Everyone loves a great restaurant Caesar salad, but not too many people make them at home. Let’s change that with this Homemade Caesar Salad! Really great, classic homemade Caesar dressing involves things that often weird people out (me included), namely raw egg yolks and anchovies. I really wanted to come up with a fantastic Caesar dressing that was easy to make, just used normal pantry ingredients and no eggs or canned fish. This dressing has become a staple at our house ever since. It’s creamy and fresh and tangy and great on SO many things. And I’m telling you right now- take the time to make this homemade dressing, and whip up some homemade croutons and grab some fresh Parmesan and you will have literally the best Caesar Salad of your life right at home.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Salad
- Romaine lettuce
- Fresh shaved parmesan cheese
- Croutons – Feeling adventurous? Try these mouth-watering Homemade Croutons!
- Grilled chicken – Optional.
Dressing
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh lemon juice
- White wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil – You’ll want to use a good olive oil here because you will definitely taste it. If you don’t love the taste of olive oil, you might try using a “light” one. Light olive oil isn’t referring to the calories or anything, it’s simply light on flavor since it’s the oil after the first presses where the good stuff comes from.
How to Make Homemade Caesar Salad
- Caesar dressing is so easy- you’ll start by blending some mayo, garlic, salt and pepper and lots of fresh lemon juice in a blender, and then blend in olive oil.
- To make the best salad ever, use cold, crunchy romaine and toss with the dressing. Pile on plates and top with homemade croutons, fresh Parmesan cheese, and grilled chicken if you want. The best!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 7 days for best results.
- This dressing is great used as a marinade for chicken, as a dip for crudités or drizzled over chicken and lettuce in a wrap.
- You can also use this dressing as a marinade!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This dressing holds up well in the fridge. It will be ready when you are.
It does, as anchovies primarily provide saltiness. If you’d like to add a little anchovie paste, feel free. A simple way to get similar flavor would be to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Sure! While there are certain times I want everything homemade, I also value quick fix meals. Bagged romaine, store-bought croutons, and rotisserie chicken make it super easy to throw a salad together.
The Best Homemade Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
Salad
- romaine lettuce
- freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- croutons
- cooked chicken optional
- lemon wedges optional, for garnish
Instructions
Dressing
- Combine mayo, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender and process until smooth. With blender running on low speed slowly pour in olive oil in a steady stream just until fully incorporated. *If for some reason your dressing ends up too thick (can happen if you process too long) just add a tablespoon or two of milk). Store in fridge.
Salad
- To make Caesar Salad, toss dressing with chopped romaine lettuce and then top with fresh parmesan, croutons, and grilled chicken if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Nutrition information was calculated for dressing only.
- Store finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 7 days for best results.
- This dressing is great used as a marinade for chicken, as a dip for crudités or drizzled over chicken and lettuce in a wrap.
- You can also use this dressing as a marinade!
Nutrition
Looking for more Fast and Healthy meals with fresh ingredients? Check out our Fit and Fast Meal Plans, 6 weeks of healthy meals and organized grocery lists to make life easier!
Questions & Reviews
Do you think it would be ok to use low fat mayo? Or would that mess with the recipe?
Thank you!!
You definitely could- if you have a low-fat mayo that you like. I always make this with full fat because I just feel it really tastes better, but it’s personal preference.
How did you make the grilled chicken in this recipe??
I just sprinkled with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and then sautéed in garlic olive oil in a pan. Simple and delish!
This was so yummy! I have that cookbook and never made it, so I’m glad you highlighted it here! My husband, who isn’t a salad guy, said he loved it and asked me to make it again! Totally a win in my book!
That makes me SO happy!
This looks amazing. I totally want to try it. Homemade croutons are amazing! Kneaders croutons also amazing…wow. anyway, I wanted to tell you something really random that has nothing to do with this post, but I thought you should know. Because you love rice krispies…. Because of your chicken thigh recipe, I tried rice krispies on my funeral potatoes when I didn’t have corn flakes and as you can imagine, they were AMAZING! The whole pan got eaten. So go rice krispies!!! You should try it 🙂
Oh my gosh YES!
This looks delicious. What kind/brand of mayo do you use?
I’m picky about my mayo and I only use Best Foods (or Hellman’s depending on where you live). It’s my favorite!
We’ve used Hellman’s since we were kids. I find it has a chemical sort of taste. Ken’s Extra Heavy is really good, but for some reason, very hard to find now. Used to get it at Sam’s Club for about $8 per gallon. I see it on line now for $70 per gallon!!!???
Wow, that better be some good mayo! haha!
I am SO happy you posted this recipe. My kids discovered Caesar Salad about a year ago and it’s the only kind they will ALL eat. It’s also the only kind I didn’t have a homemade dressing for because I never wanted to mess with the eggs and the anchovies. And I have your second book, but apparently I’ve never looked in it for Caesar Salad dressing. I love the idea of marinating the chicken in the dressing. I’ll be making it this week for sure.
I’m so glad- I hope you love it!
This looks so good! I haven’t had Caesar salad in ages!