Here's the best Caesar salad recipe I have ever tasted! A wonderful, rich, anchovy dressing makes this salad a meal. Serve with crusty Italian bread.
Whether it's at home or in restaurants, my husband and I are always spoiled by good, fresh, from scratch Caesar dressing. This recipe sounded too good to be true, so curiosity got the better of me and I dared to try it. I scaled this down to 2 servings and, so as not to waste the better part of a can of anchovies, used a little dab of anchovy paste instead. Outside of the dressing being a little thicker than I liked, which I simply thinned with a little half and half, it was just wonderfully creamy, flavorful and a fine substitute for the "real" thing. So glad I came across this recipe!
Read More Whether it's at home or in restaurants, my husband and I are always spoiled by good, fresh, from scratch Caesar dressing. This recipe sounded too good to be true, so curiosity got the better of me and I dared to try it. I scaled this down to 2 servings and, so as not to waste the better part of a can of anchovies, used a little dab of anchovy paste instead. Outside of the dressing being a little thicker than I liked, which I simply thinned with a little half and half, it was just wonderfully creamy, flavorful and a fine substitute for the "real" thing. So glad I came across this recipe!
This was very good! I took the suggestion of another reviewer and put everything in a blender after chopping the garlic and anchovies. I've made it a second (and now a third) time and a small food processor actually works better than the blender. The ingredients were a little thick and wouldn't blend, so I added a very little bit of milk on the suggestion of another reviewer and a little bit of red wine vinegar. Additionally, I added a couple drops of tabasco. After that, everything blended perfectly. I also used some grated parmesan in the dressing and then added some shredded parmesan after I mixed it with the lettuce. Finally, I also added some extra lemon juice at the end- over the top of the salad. I found that the dressing is better after it sits for a while (!!!) so the flavors can meld (before you add the lettuce), as is usually the case with homemade salad dressings. This was fairly garlicky, but I love garlic and usually add extra to recipes - I didn't add any extra garlic and I really liked this- perfect for me, but would be okay with more garlic as well. Finally, I definitely would keep in the anchovies- If you chop them fine (and I even chopped them before I put them in the blender) you don't even know they're there, it's not fishy, but it does add to the caesar dressing. Also, I found that all of the oil was needed in the blender for it to blend, but in the future, I will add the other ingredients (milk, red wine vinegar) to get it to blend and then slowly dri
Sound the trumpets! Call off the dogs! The search for the ultimate creamy Caesar dressing is over. This is IT. We love this so much, I always make extra to serve on the side for bread dipping. Like many others, I sub anchovy paste for the anchovies (1/2 teaspoon paste per anchovy) and use parmigiano reggiano with a VERY heavy hand. The croutons are the best I've ever tasted, but this salad can stand on its own without them if you're pressed for time. A sliced roma tomato fanned on the edge of each plate is our favorite addition for both color and taste, but this is such an amazingly good recipe that the possibilities are endless. Grilled shrimp? Crab? Avocado? Karen Weir, you are a certified Caesar genius. Thank you!
I order Caesar salad every time I go out to eat. The dressing rivals anything I've had in a restaurant. I bake the croutons instead of frying them. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Spray evenly with olive oil-based cooking spray and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven, turning often, until dry, crisp and golden (about 15-20 minutes). These are nice and crunchy and low in fat.
OK, here's the deal: Against every fiber of my being as a Caesar Salad purist (NO MAYO!) I will give this recipe 5 stars IF all you ANCHOVY HATERS will go directly to your pantry and REMOVE the Worchestershire Sauce. If you wish, you may read the list of ingredients (ANCHOVIES!!) before you toss it in the garbage. If you buy bottled Caesar dressing, read the ingredients CAREFULLY because all that I looked at had anchovies! All kidding aside, this non-traditional Caesar recipe is excellent. The only reason THIS purist is forced to try a mayo version is that my body has played an evil trick on me and messed up my immune system, so my hematologist "prefers" that I skip raw eggs. I made THIS recipe exactly as written (only fair to the submitter if you are going write a review, but don't get me started!) and I REALLY liked it. Actually, I couldn't bring myself to throw away that browned garlic from the croutons, so I added it, chopped, to the salad. I used a sourdough boule from the day-old rack for the croutons and they were great! I highly recommend this recipe for those who are sqeamish about raw eggs... but as for the anchovies? Aw, c'mon... get over yourself and put them in there! If you don't want to deal with the fillets (which are best, especially in jars packed in oil rather than tins) then just buy a tube of anchovy paste. It won't taste "fishy"... just a warm saltiness that is quite pleasant! Thanks, Karen, for a great recipe that I can "live with"!
I am just about the pickiest when it comes to Caesar dressing and I love this one! This dressing makes you drool and crave a Caesar salad. It's just the perfect balance of all the ingredients. Oh...and the homemade garlic croutons are amazing. I followed the advice of another reviewer and tossed all the ingredients in the food processor and voila...no fuss, no muss. I used the shredded Parmesan instead of grated and extra virgin olive oil when making the croutons. Also, rather than cutting the garlic into quarters...I just took the flat part of my knife and smashed the garlic once. Make sure you don't let the garlic burn when infusing the oil, otherwise if you do, it's worth tossing it and starting over. The smashed garlic should be stirred around in the oil and golden brown before removing it for the fullest flavor. Try this recipe, guys...you won't regret it! I'm never buying Caesar dressing in a bottle ever again. Thanks, Karen, for submitting it!!
For the past couple of months, I have been trying to incorporate more salads into our dinner rotation. Hubby and I are both fond of Caesar salads and so I chose this salad as tonight’s dinner entrée. To make this a more “stick to your ribs” dinner, I tossed in some cut up chicken tenders that I pan fried in Old Bay. I put my romaine in a large plastic bowl and mixed in the dressing until all the leaves were coated. I only used 3 anchovies because I wasn’t sure how strong they would taste. And I did rinse them off to do away with any “fishy” taste. Instead of preparing the croutons as this recipe instructed, I used the Garlic Crouton recipe on this site instead. It was terrific. I definitely recommend this salad to those Caesar lovers out there. Thank you so much for sharing this one Karen!!
Thanks for the great recipe...I really don't think I will buy ceasar dressing anymore when its this easy (and delicious) to make at home! My only modification was in preparing the croutons since I already have a method I like. I pour the olive oil into a big zip lock bag, then add which ever herbs and spices I'm in the mood for (usually minced garlic or garlic salt, a pinch of crushed rosemary, and/or an Italian herb blend), then add the bread cubes, close the bag and shake it up. That way all the bread gets coated well. Then I stick them in the oven at 325 until they are golden.
Good Caesar recipe if you don't have time to make the dressing from scratch like the traditional Caesar Dressing is made. Add some grilled chicken to make this a dinner.
I have been using this salad dressing for over a year. It is absolutely the best tasting Caesar Salad Dressing PERIOD. I have read a few reviews that did not use "Real Mayo" or did not use anchovy.Was looking for a lowfat way to make it and rated it low. If you are not going to follow the recipe do not rate it. I myself do not care for anchovy and I did not tell my wife I used it or she would not have tasted it. She loves it and everyone that tastes it HAS TO HAVE THE RECIPE. Follow the directions and it is fabulous. That being said I did up the mayo to 1 cup and added 6 tablespoons of olive oil to the dressing so it is less thick. I followed the recipe the first couple of times and then modified it a pinch. This is one of the best recipes on this site. Thanks Karen. I also forgot to add. I put the anchovy,garlic,olive oil and parmesan cheese in a food processor and almost puree it. I think this really helps with those not liking anchovy.
this is a fantastic recipe. I love caesar salad and have tried it about every state. I can say this is about the best I have ever tasted. The sauce is absolutely great. I did not use anchovies but added grilled chicken. If you want to make a hit then you have got to make it----thanks karen
I make this often, and am at a loss as to why I have never rated it. I don't like anchovies, my husband doesn't like anchovies, and the FC (finicky child) surely doesn't like anchovies. This dressing, made as directed, is fabulous. And guess what, the anchovies add a depth of flavor that is amazing, without tasting like anchovies!! I gave this recipe to a friend who made it and said it didn't taste like mine. Well, of course it didn't, she left out the tiny fishies. I don't add any additional salt and I rinse those little devils because they are so salty. This is the best Caesar dressing recipe I have ever found.
