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homemade Caesar dressing in a bowl
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Traditional Caesar Dressing (with Anchovies)

Learn how to make traditional homemade Caesar dressing from scratch with no mayonnaise. Instead, anchovies, egg yolk, and a slow oil emulsion give you authentic, restaurant-quality flavor.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: authentic Caesar dressing recipe, Caesar dressing without mayo, homemade Caesar dressing, traditional Caesar dressing
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 267kcal
Author: Neal Williams

Equipment

  • immersion blender or small blender/cup see notes

Ingredients

  • 3 anchovy fillets
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¾ cup neutral oil such as avocado oil
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ - ⅓ cup Fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

  • Add the anchovy fillets, garlic cloves, egg yolk, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice to your blender or a tall container if using an immersion blender.
  • Pulse or blend until the anchovies are broken down.
  • Stream in the oil. With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the neutral oil first, followed by the olive oil. It is very important to slowly drizzle in the oil - dumping it in all at once can keep the dressing from emulsifying properly.
  • Turn off the blender and fold in the fresh grated parmesan by hand rather than blending it in, so it keeps its texture instead of turning into a paste.
  • Taste for seasoning. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin the consistency, if desired.
  • Chill and serve. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

  • We prefer making this recipe with an immersion blender. However, if you don't have a small blender or immersion blender, you can follow these steps:
    1. Finely chop the anchovy fillets and garlic cloves together, and add to a small pile on a cutting board. Add a pinch of salt. Using the flat side of a chef's knife, work the anchovies and garlic into a smooth paste.
    2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the anchovy paste, egg yolk, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
    3. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine.
    4. While whisking continuously, slowly stream in the neutral oil, followed by the olive oil, until the dressing emulsifies.
    5. Fold in fresh grated parmesan cheese.
    6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.3mg