Original Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
The original Caesar salad dressing recipe — no mayonnaise, just egg yolk, anchovy, garlic, and Parmesan whisked into a creamy, break-proof emulsion.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 210kcal
Ingredients
For the Caesar Dressing:
- 2 large egg yolks (or 1 whole pasteurized egg)
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 3 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, finely grated
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
For the Salad:
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn
- 1 cup croutons
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, shaved, for topping
Instructions
- Mash the anchovy fillets and garlic together into a rough paste using the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, anchovy-garlic paste, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and pale.
- Combine the olive oil and neutral oil in a measuring cup. Whisking the yolk mixture constantly, add the oil in a very thin, slow stream, widening only once the dressing begins to thicken.
- Whisk in the grated Parmesan. Taste and season with black pepper and salt as needed. Thin with 1–2 teaspoons of warm water if it feels too thick.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine, then tear into bite-sized pieces. Toast croutons until deeply golden if making them fresh.
- Toss the romaine with two-thirds of the dressing, adding more to taste. Top with croutons, shaved Parmesan, and extra black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This dressing contains raw egg yolk. Use pasteurized eggs if serving anyone pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised.
- The dressing keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days but will thicken as it chills — thin with a little water or lemon juice before serving.
- Dress the romaine just before serving. Dressed lettuce turns soggy within about 30 minutes.