!WoW! I am a BIG salad dressing person and I LOVE Caesar and this was the REAL DEAL HOLYFIELD!!! I followed this recipe EXACT except that I didn't add extra salt and the taste/texture were perfect. For those complaining about it being too thick, I wonder if they used REAL anchovy fillets. The reason being is that they're mostly sold in tins preserved in oil and when blended with the rest of the ingredients it thins out the mayo mixture. Into a PERFECT creamy dressing consistency. I would advise those who used anchovy paste to use a bit of olive oil instead of milk for a similar effect. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this gem of a recipe!!!
For years I've made authentic Caesar salad, which includes a raw egg yolk in the dressing. A recent bout of salmonella (not to mention fear of Avian flu since I live in Asia at the moment) convinced me that it was time to find a new recipe. Unfortunately, neither my husband nor I were keen on this one. The flavor was good, if perhaps a bit too garlic-y, but the consistency of the dressing was too thick. It was almost like tossing the romaine lettuce with straight mayonaise. I think I'll revisit my old recipe (which has an oil base) and try substituting 1 T of mayo for the egg yolk. Obviously I'm in the minority here--this recipe got rave reviews--but heads up to anyone seeking a more traditional Caesar salad dressing, this is not it.
UPDATE: I prepared the full recipe to be served with Christmas Eve dinner.I think the recipe, as is, yields WAY TOO MUCH dressing!!!! Add a little at a time, toss with the lettuce and adjust according to your tastes. You don't want soggy salad (yuck!). OMG!!! What an AWESOME recipe (and I mean AWESOME)!!! Deserving of 10 stars! I made this salad to complement the steaks with thyme pan sauce that my bf and I prepared on New Year's Eve. I halved the recipe, using only 2 anchovy filets (the dressing had just the right amount of anchovy flavor - 3 filets would have been too much). I added an equal amount of store-bought Caesar croutons to speed things up a bit, rather than making my own. I sprinkled the salad with a couple tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese (the fancy shredded kind), but used the grated kind (from the can) in the dressing itself. I liked this recipe so much, I made it for dinner one night, adding cut up pieces of cooked frozen chicken nuggets to make it more filling. You could also add grilled chicken (i.e. Louis Rich grilled chicken strips) or fried / grilled shrimp (i.e. package purchased from the frozen section of your supermarket - garlic herb flavor, etc.). A very impressive and insanely easy recipe. Thanks SO much for sharing!
Great recipe. I too found it a little thick but just added a little more olive oil to thin it down a bit. Also, I substituted anchovy paste which is just as good. Will make again for sure! Thanks.
Wow! This salad dressing is great. So easy to make and one of the best caesar dressings I've ever tasted. I didnt change a thing except I used 2 tsp. of anchovy paste instead of the fillets. It does not need anything to thin it, the consistency was perfect. I will honestly never use botttled caesar dressing again. It had just the right amount of "kick", and the greatest part... I knew exactly what I was eating. Thank you for this great recipe!!
OMG! Thank you Thank you Thank you! Best Caesar Dressing I have had in Years! We used to get a Great Caesar Salad with the best dressing in Houston several years ago. the restaurant has since closed up but have been looking since then to find a good Caesar dressing. This one is Fabulous! Very simple and most of the ingredients I had on hand. I did use anchovy paste in place of fillets. other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Wonderful! I put it all in my mini prep and let it puree, still had little chunks of garlic which was a nice surprise in the salad. But This is now the only Caesar dressing I will eat! No more chemicle dressing for me!! Thank you again. I also made the croutons. I didn't use any special bread just what I had on hand, as another reviewer stated he had sprayed them with cooking spray and baked them. I have an olive oil sprayer, so I layed them out on a baking sheet in a single layer; sprayed them with the olive oil and sprinkled them pretty agressively with garlic powder baked them on 350 for 8 minutes, stirred them and then back into the oven for another 7 minutes until the were golden. My husband won't eat croutons says they are too hard. these he ate and liked. They are easy enough to make and I can store the extras for the next days lunch salads. I would urge anyone looking for a good (GREAT) Caesar dressing to try this one. You will not be dissapointed!
Mmm, good! I made this the first time with anchovy paste and subbed more than half of the mayo with buttermilk (I'm not a fan of mayo) and it was so good I was practically licking my blender. The second time I made this with anchovies, four fillets and I thought it was a little too fishy, I had to add extra lemon juice and a dash of red wine vinegar. UPDATE: I've made this dressing so many times, I've lost count. I've taken it to parties and served it to kids, okay, just three of the six ate it, but two of the three naysayers live on chicken fingers, mac n'cheese and ketchup, so, I don't think anything would have been approved by them. Anyways, I leave out the parmesan because I always have too much dressing and it keeps well in the fridge if I leave the parmesan out and just add cheese to the salad after tossing. Thank you for a perfect recipe!!!!
