Perfect Caesar Salad with the Best Caesar Dressing

Make a delicious Caesar salad with crisp romaine, golden sourdough croutons, plenty of shaved Parmesan cheese, and the best Caesar dressing around (245 calories or 8 WW points).

homemade caesar salad recipe

A good Caesar salad has to be one of the most satisfying salads to order at restaurants, yet I’d imagine very few of us make it at home. Maybe that’s because homemade Caesar dressing seems intimidating. And that makes sense, because while most salads rely on flavorful toppings to make them appealing, Caesar salad’s deliciousness is all in its rich, creamy Caesar dressing. But just recently, after several rounds of recipe testing, I cracked the code on the perfect Caesar dressing and it just might be the best dressing—and salad—I’ve ever made.

best caesar dressing

Homemade Caesar Dressing

If ranch dressing is the classic creamy dressing, then we should consider Caesar dressing the deluxe edition. And this recipe for Caesar dressing proves it. It’s bold and punchy, complex and umami, with the flavor of Parmesan, garlic, and lemon.

Make sure you’re using a block of Parmesan cheese and not the grated kind in the green bottle because the flavor of real Parmesan makes a dramatic difference. Find it in the cheese section of your grocery store (usually next to the deli) and look for either Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano.

best caesar dressing recipe

To make it, mince 1 anchovy fillet and 1 garlic clove and mash them to a paste in a bowl, then add mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Don’t let the anchovy scare you—it’s in there to add that salty, umami quality to the dressing, not a fishy flavor. And yes, it’s absolutely necessary. Rinse your anchovy fillet before using it to remove some of the oil and salty brine and be sure to mash it well with a fork in a bowl before introducing the other dressing ingredients (to avoid any clumps).

Homemade Croutons

Croutons aren’t absolutely necessary to make a Caesar salad but they do make it that much better. They’re easy to make, too—just cut stale or day-old bread into cubes, toss with olive oil and salt, and bake until they’re golden brown and crunchy. I strongly prefer sourdough bread because it makes for the best flavor (find it in the bakery section of your grocery store), but a stale French baguette or Italian ciabatta work well too.

The rest of the salad is simple enough: chopped romaine hearts and shaved Parmesan cheese. You can add chicken to make it more of a meal and in that case, try my lemon herb marinated grilled chicken!

homemade caesar salad recipe

 

Print Recipe
4.84 from 12 votes

Caesar Salad with the Best Caesar Dressing

Crisp romaine, golden sourdough croutons, plenty of shaved Parmesan cheese, and the best Caesar dressing.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caesar dressing, caesar salad, caesar salad recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 245kcal

Ingredients

Caesar Dressing:makes about ¾ cup

  • 1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced to paste
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Croutons:

  • 2 cups sourdough* bread cubes ½-inch size cubes
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oi
  • 1 ¼ tsp teaspoon table salt

Salad

  • 3 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
  • c shaved Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Instructions

  • For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scatter bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, and toss well to coat the cubes in oil. Spread them out in an even layer and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway.
  • Let them cool on the baking sheet to room temperature. (Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)
  • For the dressing: Rinse the anchovy fillet and add it to a medium bowl. Using a fork, mash the fillet into a paste.
  • Add the garlic and mash once more, to break down the garlic. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and Worcestershire until combined. Continue to whisk while you drizzle in the olive oil.
  • Add the Parmesan and pepper and stir until smooth. Add the romaine and toss to coat. Serve with the croutons and shaved Parmesan.

Notes

1 serving salad (1/6th of entire recipe): 8 WW Freestyle points
1 serving Caesar Dressing (2 tablespoons): 5 WW Freestyle points
135 calories, 15g fat, 3g sat fat, 6mg cholesterol, 162mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g protein
*If you can't find sourdough nearby, use a baguette or ciabatta

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 353mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
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72 thoughts on “Perfect Caesar Salad with the Best Caesar Dressing

  1. Mike

    That looks so delicious and I just love a good salad. Often when I go out, even if it’s to a fast food restaurant, I’ll get a chicken Caesar salad or a healthy house salad with lite Italian dressing.

