Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe

Rich with egg and parmesan, with savory depth from anchovy and garlic, this Caesar dressing is delicious on any salad (not just its namesake).

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Feb. 17, 2023
Overhead view of a dressed Caesar salad, studded with croutons and showered with parmesan.

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • An emulsified dressing clings well to the surface of waxy, hydrophobic lettuce leaves, for even coating and better flavor in each bite.
  • Puréeing the egg yolk, anchovies, parmesan, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and garlic with an immersion blender emulsifies the dressing thoroughly and eases prep.
  • Using canola oil for the puréeing step and then whisking in olive oil to finish results in a full-flavored dressing that's free of the bitter notes associated with blending extra-virgin olive oil.
  • This recipe calls for up to a half dozen anchovies for plenty of savory depth, though you can scale back that amount if you like.

When it comes down to it, an emulsified Caesar salad dressing like this one is essentially a flavored mayonnaise. But because of the parmesan and black pepper it contains, it's far easier to emulsify a Caesar dressing than a standard mayonnaise. The absolute easiest way to do it is using our foolproof 2-minute mayonnaise technique.

Yes, this Caesar salad dressing contains anchovies—it's an essential part of modern-day iterations of Caesar salad, even if the original version may not have had any. But feel free to adjust the number of anchovies, and the amount of Worcestershire sauce (which itself contains a small amount of anchovy), according to your taste.

0:50

July 2017

Recipe Facts

4

(8)

Prep: 5 mins
Active: 7 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serves: 6 servings
Makes: 3/4 cup

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Ingredients

  • 1 large egg yolk (see note)

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) juice from 1 lemon

  • 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, or more to taste, up to 6 fillets (see note)

  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) Worcestershire sauce (see note)

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (15g; about 1/4 cup)

  • 1/3 cup (80ml) canola oil

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in the bottom of a cup that just fits the head of an immersion blender, or in the bottom of the mini chopper attachment of a food processor. With blender or processor running, slowly drizzle in canola oil until a smooth emulsion forms. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

  2. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste generously with salt and pepper. Caesar dressing can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Special Equipment

Immersion blender or food processor

Notes

If you're concerned about the safety of using raw egg in this recipe (while pregnant, or just in general), you can either purchase already-pasteurized eggs, or pasteurize yours at home using a sous vide circulator set at 135°F (57°C) for two hours.

The number of anchovies and amount of Worcestershire sauce used can be varied according to taste and the size of the anchovies. For best results, use high-quality oil-packed anchovy fillets, or prepare your own using store-bought salt-packed anchovies.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
248 Calories
26g Fat
1g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 248
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 66mg 22%
Sodium 194mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 44mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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