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The Best Homemade Caesar Dressing
This homemade Caesar dressing is rich, full of flavor and so much better than any store-bought version. It's so simple to make and it's perfect for both salads and as a sandwich spread.
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender (or stand blender or food processor)
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil like avocado or canola (extra virgin olive oil works too)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup lemon juice, divided (from about 1 medium lemon)
- ½ tsp salt, divided, or more to taste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard, divided
- ½ tsp anchovy paste, or 1 anchovy fillet, minced or crushed (see Note 1)
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce (see Note 2)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Start by making a quick mayonnaise; this is the base for the dressing: combine the oil, egg yolk, juice of ½ lemon (2 tbsp), ¼ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of Dijon mustard in an immersion blender cup or blender/food processor – be careful not to break the yolk if you're using an immersion blender (see Note 3 for more detailed instructions using a food processor or a whisk)
- Blend until smooth, creamy and emulsified (don't worry if it doesn’t emulsify right away because it's going to be blended a second time and the Parmesan cheese helps it thicken)
- Add the anchovy paste, Parmigiano Reggiano, Worcestershire, freshly cracked black pepper and crushed garlic as well as the remaining 2 tbsp of lemon juice, ¼ tsp of salt and ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- Blend again until fully emulsified – it’s going to be really thick and creamy
- Taste and season with additional salt if desired
Notes
Note 1: The anchovies in this recipe are a must because they add the perfect umami, salty note to the dressing. If you really don’t like anchovies or if you would like to make this recipe vegetarian, you can substitute for 1 tsp of minced capers or black olives but the flavor will change slightly (for a vegetarian version, omit the Worcestershire as well).
Note 2: The Worcestershire in this recipe adds great flavor, but it’s not strictly necessary. If you don’t have it on hand, you can skip it. I make this recipe often and if I don’t already have a bottle in the fridge, I just leave it out.
Note 3: I prefer to make this recipe using my immersion blender, but you can easily use a food processor, stand blender or even just a whisk and a bowl to make this. If you’re using a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, salt and Dijon mustard according to the recipe directions; slowly drizzle in the oil while blending then proceed with the rest of the recipe steps. If you’re using a whisk, start by vigorously whisking together the egg yolk, lemon juice, salt and Dijon mustard until pale and creamy then slowly add the oil while continuing to whisk. When the mixture is starting to thicken and emulsify, proceed with the rest of the recipe directions.
Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate. Nutrition facts for this recipe include the entire recipe yield of 1 cup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cupCalories: 1349kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 24gFat: 137gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 34gMonounsaturated Fat: 81gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 233mgSodium: 2243mgPotassium: 221mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 689IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 682mgIron: 2mg
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