chopped, see Recipe Notes
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)kosher salt
3tablespoons(44grams)lemon juice, freshly squeezed from 1 lemon, or more to taste,
2tablespoons(30grams)mayonnaise, see Recipe Notes
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)anchovy paste, or 4 anchovy fillets, minced, see Recipe Notes
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)balsamic vinegar
½cup(106grams)extra virgin olive oil
½cup(106grams)canola oil
¼cup(25grams)parmesan cheese, freshly grated
¼ to ½teaspoon(¼ to ½teaspoon)black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Using a food processor: Place garlic cloves and salt in a small food processor. Pulse until the garlic is minced.
Add the lemon juice, mayonnaise, anchovy paste (or anchovy fillets, if using), and balsamic vinegar, and pulse to combine. Taste for salt, garlic, and lemon juice balance.
Starting with the olive oil, begin adding the oil through the lid at a slow stream, pulsing the processor on/off to avoid heating and breaking the emulsion. Similarly stream the canola oil after all the olive oil has been added.
Add Parmesan cheese and black pepper, then pulse just to combine. Adjust the seasonings if needed.
Make by hand: Place garlic and salt (and anchovy fillets, if using) on a cutting board. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, carefully smash ingredients together until mixture becomes a thick paste and is thoroughly blended. Transfer paste to a small bowl.
Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, anchovy paste (if using), and balsamic vinegar to the paste, and whisk until blended.
Slowly stream in the oils (first olive oil, then canola oil) in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth.
Whisk in parmesan cheese, and season with black pepper to taste.
Storage instructions: Transfer the dressing to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Caesar dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
To avoid any bitterness, peel out the green center of the clove before chopping it up.You can use two large pasteurized egg yolks in place of the mayonnaise, if you wish. I just find mayonnaise easier (and there's no worry about serving raw eggs).If you don't have (or don't like) anchovies, you can substitute ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste), or just leave it out altogether.To make a Vegan Caesar dressing, substitute a vegan mayonnaise and replace the anchovies with ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon of capers. You can leave out the parmesan cheese or use a vegan replacement. Season to taste.If you add the oils too fast, the dressing will “break” (the emulsion separates), and you’ll have a tasty, but messier, dressing. If your dressing breaks, you can fix it using this method from Serious Eats.