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    February 19, 2022

    Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

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    Homemade caesar salad dressing is not as hard as you may think. This recipe is simple and is a slightly healthier version than traditional store-bought caesar dressing!

    Angled shot of homemade caesar salad dressing in a small jar.  Salads in the background.

    Tahini Caesar Dressing

    The key to this homemade caesar salad dressing is tahini. It's a nutty, creamy spread made from ground sesame seeds. It's like peanut butter but with sesame seeds instead of peanuts! Tahini typically used in hummus but is a great way to add flavor and texture to salad dressings like this one. This sesame paste provides phosphorus, iron, calcium, and magnesium so it's filled with nutrients!

    Overhead shot of homemade caesar salad dressing in jar.  Salads around the photo and parmesan cheese and crispy chickpeas scattered around.

    Light Caesar Salad Dressing

    Traditional caesar dressing is made with egg yolks and/or mayo. These ingredients are why it's higher in saturated fat. In order to lighten up this traditional recipe, I use tahini (as described above) but still include some parmesan cheese to give it a salty, slightly cheese-y flavor (you could sub nutritional yeast in lieu of parmesan cheese to make it vegan!).

    Other traditional caesar salad dressing ingredients are used, like lemon juice, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. These give it that classic caesar salad dressing flavor!

    Straight-on shot of homemade caesar salad dressing in a jar with a drip coming down the side.  Salads around the scene and ingredients scattered around.

    Ingredient Highlights - Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

    • Tahini - this is a paste or "butter" made from ground sesame seeds. Tahini is a good source of unsaturated fats, as well as phosphorus, iron, calcium, and magnesium!
    • Grated parmesan cheese - this gives the light caesar salad dressing it's cheese-y flavor. Parmesan cheese contains calcium and phosphorus, and is very low in lactose.
    • Fresh lemon juice & apple cider vinegar - you can use store-bought lemon juice here. The juice and vinegar add acidity to round out the flavors!
    • Garlic, capers, Worcestershire sauce, & mustard - these add punches of flavor to the homemade dressing. Garlic is actually a source of antioxidants!

    Recipe FAQ

    Are anchovies in Caesar dressing?

    Traditionally, yes! However, this recipe calls for capers, which give it that tangy, salty flavor that anchovies would. You can absolutely sub anchovies in this recipe!

    What is tahini Caesar dressing made of?

    The main ingredient is tahini, then this recipe calls for grated parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, capers, apple cider vinegar, mustard, water, salt, and fresh ground pepper.

    What can you use tahini dressing on?

    Obviously this tahini caesar dressing goes well on caesar salads! But it also is great on any salad or grain bowl, as well as a dip for fresh veggies or spread on a sandwich.

    How do you thin out tahini caesar dressing?

    This recipe will thicken in the refrigerator. To thin it out, simply whisk in 1-2 Tbsp room temperature water before using!

    Overhead shot of homemade caesar salad dressing in a small jar with salads around the scene, and ingredients scattered around.

    Other Recipes You May Like

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    Homemade caesar salad dressing with a drip coming down the side of the jar and the lid in the background.  Salads, plates, forks, and a linen in the background.  Salad ingredients scattered around.

    Rate & Review

    If you made my homemade caesar salad dressing, please rate and review my recipe below! I would love to hear your feedback. Also snap a photo and tag me on insta @theperfectpearr so I can see your creation!

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    Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

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    5 from 1 reviews

    Homemade caesar salad dressing is not as hard as you may think. This recipe is simple and is a slightly healthier version than traditional store-bought caesar dressing!

    • Author: Lauren
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 1 ¼ cups 1x
    • Category: Lunch, Dinner, Sides
    • Method: Whisking
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ½ cup (128g) tahini
    • ½ cup (44g) room temp water, plus more if needed
    • ⅓ cup (40g) grated parmesan cheese
    • 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (~1 large lemon)
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
    • 1 tsp capers, finely minced
    • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tsp dijon or brown mustard
    • ½ tsp sea salt, plus more if needed
    • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper, plus more if needed
    • Dash of Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    1. Whisk everything in a bowl or mix in a blender.
    2. Add more water, 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.
    3. Add more salt and pepper until desired flavor is reached.
    4. Toss into a caesar salad or grain bowl, or use as a dip for veggies or spread on a sandwich!

    Notes

    • The dressing will thicken in the refrigerator.  To thin it out, whisk 1 Tbsp of water until desired consistency is reached.
    • Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
    • Calories: 49
    • Sugar: 0
    • Sodium: 99
    • Fat: 4
    • Saturated Fat: 1
    • Unsaturated Fat: 3
    • Trans Fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 3
    • Fiber: 15
    • Protein: 2
    • Cholesterol: 1

    Keywords: caesar salad dressing, light caesar salad dressing, tahini caesar salad dressing, tahini dressing recipe, light caesar salad dressing recipe, caesar salad dressing recipe, homemade tahini caesar dressing, homemade caesar salad dressing, homemade light caesar salad dressing, salad dressing recipe, easy salad dressing recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please comment below & let me know what you thought. I'd also love if you shared a photo on Instagram and tagged me @theperfectpearr so I can see! And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Perfect Pear newsletter to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!

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    1. Olivia Goldin says

      May 30, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      Easiest caesar dressing recipe I’ve yet to try. The best part is that aside from the capers, I usually have all of the ingredients on hand at all times…that means this is now a staple recipe in our house!






      Reply
      • Lauren says

        June 05, 2022 at 7:22 am

        Yess that was the goal with this recipe! Easy, quick, and addicting!

        Reply

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    Hi! I'm Lauren. As a dietitian, my goal is to provide you with nutrient-dense recipes that taste good with a sprinkle of indulgent recipes because I'm all about balance.

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