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This homemade Caesar salad dressing recipe is made with a whole egg (instead of just the yolk) and is SO flavorful. Make it with high quality oils and simple ingredients to make sure you salad dressing is actually good for you.
Don’t let the egg/oil emulsion intimidate you. As long as you have the right tools and the right information, it’ll come together quickly and easily. Let’s get started!
I used to think Caesar salads were boring (because, who only puts croutons and cheese on a salad?). But the beauty is in the simplicity when it comes to Caesar salads.
If you love delicious salad dressings like this Caesar Dressing, grab a free copy of my cookbook with the top 10 sauce and salad dressing recipes from the blog. Click here to learn more!
This Caesar salad dressing is gluten free, and dairy friendly (just leave the Parmesan out for dairy free), and Paleo. It’s made with healthy avocado oil and is a delicious Whole 30 or Paleo salad dressing option.
Make a batch for your salads all week! Put it in the meal plan and it’s a done deal!
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Best Homemade Caesar Dressing
Traditionally, Caesar salad is made using an egg emulsion. If you don’t want to use raw eggs, you can make a decent Caesar-ish dressing with yogurt, or store bought mayo. But we’re keeping it traditional today.
I tried a recipe with yogurt as the base and it didn’t quite have the flavor that I was looking for. Today, we’re sticking with tradition. Well, sort of…
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing with The Whole Egg
This homemade Caesar salad dressing is made with the whole egg (not just the yolk).
Typically you just use the egg yolks for the dressing. But I’ve found that I usually end up throwing the egg whites away (because I always forget they’re sitting in the fridge).
So I made a recipe that uses the whole egg (meaning no waste). The salad dressing is a little bit thinner than the yolk-only version, but the flavor is the same.
No Mayo In This Homemade Caesar Dressing
If you’ve made homemade mayonnaise before, you know how to make Caesar dressing. The process is the same (drizzling the oil in to create an emulsion with the egg). If you haven’t, it’s a great day to learn a new cooking skill!
The process is LIKE making mayo, but this homemade Caesar doesn’t actually have mayonnaise in it.
It does have raw egg, though. It’s important to use the freshest eggs from the healthiest chickens when using raw eggs in recipes. Our eggs come from about 30 feet out our door (we have our own chickens).
Nobody said your eggs have to be THAT fresh, just do your best to find the freshest eggs you can.
Why Make Your own Caesar Salad Dressing?
Making your own salad dressing is totally worth it. It only takes a couple minutes, and it’s one less thing you have to buy at the store. Have you noticed how expensive salad dressing is at the store? In an effort to decrease our grocery budget, salad dressing is one thing we never buy anymore.
Do you want to get your grocery spending under control? Here’s an awesome course that can help. Use STB20 to get 20% off.
Related: 5 Reasons To Always Make Your Own Salad Dressing
And, when you make your own salad dressing, you get to decide what ingredients go in (and what stays out). One thing I’m happy have control over is which oils we use.
Instead of the refined vegetable oils found in virtually all salad dressings in the store (I’ve looked at almost all of them, trust me. It’s everywhere.) we choose to use olive oil (healthy, with good fats), and avocado oil.
Related: Read This Before Reaching For That Vegetable Oil
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Tools To Make This Caesar Salad Dressing
- Anchovy paste makes working with anchovies WAY easier.
- Food Processor (Our is this brand and has been going strong for 8 years!)
- Storage containers (we use mason jars for just about everything)
- Salad bowl (This acacia wooden salad bowl is beautiful!)
- Salad tongs (And these match that salad bowl)
Caesar Salad Ingredients
- Eggs – get the freshest, best eggs you can find
- Lemon juice – use fresh lemons and squeeze it out, or keep a bottle of this single ingredient lemon juice in your fridge.
- Olive oil
- Anchovy paste – check the ingredients on your anchovy paste to make sure there’s just anchovies, olive oil, and salt. I use this brand.
- Mustard – use what you like best. Yellow mustard or Dijon will work well.
