We love this easy Whole30 Caesar Dressing. It’s egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary needs. Caesar salad dressing is known for its creamy texture and tangy taste, and this recipe delivers both!
Caesar Salad dressing is a staple to many households and restaurants. However, it usually contains some form of dairy, making it not Whole30 compatible. But, our recipe is dairy-free and a great budget and allergen-friendly salad dressing option.
Our Whole30 Caesar Dressing is a dump dressing recipe. This means all the ingredients are added (or “dumped”) into a jar and an immersion blender is used to combine and turn into a creamy, thick dressing. Note that the salt is to taste. Most anchovies are already pretty salty, so you may not need to add any salt. But, taste your finished dressing and adjust to your liking.
Making your own dressings is not only a great budget-friendly hack, but it’s also easy and quick. This recipe only takes 10 minutes from start to finish. We love a simple, fast kitchen win!
About Immersion Sauces
This Whole30 Caesar Dressing recipe uses an immersion blender. That is a handheld stick blender that is usually fairly budget-friendly. This Cuisinart version is our favorite option to add to your kitchen gadgets shopping list. (You can find more of our favorite must-have kitchen gadgets here!). Though immersion blenders are the easiest way to have a great result in making your own dressings, here are some tips:
- Use a container that is just slightly bigger than the head of your immersion blender. This may be a smoothie blender cup or a wide-mouthed mason jar.
- Let the ingredients settle for a minute before putting the immersion blender into the mixture.
- Insert the head of the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the jar. Try to center it right over the egg yolk – the beating of the egg with the oil is essential for the emulsification (thickening) to happen!
- Turn your immersion blender on high and hold it down, while blending, for 10 seconds before moving up and down through the sauce. This will help ensure the egg yolk and oil are emulsified thoroughly first.
Don’t have an immersion blender? You can also make this sauce starting out with a mayo base. Simply blend 1 cup mayo with the anchovies, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt to taste, then thin with the dairy-free milk to desired consistency.
Don’t love anchovies? Anchovies are classic for giving Caesar dressing its tang. But, if they don’t work for you, you can use 1 ½ tablespoons of juice from a jar of capers instead of the anchovies for a tangy result.
This dressing is so versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. We love using it to make our Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad, but it’s also delicious as a dip or spread. A great sauce can really make all the difference! Here are other Whole30 homemade sauces we love:
Whole30 Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup avocado or extra light-tasting olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 anchovies or 1.5 tbsp juice from a jar of capers
- 1 tsp (heaping) compatible Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Compatible milk to desired consistency
Instructions
- COMBINE all ingredients except the milk in a container that is just larger than the head of your immersion blender. Let it settle for a minute.
- INSERT the head of your immersion blender just over the top of your egg yolk. Wait 10 seconds to settle again, then turn your immersion blender on high speed. Keep it at high speed and down at the bottom over your egg yolk for 10 seconds, as the sauce emulsifies (thickens).
- SLOWLY, still running your immersion blender on high, move up and down through the mixture for about 1 minute — until mixture is creamy and thick.
- ADD compatible milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you have reached your desired consistency.
- STORE in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
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