Easy Caesar Salad Dressing (10 Minutes & No Blender!)

Name: Easy Caesar Salad Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; 3/4 cup mayo; 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 large clove garlic (minced); Salt & pepper (to taste)

Published: Aug 3, 2018 / Updated: May 15, 2022 / 100 Comments

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This easy creamy Caesar salad dressing comes together so fast, and you don't need any fancy ingredients or special tools to make it. It's seriously delicious and better than store-bought or even at a restaurant!

Making Caesar salad? You definitely need to add in my easy homemade croutons.

closeup of a caesar salad with homemade dressing

Best Caesar dressing

This quick and easy Caesar dressing is the one you've been searching for. It's my go-to, and it's damn good. It's incredibly simple to whip up on busy weeknights, and it doesn't make a huge mess like other more involved versions do. You don't have to deal with a blender, no food processor, nada. And it's got rich, bold flavors and that restaurant-quality taste you crave!

You will never go back to the stuff in a bottle after trying this homemade Caesar dressing with pantry ingredients since you can feel good knowing exactly what's going into it. I'm pretty picky when it comes to Caesar dressing, and this is by far my favorite! It's the real deal.

Caesar dressing ingredients

Mayonnaise - mayo makes a wonderful creamy base so that there are no raw eggs, and it eliminates all the guesswork. I use Hellmann's mayo, but you can use organic or whatever you prefer. You can also make your own mayo, but honestly the pre-made stuff is great for salad dressings and is such a time saver.
Sour cream - adds more creaminess and a tangy zip
Worcestershire sauce - Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so we're not using whole anchovies like other recipes do. This gives it just enough of that signature anchovy umami flavor in a great Caesar dressing without it being overwhelming!
Fresh lemon juice - for a pop of acidity and bright freshness
Dijon mustard - it's a beloved trick of mine to give dressings and sauces even more savory depth of flavor.
Garlic - always use fresh garlic that you mince yourself. I use this garlic press to make it that much easier.
Parmesan - freshly grated parmesan cheese is an absolute must in any Caesar dressing for that nutty, cheesy quality
Salt and pepper - be generous with both

Pro tip

The S&L kitchen feels this Caesar dressing is perfect as written, but not everyone's tastebuds are the same, and that's totally okay! Feel free to adjust to your own preferences. Need more lemon juice? Add it. More salt or pepper? More garlic? Don't be shy!

homemade caesar dressing in a clear glass yogurt jar with a spoon and lemon slices

How to make Caesar salad dressing

This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Grate your parmesan. This Microplane grater makes it super easy.
Add all the ingredients to a small bowl or a measuring cup. Stir or whisk until smooth.
Chill if desired in the fridge, and then drizzle it over romaine lettuce, croutons, and parm!

Substitutions and variations

You could leave the parmesan cheese out, but I recommend including it. It really tastes much better with it in here. You could also sub for asiago cheese in a pinch.
If your heart is set on using anchovies or anchovy paste, you could, but I prefer Worcestershire sauce. Be careful not to overdo it if you do go that route!
Need to make it vegetarian? Sub in some minced capers instead of the Worcestershire sauce for that briny, savory flavor. Start with 1 tbsp and adjust from there.

Leftovers and storage

This Caesar dressing recipe yields about a cup of dressing, so it'll make two decently sized salads or one large one, so you probably won't have leftovers!
But if you do have leftovers or doubled the recipe, this dressing will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
I love storing salad dressings in these covered yogurt jars.

What to serve with it

Caesar salad goes with basically any main course, but I love it with this Creamy Garlic Chicken, Easy Pan Seared Pork Chops Recipe, or these Garlic Butter Steak Bites!
Want to make something other than a classic Caesar salad with this dressing? Try my Chicken Caesar Crostini or this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad.

More homemade salad dressing recipes

caesar salad dressing in a glass jar beside a spoon, head of garlic, and lemon slices

Is this your new favorite Caesar salad dressing recipe? You're only about 10 minutes away from finding out. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions!