Enjoy this creamy, tangy Caesar Dressing on your favorite salad, spread in a wrap, or as a dip for fresh carrots and cucumbers.
While many people think that Caesar dressing was named after Julius Caesar, its origins are much more recent than ancient Rome. In fact, the Caesar salad was created in 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who owned a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico.
What started as a quick improvisation during an ingredient shortage became greater than Cardini could imagine. A century later, his namesake salad (and its anchovy-tinged dressing) is one of the most popular types of salads worldwide. Now, countless Caesar salads are prepared every day in pizza shops, pasta restaurants, and home kitchens around the globe.
Caesar dressing, while perhaps a happy accident, tastes like it was made on purpose. It’s bright with lemon, tangy with Dijon mustard and anchovy paste, and full of robust Parmesan cheese flavor. This Caesar dressing recipe is perfect drizzled on salad greens or spread on your next toasted turkey sandwich.
Is Caesar Dressing Healthy?
While Caesar dressing isn’t typically as light as a vinaigrette due to the mayonnaise base, making it from scratch allows you to skip added preservatives, sugars, and artificial colors that often get thrown into store-bought Caesar dressing. The result is a wholesome, restaurant-quality, creamy dressing that satisfies cravings without major health concerns.
You can swap mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt, which will boost protein while cutting excess oils and maintaining the creaminess of mayo. Overall, this recipe is likely healthier than store-bought Caesar dressing, but it’s still high in calories and fat, so it should be used in moderation.
Who Was Caesar Cardini?
After growing up in Northern Italy in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Caesar Cardini moved to the United States with several of his brothers in search of new opportunities. After lots of moving around and starting restaurants in different locations, he settled and opened a restaurant just south of the U.S. border from San Diego, in sunny Tijuana, Mexico.
Benefiting from U.S. Prohibition laws and his restaurant’s proximity to the U.S. border, Caesar’s restaurant was quite popular among thirsty Americans willing to jump countries for a beer.
It is said that the original Caesar salad was an improvised version using the ingredients he had on hand during a busy Fourth of July weekend in 1924. His daughter Rosa later recalled that Caesar whipped up the first Caesar salad in the middle of the restaurant’s dining area “to give the dinner guests a show as well as a meal.” Who knew that among all the “speak-easy” parties of the Roaring 20s, there was the celebratory invention of an Italian-American classic?
How Do I Store Leftovers?
This dressing will last up to 5 days in the fridge in a well-sealed jar. The oils might separate over time, so stir thoroughly with a fork (or shake the sealed jar) before serving to ensure it’s well-mixed and smooth.
Serving Suggestions
This dressing was made to hug crispy cuts of romaine lettuce, so I recommend a classic Caesar Salad as your first goal with this dressing. Hungrier? Try dressing up a classic Caesar salad with a protein, as does this Salmon Caesar Salad. This dressing also goes great on Easy Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and The Best Quinoa Salad You Will Ever Try. For a light and colorful snack, you can also dip raw broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and celery in this dressing.
You’ll always find something to enjoy in this creamy, dreamy classic!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
- Stir in the finely grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Cover the dressing and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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