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There’s Caesar Salad, and Then There’s This Caesar Salad

white plate with The Best Caesar Salad Recipe on it
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There are recipes that you make once and move on from… and then there are recipes that become part of your personal legend (or simply your weekly recipe roster! This is the Best Caesar Salad Recipe. We think so anyway!

At The Culinary Studio, we’ve made this dressing many, many times. For family meals. For cooking classes. For paninis. For special occasions. For meal prep Monday as we like to have it in the fridge.  It’s creamy, tangy, punchy in all the right ways, and it’s so much more than just a salad.

We’ve taught this in our Family Favourite Cooking Class (yes, it goes great with Chicken Parm Paninis), and the emails we get after? Full of CAPS LOCK, multiple exclamation points, and lots of “I can’t believe I made this at home!”

Let’s get into the delicious details of The Best Caesar Salad Recipe, but first, a little fun history.

A Little Caesar Salad History

Despite the name, Caesar Salad isn’t Roman royalty. It’s culinary royalty, yes, but the Caesar Salad was actually born in Tijuana, Mexico, of all places.

The story goes like this: it was the Fourth of July weekend, 1924. Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini was short on supplies at his restaurant and whipped together a salad with what he had on hand—romaine, garlic, lemon juice, eggs, Parmesan, olive oil, and croutons. Voilà. A legend was born. We’ve also heard it was a spicy salad created for men (!).

Originally tossed right at the table, Caesar’s salad became an instant classic, spreading across North America and evolving along the way. Anchovies were added by some. Egg yolks swapped for mayo. Dijon, capers, even Worcestershire sauce made their way into modern versions.

We both remember getting our first massive ‘wooden salad bowl’ for Caesar salads. It was a staple wedding gift lol!

And while we respect the OG, we think we’ve built the best Caesar Salad recipe ever. Here’s why.

The Best Caesar Salad Dressing (Chef-Developed and Family-Tested)

This version makes a generous jar and keeps beautifully in the fridge for days. That means Caesar salads all week, and bonus drizzling opportunities on paninis, wraps, and roasted veggies.

How to Build the Ultimate Caesar Salad

Sure, the dressing is the star—but let’s not overlook the supporting cast. Here’s how we build a next-level Caesar Salad:

The Lettuce

Use crisp romaine hearts—washed, dried, and torn into large, satisfying pieces. You want that crunch!  When chopping the lettuce we tend to keep the little hearts into whole pieces, which looks nice. 

The Croutons

Homemade > store-bought. Always. Tear some bread (day-old baguette works great), toss in olive oil, salt, and bake at 375°F until golden and crunchy. Or for a real treat, slowly crisp up cubed bread in garlic BUTTER on the stovetop over low heat.

The Extras

Want to take it over the top? Add grilled chicken, bacon, or even a jammy egg.

Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Juice of 1 large lemon
  • 1 tbsp. capers
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (Grana Padano is great)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup mayonnaise

Instructions

    1. In a blender, combine garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, capers, Dijon, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
    2. Blend until smooth (or leave a little texture if you like it rustic)
    3. Slowly drizzle in olive oil
    4. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in mayonnaise (by not blending the mayonnaise, the dressing stays thicker).
    5. Taste and adjust seasoning.

  1. That’s it! Rich, punchy, creamy perfection.

Notes

Why This Caesar Salad Dressing Works

We’ve tested dozens of variations over the years. What sets this version apart:

    • Mayonnaise instead of raw egg: Food safe, ultra-creamy, and fridge-stable.

    • Capers over anchovies: Briny, bright, and beautifully balanced.

    • Red wine vinegar + lemon: You get acidity with layers.

    • Parmesan inside the dressing: More depth, more umami.

    • It holds: This dressing is just as good on day four. Seriously.

This isn’t just salad. It’s a sauce you’ll want to use on everything.

Substitutions & Add-Ons

Need to tweak it? Here’s how:

    • No capers? Use a splash of Worcestershire or a tiny bit of anchovy paste.

    • Dairy-free? Swap parmesan for nutritional yeast.

    • No blender? Finely mince the garlic and capers, and whisk everything by hand.

    • Lighten it up? Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo (but keep in mind: the flavour will change slightly).

    • Vegetarian Add-On Ideas:

    • If you want to bulk up your Caesar Salad and keep it vegetarian, here are some delicious topping options:

    • Crispy chickpeas (Check out our perfected recipe HERE!)

    • Grilled halloumi or paneer

    • Roasted mushrooms (shiitake or portobello for that meaty texture)

    • Soft-boiled or jammy eggs

    • Toasted sunflower seeds or pine nuts for crunch

What to Know / Avoid in This Recipe

    • Don’t skip the acid. The lemon + vinegar combo is what makes this dressing sing.

    • Use fresh parmesan. We like Grana Padano Parmesan Cheese. Grana Padano is from northern Italy, but the production area is broader and the rules slightly less strict—still traditional, just with a bit more flexibility (read: less expensive than Reggiano). It’s a little milder & creamier too. Pre-grated will not give you the same umami hit.

    • Blend before mayo. The texture depends on proper emulsification—do it right!

    • Avoid overdressing. Start light, toss, and add more as needed.

Storage Recommendations

This Caesar Salad Dressing keeps like a dream:

    • Fridge life: Up to 5 days in a sealed jar.

    • Best texture: Let it come to room temp for 5 minutes before serving.

    • Use it on: Grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, turkey wraps, and paninis.

FAQ

Can I make this Caesar Salad dressing without a blender?
Yes! Just finely mince your garlic and capers, then whisk everything together. The texture won’t be as silky, but it’ll still taste amazing.

Can I use anchovies instead of capers?
Of course. One to two anchovy fillets or ½ tsp anchovy paste works well. We just love the bright flavour of capers here.

Is this dressing gluten-free?
Yes—the dressing is gluten-free. Just make sure any add-ons (like croutons) are too!

Can I use light mayo?
Sure, but the texture will be thinner. Taste and adjust as needed.

Take Your Cooking to the Next Level!

Cook along with our Family-Friendly Chicken Parmesan Panini Cooking Class! Learn the Caesar Dressing & more!

Click HERE for the class info!

Find it online: https://blog.theculinarystudio.ca/recipes/the-best-caesar-salad-recipe/