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Homemade Caesar Salad in a square white bowl with croutons and cheese to the side
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4.67 from 12 votes

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing makes a huge impact in this Classic Caesar Salad made with crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, nutty Parmesan, and of course, the original savory dressing that is so much better than the bottled kind you get at the store!
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 596kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Caesar Dressing

  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced and mashed into a paste
  • 2-3 anchovy filets finely minced and mashed into a paste
  • 1 coddled egg
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 Tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano

Croutons

  • 3 cups cubed day old French baguette or loaf of Italian bread
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients

  • 2-3 heads romaine lettuce washed and roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese shaved or grated

Instructions

Caesar Dressing Preparation

  • In a large bowl, combine the mashed garlic, anchovies, coddled eggs, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and vinegar until smooth.  While whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil over at least 2 minutes to emulsify.  When the dressing begins to thicken, whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Store any unused dressing in an glass jar with a tight fitting lid and use within 3 to 4 days.

Salad Preparation

  • Wash and drain the lettuce, then pat it dry with paper towels to absorb any moisture.  Cut or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces and refrigerate ahead of time so the leaves are chilled and crisp.
  • In a large salad bowl, add the romaine lettuce and ⅓ of the prepared Caesar Salad Dressing, tossing until well coated, and adding more dressing from there to taste.
  • Add the shaved Parmesan cheese, croutons, and more freshly ground pepper, then lightly toss again and serve immediately!

Crouton Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Dice the bread into ¾-inch cubes.
  • Toss the diced bread with the minced garlic and enough olive oil to coat, but not drench, each cube of bread.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, shaking the pan halfway through baking to make sure the croutons toast evenly. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding to your caesar salad.

Notes

If you want to leave out the anchovies,  just increase the Worcestershire sauce to 1 ½ tablespoons.

Nutrition

Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1082mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 4mg