My boyfriend really, really enjoyed this recipe! I thought it tasted wonderful too... but his vote counts more than mine =) I skipped the anchovies and meant to add anchovy paste but forgot... will add next time to give it a more "authentic" caesar flavor... but overall it was a wonderful recipe! Quick and easy!
This is tasty, but the "thickness" problem really has a lot to do with the significant amount of mayonnaise in the recipe (it also makes it a lot "fattier"). You can cut the mayonnaise in half and reduce the thickness problem. 3/4 cup mayonnaise with 1/4 cup olive oil is a whole lot of fat. I add balsamic vinegar to taste as well. With those modifications you shouldn't have to add much water, if any, to thin it.
The best!!! Teenage son had three helpings and was ticked off there wasn't any more. I did add an extra clove of garlic, and a tablespoon of milk, as it was a little thick. Thank You.
Wow! This was the biggest hit at my holiday open house....I doubled the recipe and not one bite was left! My guests were raving about it and begging for the recipe. I used Pepperidge Farm white bread for the croutons. This bread is very dense and makes a wonderful crouton. I also substituted shredded parmesan cheese for grated when tossing the salad....(I used grated in the dressing.) I am planning to make this again on Christmas day!!
I made this exactly by the recipe. It seemed like it needed something else. So I ended up adding an entire (2 oz) can of anchovies, juice of 1 lemon, and upped the mustard and Worcestershire. I used 1 cup of mayo. With these adjustments, it tasted wonderful. I then added extra virgin olive oil until it reached my preferred consistancy. Fabulous! I think you just have to adjust it to your own taste. This is a fantastic recipe. If you have time, let it sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving. I think if you cut back on the oil, it would be a wonderful aioli to use on sandwiches--grilled chicken with romaine on brioche--mmmmm!
I was a little nervous about making this recipe, as although there were many great reviews, there were some that said it was too thick or too fishy or garlicky or mayonaisey...but I made it to go with our Christmas Dinner and it was just wonderful!! Not too thick...a perfect creamy caesar. I did only put in half the anchovies, and used pre-made croutons, but it still tasted perfect and everyone kept raving about it!! Just a note...I doubled the recipe because I didn't think it was enough for the amount of lettuce in the recipe. Give it a try..you won't be dissapointed.
Made this as directed, minus the extra salt, because anchovies give you enough. Everyone in the family raved about it and used it as a dipping sauce the next night with vegetables. The next time I make it (and there will be a next time!) I will thin it a little more with olive oil/lemon juice, because this was too clumpy as-is.
I am a caesar salad snob and won't eat anything out of the bottle. This recipe is one of the best ones out there. I've had to give this recipe out several times. I'm not a big anchovy fan, so I actually use anchovy paste, and only a teaspoon or two of it. I think it's the right amount.
Wonderful base recipe. I didn't have any Worcestershire sauce, and I didn't make the croutons because I have a gluten intolerance and I don't think they're necessary. I also haven't been frying up the additional garlic. I've been eating Caesar salads for four days in a row using this recipe as my base. Thank you!
This is a phenomenal salad and dressing. I finally got to use our wooden salad bowl we got as a wedding gift! My Suggestions…use premium parmesan cheese that you grated yourself. You’d be surprised at what a difference this really makes. I also prefer to use homemade mayonnaise…it’s easy to make if you have a good food processor or blender and it really makes for a GREAT dressing. Be sure to wash your lettuce completely first and pat dry (or let dry completely) then tear the lettuce to the preferred size. Don’t cut using a steel knife…if you have a lettuce porcelain knife then you can use it but tearing the lettuce really gives the salad some character and the lettuce lasts longer when torn…its proven! Ha! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful tasting ceasar salad! The Worcestershire sauce taste was a little too strong for me, so I would use 1/2 tsp instead of the full tsp. I also may cut down on the garlic a bit, unless you like it SUPER garlicy! But a very good recipe none the less! I did make my own croutons as well, which turned out perfectly! What I like to do though, is use sourdough bread instead of just regular bread. It adds a bit extra taste, and turns out wonderful! This salad was a huge hit at a recent pot luck dinner I went to!