- Garlic cloves
- Avocado oil – we use this brand because it’s in Costco. Amazon has a few other good choices too (like this one).
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Black pepper
Anchovies in Caesar Dressing
There’s debate about whether anchovies were traditionally in Caesar salad or not. I used to be a bit squeamish around the thought of anchovies in my salad dressing, but it adds so much flavor to the dressing, it’s so worth it.
Plus, when you use this anchovy paste, it’s way easier. The only ingredients are anchovies, olive oil, and salt. Perfect!
Ever heard of umami? It’s that savory flavor that makes food taste oh-so-good. Anchovies bring the umami to the dressing.
How to Make Caesar Salad Dressing
First, put everything but the avocado oil and Parmesan in the bowl of your food processor.
Note: If you don’t already have a food processor, I highly recommend this one! To see other time-saving tools I HIGHLY recommend, read about my essential tools for saving time in the kitchen.
Turn it on for 30 seconds to blend everything together.
Next, with the food processor on, pour the avocado oil into the “pusher”. This is the part of the food processor that has a tiny hole at the bottom. The hole in the bottom lets the oil drip in so you don’t have to stand there and pour slowly.
If you don’t have a “pusher” with a hole in it, just drizzle the oil in slowly with the food processor on. If you’re not sure what “slowly” means, I try to look for a thin stream (somewhere between dripping it in and dumping). Drizzling the oil should take a minute or two, not 30!
Let it mix another minute after the oil has all dripped through. And then it’s done! If you want to add Parmesan, now would be the time to do that.
You did it! Now that you’re a pro at this method, head on over and make some homemade mayonnaise. Same process, with fewer ingredients.
How Long Does Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Last?
You can keep it in the fridge for about a week. Of course, if you notice any off sights or smells, use your own judgement and don’t eat it. This recipe makes about one cup (plus a tablespoon or two).
I like to make a batch and use it on a salad right away (because I usually can’t resist) and then I keep the rest in one of these mason jars that are the perfect size for the remaining dressing.
Caesar Salad Recipe
Once you’ve made the dressing, it’s time to put your Caesar salad together. To make a Caesar salad, put the following in a bowl:
- Romaine lettuce (washed, dried, and chopped)
- Croutons (can make your own or use a gluten free option if needed)
- Parmesan (omit for a dairy free dressing)
- Salad dressing (to taste)
For ratios on the salad, you’ve got total control here.
Put your chopped romaine in a bowl, pour your Caesar dressing on and toss the greens to coat (I like a lot of dressing…because it’s SO good).
Add in croutons and sprinkle on Parmesan. If you LOVE croutons, put more on. If you can’t do dairy, don’t use Parmesan (or just serve it on the side).
Anything else to dress up your salad?
Here are a few items that will dress up your Caesar salad and impress your guests (although probably not as much as telling them you made your Caesar dressing from scratch.
- Beautiful wooden salad bowl made with acacia wood
- Salad tongs (to match the salad bowl)
Looking for more delicious homemade salad dressing recipes?
- Creamy Avocado Lime Salad Dressing
- 4 Ingredient Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
- Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe with a Whole Egg and Anchovy Paste
Make this traditional Caesar salad dressing easily with your food processor. This recipe uses the whole egg (not just the yolk) and anchovy paste.
Ingredients
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 2 tsp mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 2 Tbs parmesan cheese (optional)
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Put the eggs, lemon juice, 2 Tbs of olive oil, anchovy paste, mustard, and garlic in the bowl of your food processor.
- Turn your food processor on for 30 seconds, until everything is blended
- With the food processor running, either use the "pusher" in your food processor to drip the oil in, or just slowly pour the avocado oil into the bowl while the food processor is running.
- Let it mix for 2-3 minutes, until it's thickened a bit and all the oil has been incorporated.
- Add black pepper to taste
- If you want parmesan cheese in your dressing, stir it in now.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Get the freshest eggs you can find, since this recipe uses raw eggs.
- You can store this dressing in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- For a dairy free option, just omit the Parmesan.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 90Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
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