    Reply
  2. Jake Shaw

    5 stars
    This looks amazing, I love the way your showing people how to loose weight by just making a healthy salad and not just make it also make it look delicious.

    Reply
  3. Anne F.

    Hey Andie! If I don’t use anchovy paste and go for true anchovies, how do I store remainder. Mash and freeze in olive oil? ! It looks wonderful!! Thanks! Anne F.

    Reply
    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Hi Anne! I would put the leftover anchovies in a small ziploc bag with a teaspoon or two of olive oil! Or, and this might be a little less environmentally-friendly, you can use multiple baggies and put 1 or 2 of the anchovies in each—which would make it easier next time you only need a little bit!

      Reply
  4. Sophie

    Hi Andie, would love to try this recipe, please could you clarify the amount of mayonnaise as I’m not sure what .25 means?
    Or perhaps someone else knows, thanks for your help.

    Reply
  5. Rebecca

    Did you know that according to Julia Child the original recipe for Caesar Salad had no anchovy in it. It’s one of my favorite salads.

    Reply
  6. bottleneck

    5 stars
    This Caesar salad looks absolutely delicious! The homemade dressing sounds so flavorful and creamy, and I love the addition of fresh croutons for that perfect crunch. Thank you for sharing such a detailed recipe – it’s super helpful for anyone wanting to make a restaurant-quality salad at home. Definitely trying this soon!

    Reply
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    Wow, this Caesar salad looks absolutely perfect! The homemade dressing with real Parmesan and anchovy paste is a total game-changer. Can’t wait to try it with fresh sourdough croutons — simple, crisp, and restaurant-level good!

    Reply
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    This recipe is a keeper! The balance of creamy dressing, crunchy romaine, and golden croutons makes it unbeatable. Love how easy you’ve made the dressing steps — definitely making this for dinner tonight!

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  9. Calculadora

    This Caesar salad looks absolutely irresistible! The creamy homemade dressing, crisp lettuce, and crunchy croutons give it a real restaurant-quality touch. I love how simple, clear, and detailed the recipe is—perfect for beginners and food lovers alike. Thanks for sharing such a tempting, helpful recipe. I’ll definitely be trying it soon!

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    This Caesar salad looks absolutely delicious! The homemade dressing sounds so flavorful and creamy, and I love the addition of fresh croutons for that perfect crunch. Thank you for sharing such a detailed recipe – it’s super helpful for anyone wanting to make a restaurant-quality salad at home. Definitely trying this soon!

    Reply
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    This Caesar salad looks absolutely perfect—clean presentation, great textures, and very appetizing visuals. Recipes like this really shine when the editing is done right, especially with close-up shots and smooth transitions that highlight the dressing and fresh ingredients. Food creators often rely on simple video and photo edits to make dishes stand out on social platforms. I usually explore editing techniques and creative tools through resources related to motion and visual editing, similar to what’s shared on my site focused on Alight Motion-based content. Great inspiration overall!

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    This Caesar salad recipe is excellent. The homemade dressing is flavorful and perfectly balanced, the croutons are crisp, and the fresh romaine makes the salad really stand out. Easy to follow and worth making from scratch definitely a go-to recipe.

    Reply
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    I’ve always hesitated to use actual anchovy fillets because of the saltiness, so I really appreciate the tip about rinsing them first! Definitely going to try that. Quick question though—if I make a double batch of the dressing, how long does it usually stay good in the fridge before the texture changes?

    Reply
  15. Sprunki

    You convinced me to finally ditch the pre-shredded cheese; the texture in your photos looks so much better with the fresh shavings. I’m planning to make this for a dinner party next week. Regarding the sourdough croutons, do you think they would stay crispy if I made them earlier in the day, or is it strictly better to bake them right before serving?

    Reply
  16. Sprunki

    The trick of mashing the anchovy and garlic into a paste first is genius—I usually just chop them and it’s never quite smooth enough. I’m definitely going to try this with the sourdough bread like you suggested. Quick question: do you think I could blitz all the dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender to save time, or does hand-whisking really make a huge difference in the texture?

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