All I can say is this is good and I will always come to this recipe when I'm making caesar salad. YUM
This dressing was very tasty. The dressing was a bit thick, so I added a little olive oil to thin it.
Not your classic Caesar salad, but delicious nonetheless. I didn't have anchovy, so I used kalamata olives. The croutons are a delight! This one's a keeper. Just writing about it is making me hungry.
My husband did not think he liked Caesar Salad until I prepared this one. He has already requested it again. I did not think you could make an authentic Caesar without the coddled egg. This is so easy and delicious. I decreased the garlic to 2 cloves, as one reviewer suggested. I used Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise to lower the fat content and grilled, sliced chicken breast plus more grated Parmesan to the finished salad. Thanks so much for such a delicious recipe.
I've always said "I don't do home made caesar salad dressing." Now I do. this is soo good! The only thing I do differently is I don't use anchovies (can't stand the stuff), so I add a little bit more salt. It's a family favourite and I now make it regularly for my grilled chicken caesar salad. Yum! Even better...I use low fat mayo...so it's almost guilt free. :o)
Not that this recipe needs another rave review, but WOW - delicious! I am always ordering Caesar salads in restaurants, but have never attempted to make my own dressing at home - until now. What I like about making this myself is that I can control how "fishy" the dressing tastes, unlike when I'm at a restaurant (I've had some pretty bad salads because of that). I followed the recipe exactly, except that I didn't have anchovy fillets, but I did have paste - I just used a dab of it. And thanks to the reviewer who suggested thinning it out with some half & half (I used whole milk)... it was PERFECTION! I had no idea Caesar dressing was THIS easy... I'm anxious to try a Caesar chicken wrap now - I may never need to eat out again!!
Real caesar is always the best, but this is a close second. If you can't stand the stuff from the grocery store, but don't want to coddle an egg (like me) this is your best bet. It does taste of mayo, but it doesn't over power the other flavors, so I think it works. Also, doing the croutons seemed like it would be easier than in the over, but its just not. Toss them in the garlic oil mixture then toast them in the over. You'll get more evenly cooked croutons that are perfectly crunchy and will last for days.
overwhelmingly salty and so much garlic that I could not taste the anchovies. I followed the recipe exactly.
This was just amazing!!!! It was very thick and I added quite a bit of red wine vinegar to make it runny enough to pour out of the jar. The longer you chill it the thicker it gets. If you add some drops of red wine vinegar it becomes workable again. Do NOT put any salt!!! I am a salt freak (love it!!!) and the anchovy paste (in my case 1 to 2 teaspoons)made it salty enough!!!! I did put a LOT of pepper. This is wonderful. Everyone that tasted it just loved it. Thank you!
Wonderful. The dressing was a little too salty, but I decided to increase the lemon juice and the mayo. Got a lot of compliments. Thanks
Very good recipe. I am looking for an old recipe I used to use, but can't remember all of it. I know it had egg in it, but this was close. The only thing I did different was added 3-4 more cloves of garlic.
This is the most amazing salad I have ever had! I added a little grilled chicken and did not use the homemade croutons, but it was still delicous! The dressing is what makes this salad special and it is very quick and easy to make. YUMM! *Watch out if you refridgerate the dressing overnight, because it becomes VERY strong*
took it to my cooking club night and everyone went NUTS over this recipe! Used Anchovy paste but next time I will use anchovie because I like more of the strong taste of the anchovies. Still people were going crazy over it. Will make it again.
What a fabulous Caesar recipe! I didn't have filets, so I used Anchovy paste (about 4 inches) and it was perfectly balanced. I also probably put a tsp PLUS about another half tsp of dijon in the dressing. I also used ALOT of finely grated Parmesan Reggiano - as we are nuts for the flavor in the salad. We didn't even use all the salad dressing for one large head of romaine and it probably would have handled two heads with just the right amount of dressing. Served with wild Alaska salmon and garlic bread. It was a fantastic dinner and the Caesar was all the raves. Brilliant recipe - probably the best caesar salad I've ever had anywhere ... and I've had my share! We think it would be great topped with sauteed seafood (lobster, prawns, scallops) or blackened salmon... chicken too. Will definitely keep this recipe and treasure forever!
This was fantastic! I made some changes, though: I added 6 grilled chicken tenders, 1/4 lb of chopped turkey bacon, to the dressing I added 1 1/2 tsp of cajun seasoning and I cut the mayo down to 1/2 c and added about 1/8 c of milk. I mixed the dressing in the blender to smooth out the consistency and chop up the anchovies further. I used store-bought croutons. I will definitely be making this again, it is restaurant quality.
Wow! The dressing is very garlicky -- and this is coming from a garlic lover. I used only 2 large cloves in the dressing, but the garlic flavor was still overpowering. Aside from that and the thickness, it's a nice dressing. Instead of frying my croutons, I tossed them in a little olive oil, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parmesan, then baked until crunchy (if they start getting too brown, turn off oven and let the heat finish drying them out). I also used multi-grain bread for the croutons. Every healthy tweak helps!
I absolutely love this recipe. Very tasty. The only thing I changed was the amount of anchoives. I used half the amount called for in the recipe.
Not only is this incredibly easy when you toss everything into a mini food processer...it's got no raw egg and tastes AMAZING. I'm incredibly selective when it comes to Ceasar (only enjoy it when ordered at a specific italian restaurant in South Florida) and this dressing is almost identical. I followed the recipe exactly; with the exception of using FRESHLY shredded parmesan cheese over the top before mixing and serving. I didn't do the croutons right though and they came out very plain - not sure what went wrong. Will try them again and the dressing is an instant staple in my recipe book! This recipe made enough for me to nicely coat 2 chopped hearts of romaine with HALF of the dressing left over! Woohoo!
followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious, I used the magic bullet to blend ingredients.
Oh my goodness gracious. This was so easy and delicious! I will never buy bottled dressing again. It is a little thick, and I'm not sure how you would thin it out, but we adapt by using smaller portions. Definitely a keeper.
Since this was so highly rated, I expected alot. It tastes good but you can't eat but a tiny bowl - the taste is too overpowering - too creamy, RICH and garlicky and I made it with lite mayo. If you like creamy, cheesy, rich dishes then you will like this. Otherwise, stick to more of a traditonal caesar recipe. Tried it with regular mayo too, and it's way too rich. I will probably only make it on occasion for a potluck. It will not be regular for me.
I've been looking forever for a good casear dressing recipe and this is it! I made this for Chrismas day and will be making again. The only suggestion I have is it made a lot of dressing for 6 serving. We like our caesars a little on the drier side so for us it made almost 12 serving. (we dressed the salad to our liking and had about 1/2 of it left).
I'm like Goldilocks with Caesar Salad dressings. Most are too creamy, too lemony, too wrong. This one is Baby Bear, just right. UPDATE - I've been making this dressing for about 6 months now, and it continues to be be my favorite Caesar dressing. I make it as written with the addition of 1 tablespoon water to help thin it. Otherwise it thickens too much after chilling. It still draws rave reviews. We like it so much that I always double the recipe. It lasts for about 3 weeks well chilled.
Hi there, I have not written a review on this site yet - but after making this dressing I had to. I followed some other readers suggestions and exactly doubled the recipe - but added 3 tbsp of red wine vinegar and an extra tbsp of lemon juice cause i like it tangy. this is awesome dressing - sitting in my fridge right now and hopefully it won't get eaten by me before lunch tomorrow. thanks for a great recipe.
Did not care for this at all.
I was complimented on this at our dinner. I used the food processor to whip it up fast. I will say, BE SURE to let it sit for a while because its flavor improved much with sitting.
I've lost count how many times I have given this recipe out. It is a family favorite, and I make it for guest all summer long and ALWAYS get asked for the recipe. I assemble the lettuce and cheese ahead of time (hold the croutons until ready ready to serve) then grill chicken to top the salad making a grilled chicken Caesar salad. I do make a few adjustments. I find the dressing too thick when made as is, so I add a couple or more Tablespoons of olive oil as I am blending it up in the blender. I also do the croutons as written, but after they are browned I pour them out into a baking sheet, sprinkle with fresh parmasan cheese and Italian herbs, and pop in the oven for about 8 minutes. Other than that I don't change a thing. This recipe is absolutely delicious and my family never tires of it and ask for it by name often.
