(more…)

Be sure to try my homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe next!

(more…)

Be sure to serve this with my Crispy Chicken Salad and try my honey mustard chicken next!

(more…)

Be sure to use this in my One Pot Chicken Caesar Pasta and my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipes!

Homemade Caesar Dressing

My favorite part about this Homemade Caesar Dressing recipe is that it has no mayo.

I’m always leery about ordering Caesar salads at a restaurant if I haven’t tried the dressing before. Sometimes I swear they give me a ramekin of straight mayo. Which is why I love making this recipe from scratch.

There are tons of ways to use Caesar Salad dressing too. Read on!

Ingredients

• High-quality Olive Oil- see below for my recommendations
• Romano Cheese- shredded from a block at home
• White Vinegar
• Egg Yolk
• Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Garlic- Fresh garlic, not the jarred stuff.
• 1 Anchovy Filet

Don’t be afraid of the anchovy filet. You can’t even tell it’s in there, except that really adds a nice depth of flavor.

What Do You Eat Caesar Dressing With?

Aside from putting Caesar Dressing on Salad, it also tastes great in:

• Chicken Caesar Pasta (a delicious one pot meal.)
• Cold Pasta Salads
• It makes a great chicken marinade
• Put it on a warm burger or on chicken wings before baking
• Use it as a binder for tuna or chicken salad instead of mayo

Check out a complete list of options from TheKitchn.

Best Olive Oil for Salad Dressing

-Make sure you use high quality extra virgin olive oil when making this recipe. You’ll have a high-quality salad dressing  that will remain in liquid form when refrigerated. (Cheap olive oil can actually solidify in the fridge.)

–Lucini olive oil is a high-quality brand that I like to use.

-For more information about picking the highest quality olive oil that you can, check these guys out.

Raw Egg Yolks in Salad Dressing

The USDA considers it safe to consume raw egg yolks from pasteurized eggs as there is a low risk of an egg being contaminated. Of course, the decision is always up to you.

This article contains more information about raw egg yolk consumption.

Storage

• Homemade Caesar Dressing should be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
• These mason jars make perfect storage containers. (This is the jar featured in these recipe images.)

Serve with Homemade Croutons

• Try my homemade crouton recipe with this delicious dressing for a real gourmet flair!

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

• Food Processor: If you don’t have a mini food processor, I really love this one.
• Box Cheese Grater: This box cheese grater is super sharp and has every size of grate that you need. Buying blocks of cheese and grating it at home will always yield a better result.
• Garlic Peeler: This garlic peeler will remove the super thin skin from a garlic clove in a second.

Try These Next

Get My Free Meal Plan

I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!

And follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Print

Homemade Caesar Dressing

Make restaurant-style Chicken Caesar Salad at home with this homemade dressing recipe! It comes together in 10 minutes and is great in pasta and marinade recipes too!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 14 tablespoons

Calories 83kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

• ½ cup high-quality olive oil see notes
• 1/3 cup Romano Cheese finely shredded
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 dash salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 1 whole anchovy filet, or 1/2 tsp anchovy paste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for the garlic cloves and anchovy filet. Whisk for a good 60 seconds, until well combined.
• Add the combined mixture to a food processor along with the garlic cloves and anchovy filet. Blend until completely smooth.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour prior to serving, it will thicken upon standing.
• Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week

Notes

You may consider using 1/4 cup regular olive oil with 1/4 cup light olive oil.

---

If the salad dressing is thicker than you’d prefer, add one teaspoon of water and stir well to combine. Repeat until you’ve attained your desired consistency. (Just tread lightly and add small amounts at a time.)

These mason jars make perfect storage containers for homemade dressing.

---

Nutritional information is per tablespoon, this recipe makes about 14 tablespoons.

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.02g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Be sure to try my Caesar, Greek, and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressings next!

(more…)

Love Olive Garden Copycat Recipes? Try my Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe next!

I definitely like Olive Garden’s salad more than anyone else on the planet. I really do. Although you can buy their salad dressing online or in stores,  it’s easy/inexpensive to make your own!

Be sure to pair your dressing with the classic salad ingredients that Olive Garden uses! ⬇️

Olive Garden Salad Ingredients

• Fresh Iceberg Lettuce
• Vine Ripened Tomatoes
• Large Black olives
• Red onions
• Pepperoncini’s– Jarred and are found in the same section as the pickles/olives
• Croutons-You can actually purchase Olive Garden’s Croutons, OR make my homemade crouton recipe!)
• Parmesan cheese

Pro Tips

• Be sure to use a high quality olive oil that is made for salads and marinades. It should indicate this right on the front label. I use Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (I prefer smooth over robust.)
• Using a mini food processor makes it much easier to emulsify this dressing, which thickens in a bit and ensures it doesn’t separate.
• If your dressing separates, simply shake it prior to serving.
• If your olive oil solidifies during storage: Let it sit at room temperature until it liquifies, then shake to combine and serve. It may also become cloudy but is still safe. This may or may not happen, it depends on the type of olive oil used.

Storing Leftover Salad

• Refrigerate prepared salad as soon as possible in an airtight container, free from as much moisture as possible.
• Refrigerated salad lasts anywhere from 1-3 days, it’s only as good until the least-fresh ingredient in the salad begins to go bad.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

• Mini Food Processor– My favorite tool to easily combine/emulsify salad dressing.
• Salad Dressing Shaker
• Salad Dressing Serving Container (Cruet)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Developed for dressings and marinades.

Get My Free Meal Plan

I’ve got a Free Meal Planwith 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!

And follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Print

Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing

This homemade copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing tastes just like the restaurant version. Learn how to make this salad at home for your family and friends!

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 22 tablespoons

Calories 68kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil high-quality olive oil yields much better results in this recipe
• .7 oz Zesty Italian Dressing Mix
• 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 Tablespoon Romano grated. (Optional.)
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons mayo not miracle whip
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, salt
• ¼ teaspoon EACH: pepper, garlic powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a mini food processor or a jar with a lid and blend/shake thoroughly until combined. Chill until ready to use.
• Be sure to shake before each use.

Video

Notes

Pro Tips

• Be sure to use a high quality olive oil that is made for salads and marinades. It should indicate this right on the front label. I use Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (I prefer smooth over robust.)
• Using a mini food processor makes it much easier to emulsify this dressing, which thickens in a bit and ensures it doesn't separate.
• If your dressing separates, simply shake it prior to serving.
• If your olive oil solidifies during storage: Let it sit at room temperature until it liquifies, then shake to combine and serve. It may also become cloudy but is still safe. This may or may not happen, it depends on the type of olive oil used.

---

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per tablespoon there are approximately 22 tablespoons in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.2g | Protein: 0.02g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg