Homemade Caesar Dressing
Note: I use a stick blender or my mini-food processor to do this; if you don’t have one, I’m pretty sure you could use a whisk with the same results.
1 egg yolk, from pastured chickens, room temperature
2 tsp apple cider vinegar (raw is best)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbs (or a little less) fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 tsp Worcestshire sauce
2 Tbs (or more) Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Blend up the egg yolk and everything else but the Parmesan and the oil with the stick blender, then stream in 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. It should thicken up into a creamy consistency, which is SO FUN to watch! Stir in the Parmesan cheese at the end. I’ve failed at this twice; the dressing was still tasty, just more like an Italian consistency. The trick is to have room temperature ingredients.
UPDATE: If you have a failed batch, whisk up a new egg yolk and pour in the entire failed batch slowly as if it was the oil. That should thicken it up nicely! (Room temperature helps too.)
*great with homemade croutons! Find instructions at this post. For Caesar croutons, I make them with garlic powder or fresh garlic rubbed on the bread and Italian seasonings.
See more dressings with EVOO at this post.
How long does this last in the fridge?
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Rebecca,
Katie
I almost always lacto-ferment it with a Tbs of whey, so it lasts longer, but I would say as long as you’d expect the eggs to last outside the recipe. Lacto-fermented lasts 1-6 mos!
[Reply to this comment]
Rebecca Reply:
September 1st, 2010 at 12:50 pm
This info about the whey is totally new to me. Do you buy the whey? I make my own yogurt, so can I use that whey? But if I don’t have any when I make dressing than can i buy it? Thanks!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Rebecca,
You could always refrig the dressing, I imagine, then lacto-ferment it later, too. Just add about 1 Tbs whey to the dressing, stir, and leave at room temp for 7 hours. The refrig and you’re done! Healthy probiotics make an even healthier dressing. Good luck! 
Katie
I’ve never seen whey in a store, but you can drain your yogurt to make homemade whey easily, and it lasts for 3-6 months! You should never run out.
[Reply to this comment]
I’ve never seen a caesar dressing recipe before without the anchovy paste! I’ll have to try this. It seems like it would be easier in my little food processor that I use to make mayo… I think I’ll try that. Thanks for the recipe!
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Today’s Lunch « The Joyful Kitchen // Aug 18, 2011 at 12:15 am
[...] easy. trust me.). I’d never made caesar dressing myself, but I recently found this recipe on Kitchen Stewardship and had to try it out (with a few [...]