Very yummy and it only took me a few minutes to make. I put it in the freezer while I cooked the chicken and put the lettuce in the bowl just to make it a bit cooler and yummy I would absolutely make this again
I used anchovy paste and I really loved this recipe and will definitely make again!
This dressing is spot-on! Exactly what I was looking for! Didn't bother with the whole crouton thing, as I was looking for a quick dinner-but next time I'll fix the entire thing. In the meantime...looks like my lunches this week will be extra-savory!
This is absolutely the best recipe for Caesar salad dressing I have ever tasted! I fooled a chef - her exact words were, "Mmmmmm, now THAT'S real Caesar dressing!" I used 2 tsp. anchovy paste instead of fillets, and purchased top shelf yet premade croutons. Thanks so much for the recipe, Karen!
Fabulous. I tried it with and w/o the fish... didn't really have a preference, both are d-lish. Used Miricle whip instead of mayo and nixed the cheese (I know - shock!) and I used soy sauce instead of worcestershire. Love it.
Wonderful dressing. A++ I made this for a dinner party I had recently. I knew there would be a few pregnant women attending and they might have had concerns with raw egg in the dressing, so I used this recipe because it called for mayonnaise. It was wonderful and so easy to make. I'm so glad I made extra because I ate it for 2 days after and it was still good. I added just a smidge less anchovy because I didn't want to overpower some of the queasy guests, but next time I'll add at least what the recipe calls for. Overall, excellent recipe for company or anytime!
THIS WAS THE BEST CASEAR SALAD I HAVE EVER MADE...I ADDED A LITTLE MORE GARLIC, AND WAS ABLE TO RESERVE A LITTLE DRESSING. THE CROUTONS MELT IN YOUR MOUTH. YOU WON'T RESIST POPPING A FEW!
fish taste came out from the anchovy. Otherwise great. Doesn't need salt. Fish salts it.
GREAT!!! Thanks for helping me satisfy my caesar salad craving! I made this without the anchovy and it was fantastic. Thanks!
I made this last night and it was great! I used the anchovy paste, as others suggested, and also used pre-minced garlic from a jar, and mixed it all together in the blender. The only changes I would make- add more garlic and lemon juice. Maybe a tad bit more dijon. It had more of a mayo taste to it than I wanted. I think the combo of garlic and lemon is the key. Great recipe!
This is the best creamy caesar salad recipe! I use anchovy paste in place of the anchovies and reduce the garlic to 1 clove in the dressing. I also use already prepared croutons when in a hurry and it is still delicious.
I followed the instructions exactly, but I thought it had too much of a Mayo taste. So I upped the lemon quite a bit. That helped, but I wasn't blown away by it.
Excellant dressing. I made this exactly as written except used anchovy paste and added chicken kabobs wonderful!
We don't do anchovies...however, we add boil eggs,olives,purple onions and carrots! we love it!
this is the best caesar salad ever!!! making it in a food processor quickens up the pace. i also enjoy making it with an extra clove of garlic, instead of the anchovies, like TMART68376 suggested. a member of my family absolutally hates salads, but requests this salad to be made often.
This was a good recipe although I didn't like the "mayonaise taste". I only started with 1/4 cup of mayo and added olive oil instead and could still taste the mayo. So, I added 2 more garlic cloves and a dash of tabasco and it was great!
Awesome dressing! I will never buy pre-made Caesar dressing again. Have also quit ordering Caesar salads out, since the dressing doesn't even compare to the full flavor of this at home. I increased the amount of garlic, dijon and lemon juice to give it more tang. Also used anchovy paste, as it is less messy than real anchovies. Dressing should be thick to coat all the greens and not leave a puddle in the bottom of the bowl. My husband and I love it. Thanks.
Great salad. Giving this 4 stars b/c, while it was good, it wasn't mind-blowing. I will definitely make it again, though. I also blended the ingredients in a blender. Worthwhile. We ate this with Mama's Best Broiled Tomato Sandwiches from this site. A GREAT combo! Thanks, Karen!
Oh wow...is this ever good! I made the dressing as instructed except I used Hellmans's low-fat mayo and about a TBS of olive oil to thin it a bit. I won't change a thing when I make it again. DH raved about it and he basically uses nothing but Italian dressing on all salads. I didn't make the croutons because I have a good fat-free brand and that helped offset the fat in the dressing. A local restaurant serves a Caesar salad topped with grilled chicken and served on a layer of ziti which has been lightly tossed with dressing. This is the perfect dressing to duplicate it at home. Follow-up note: Today I made the Chicken Caesar Pasta salad and it was a good as the restaurant's. Thanks for a winning recipe.
