If you enjoy a good Caesar Salad, this is for you! I have had the recipe for Princess Cruise Lines Caesar Dressing Recipe for decades and it's still my favorite salad dressing!
The original paper photo copy of this Caesar dressing recipe I had as a teen is laminated in a recipe photo album I made back in the early 90's, maybe even 1989. Guess that's considered a vintage recipe now!
My husband often refers to me as his "garlic girl" I have a serious thing for garlic (I will literally eat it raw by the clove dredged in salt, mmm!)
My love for garlic is probably why Caesar Dressing is my favorite salad dressing.
When it comes to Caesar Salad Dressing, there are two types. Traditional (which is rich and creamy yet looser) and creamy which is mayo based and thicker. This no mayo Caesar Dressing recipe is traditional.
I have been making this version of Caesar Salad Dressing no mayo as long as I can remember. The old laminated recipe says Princess Cruise Lines on it and is signed by a head waiter.
Serve your Caesar with blackened or grilled chicken or shrimp or blackened salmon and call it a meal. Yum! Here is my Blackened Salmon recipe , its so quick & easy!
Tip: For a pretty Caesar Salad presentation, melt some Parmesan cheese on parchment paper in the oven. Quickly place it over inverted bowl(s) to harden and make a cute edible crispy cheese bowl from it. It's lovely! Here is how to make Parmesan cheese bowls.
Also, feel free to use packaged grated Parmesan cheese or fresh shredded/grated. They both work in this recipe. Add as much additional cheese in or on the salad as you like.
Table of Contents
Ingredients Needed
- Anchovies (see notes)
- Fresh garlic
- Worcestershire sauce
- Eggs
- Dijon Mustard
- Red wine vinegar or fresh lemon
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Tabasco
- S&P
- Romaine Lettuce and whatever else you enjoy in your Caesar Salad
One of my favorite parts of a big Caesar Salad (besides the garlic) happens to be some shaved Parmesan....LOVE it! And you know I am popping chunks into my mouth and hopefully pouring a glass of wine to go with it. Seriously a good piece of Parmesan deserves a closed eyes moment, mmm!
Many Caesar Salad Dressing recipes call for using raw egg yolks (that's not for me), while others do not use any eggs. I feel the 2 ½ minute boiled egg is the best version, it gives the dressing a rich flavorful complexity.
If you want a Caesar Salad Dressing without anchovies that's up to you. Just leave them out and instead add a little extra salt or add in 1 TBS or so of capers.
Caesar Salad Variation's
- This vintage Princess Cruise Lines recipe used red wine vinegar. You can choose to use fresh lemon juice instead. Both work.
- I have seen so many variations of Caesar salad. I happen to like it with just torn Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, grape tomatoes, a few croutons and shaved or shredded Parmesan.
- You can always add in some chunks of egg, pieces of crumbled bacon, thin slices of pickled red onion (which give it an amazing zing) or whatever else you fancy.
- If you have never grilled Romaine spears for a Caesar salad, you are missing out!
- You can use some baby kale in this salad as well, half and half or all baby kale.
- Add on a piece of salmon, blackened or grilled chicken or shrimp, rotisserie chicken, slices of leftover steak, crispy chickpeas or whatever you may enjoy.
I hope you enjoy this Caesar Salad Dressing recipe. Don't be intimated by the 2 ½ minute egg step, its kind of fun to whack the top of an egg off with a butter knife to retrieve the yolk! See my video for it here.
XO Colleen
Salad Recipes you will love
Colleen Kennedy is the author of 3 cookbooks and has appeared on QVC and other shows inspiring home cooks of all levels. She has a popular TikTok channel @ColleensCooking with hundreds of short recipe videos. Colleen lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and kids, she started the food blog, Soufflé Bombay in 2009. Read more about her here.
Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 flat anchovies (see notes)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBS grainy Dijon Mustard I use Grey Poupon Country
- 2 oz red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 large eggs boiled for 2 ½ minutes exactly
- 8 oz light olive oil
- A few dashes of Tabasco
- Salt and pepper to taste more salt if you don't use the anchovies
- Head of Romaine Lettuce rinsed and spun or blotted dry
- Additional Salad items of your choice such as croutons, hard boiled egg halves, tomatoes, additional anchovies, crispy chickpeas, salmon, chicken, shrimp etc.
Instructions
- In your food processor bowl, add anchovies, garlic cloves, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and red wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) and cheese..
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and using a spoon, quickly lower eggs into the pot. Set timer for 2 ½ minutes (if extra large eggs set for 3 minutes).
- Once timer goes off, quickly and carefully pour out hot water and add cold water to halt cooking process. One by one hold an egg in your hand (use a folded paper towel to hold if hot to handle). Using a butter knife swip the top of the egg off/open. Discard top and with a spoon dip into it and remove the yolk. Add it to the food processor bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs. If a little egg white gets in that's just fine.
- Pules until creamy and fully combined, then while processor is running pour in your oil slowly.
- Add a couple shakes of Tabasco and some black pepper. Blitz and then taste and adjust.
- Depending on your preferred level of saltiness (and if you did or did not use anchovies), add in some salt if you wish. If you want it thicker, add in additional grated Parmesan, if you want it thinner, add in additional oil. If you want it to have more of a bite, add in additional Tabasco or red wine vin/lemon juice.
- This dressing is meant to be used the day your make it. However it will hold for 1 additional day in a sealed mason jar, just give it a hearty shake before using. Discard any leftovers after a day because of the eggs.
Monica H says
Oh I agree- the more garlic the better. Add some shards of parm in there and I'm in heaven! Really cute in the parm bowl too!