Fantastic recipe! Everyone raved about it! As a side note, though, and this may be a no-brainer to most, but it wasn't for me, and the story gets me laughed at by friends now. Maybe the tip will help you, before you start! I assumed the anchovies would easily flake apart when I put them with the other dressing ingredients, but no such luck. I ended up having to pick them out - messy with all the mayonnaise gooped around them -- and tried to cut them up, but that didn't work either. I ended up using a blender with all dressing ingredients, and that worked like a champ. Next time, I will either use anchovy paste, or start out with the blender in the first place! =)
I have made this salad several times already. I like to dump all the ingredients into a cuisinart and add a dash of milk to thin it out. It turns out fabulous everytime! Very easy, and very tasty!
Finally, a Caesar salad made from scratch! This was absolutely delicious. For all those who skipped the anchovies...why?? Anchovies add flavour but it doesn't make the dressing taste fishy. Just watch the size of the garlic cloves you use, because mine were quite large, and the taste was very strong. You don't need to thin the dressing, just keep tossing until the lettuce is totally coated. Next time I would skip the croutons though. It was a little time consuming, and they were no better than store bought.
This was absolutely delicious! I added sliced seasoned grilled chicken to it and made a nice meal out of it. The only thing that I would change in this recipe is to only use 2 garlic cloves instead of 3 in the dressing. I love garlic, but found it a little too strong. Definitely a keeper!
I am giving the dressing only 5 stars, as I created my own Caesar salad. I made this tonight with grilled chicken and WOW! was it good! The only thing different I did was use anchovy paste instead of fillets and added some 1% milk after blending in my Kitchenaid, as the dressing was a little thick. I will be making this again, as I detest bottled salad dressing!
The only part of this recipe I use is the dressing recipe and it IS the BOMB! I am not a fan of anchovies so I omit the anchovies and it is just as good, or better than, any dressing in stores or restaurants. I do make one change. I am a bit lazy so I use garlic powder instead of cloves. I am sure there is no difference. I buy the Sargento 6 cheese Italian blend to put on top of the lettuce and some store-brand croutons. I also add hard-boiled eggs. I could eat this salad everyday and I do not think I would get tired of it.
Excellent dressing! Can hardly wait to try it with grilled chicken or shrimp...
Best Caesar Salad Recipe. Left out anchovies and added a par boiled egg. Don't skip making the croutons, it's the best part.
This is an awesome salad.It tastes just like the one at our favorite resturant.Instead of using whole anchovies I used anchovy paste to taste.Serve with some fresh grated parmesan on the side.Enjoy.....Yummy
Made this for dinner last night and it was soo good. My mouth was watering even after I got done eating it. I wasnt for sure what else to make to go along with this, so I decided to throw some chicken breasts on the grill. When they were done, I sliced them up into bite size pieces and added it to the salad...delicious. This is a forever keeper!!!!!!! THANKS KAREN!!!
Living in Germany, and ceaser salad is unheard of here. I made this for my neighbours and they loved it, tasted like authentic ceaser salad I got back home in Canada. I will keep this recipe and use it in Germany always.
This is a wonderful salad and dressing! My wife and I both loved this!
This is a great one, I guess, I never got to taste it because my guests ate all of it and raved!!! Everyone wanted the recipe, I doubled it and only used 5 anchovies though because I had a large group Thanx
This dressing is DELICIOUS! I only use 1 clove of garlic b/c I'm not a huge garlic fan. Also, I only use 2 or 3 anchovies so it's not quite as strong. Because of this recipe, Chicken Caesar Salad has become a regular dinner around our house. Also, I always use light Mayo and it's just great.
This dressing is the best! If you have ever been to a restaurant that prepares Caesar dressing table side, this will bring that experience to your kitchen. We do not like anchovies so we just leave them out. Those who say there is too much garlic may not be reading the recipe correctly. Half of the garlic is for the dressing, half for the oil to make the croutons.
I found the dressing to be really thick. I added olive oil but it just was too heavy and rich for my taste.I would scale back on the mayo. quite a bit.
