Today we are sharing the best ever healthy caesar salad dressing! I have a fond memory from my childhood going down to Mexico with my mom and some of her friends to a famous restaurant to enjoy their famous caesar salad. I could not have been more than 10 years old at the time. Also, I remember much talk had happened prior to getting to this restaurant about the famous salad. To this day I still remember the large wooden bowl that came to the side of our table. They made it right in front of us! This was very exciting to a 10-year-old me.
I especially remember this experience as it was the first time in my life that I had seen anything like it. I remember them cracking the eggs into the large wooden bowl and mixing them. Next came some oil and cheese. I remember asking questions about all of this and at the same time being completely mesmerized by the food experience. It was the best caesar salad I have ever had! I did not have much to compare it to at the time but I remember how good this salad was.
My goal for this salad and dressing was to recreate what I remember as being the most amazing caesar salad! I wanted to make that salad, but a healthier version of it. I think I have succeeded in doing this. According to Ella, this is the best caesar salad she has ever had. I would have to agree with her. It’s packed with flavor but not fat and tastes like a classic caesar salad. Also, no oil or eggs are used!
How To Make Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing From Scratch
Add the 0 fat Greek yogurt to a bowl. Then, finely grate ¼ CUP of parmesan cheese and add ⅛ CUP of it to the bowl with the yogurt. The remaining ⅛ CUP of parmesan cheese will go on top of the caesar salad once it is finished. After that, add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste, and stone-ground mustard to the bowl. Then, crush the clove of garlic and add it to the bowl. Next, add the salt and crushed pepper to the bowl. Mix all of the ingredients until the dressing is thoroughly combined and smooth.
Chop your freshly washed romaine lettuce and cut it into small bite-sized pieces. Put the chopped lettuce into a salad spinner to dry it. The salad spinner makes this super easy because it removes all of the water effortlessly.
Place the dried lettuce in a bowl. Add the dressing to the lettuce and mix.
Top the salad with the rest of your parmesan cheese and enjoy! We also like crumbling some of our parmesan cheese crisps on top!
A Few Notes & Tips
What Can I Put in a Caesar Salad?
This salad is delicious on its own but we love to add some grilled chicken on the top of our caesar salad. It is a great way to add protein and tastes delicious with our homemade dressing. Also, grilled shrimp is another great thing that you could add to your caesar salad.
Also, we absolutely love crumbling some of our parmesan cheese crisps on top! These parmesan cheese crisps are super easy to make and elevate this caesar salad even more! They have amazing flavor and they are definitely worth making to add to this caesar salad or to enjoy as a snack. This is definitely Ella’s favorite thing to add to her caesar salad. Let us know in the comments below what you like to add to your caesar salad or if you tried the parmesan cheese crisps with it!
What Can I Make With Caesar Salad Dressing?
This healthy caesar salad dressing is amazing because it makes the best caesar salad! But, it’s also delicious in a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. It elevates the flavor and brings it to a whole new level! Also, you can use tomatoes as the bread like we did to lighten it up even more. If you make this flavorful sandwich with some of the dressing let us know in the comments below!
How To Make The Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing Thinner
I like the thickness of this dressing. But, if you want to make it slightly thinner you can add a little bit of milk or water start with 1 TBSP at a time until you get the desired consistency.
How Much Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing Do You Need?
This dressing serves 4. You can always double the recipe if you need more. I like to make things fresh without having a lot of leftovers so sometimes I do smaller batches of things.
Why Grate Parmesan Cheese?
Freshly grated parmesan cheese is amazing in this recipe. I like to grate the cheese with a fine grater so that there is cheesy goodness in every bite of your dressing and salad. Also, by grating the cheese finer you can use less cheese and still maximize the flavor with fewer calories. You can use store-bought grated parmesan cheese but it won’t be as flavorful as grating it yourself. Once the cheese has been grated and has been sitting for a while in the container it will lose some of its flavors. You might want to add a little more if that happens. It is always best to taste and decide.
Why Add Anchovy Paste To This Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing?
I really recommend using the anchovy paste because you can keep the tube in the fridge when you’re ready to make another batch of the salad dressing so it is ready to go. I find this the most convenient option. Also, you can substitute the anchovy paste for 1-2 anchovies but mix it in your food processor to make sure it’s mixed well. In my opinion, to get the classic caesar taste you really do need the anchovy. Additionally, you won’t taste the anchovy, it just makes the dressing flavor fabulous. You can substitute the anchovy for 1-2 TSP of capers or nothing if you prefer.
Why Add Red Wine Vinegar To The Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing?
While making this salad dressing I found that adding the 1 TSP of red wine vinegar added another layer of flavor and some slight sweetness. I am definitely sold on this. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Other Recipes You Will Love!
- Easy Parmesan Cheese Crisps 3 Ways
- The Ultimate Healthy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
- Amazing & Healthy Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup
- Best Ever Healthy Deviled Eggs
- Join us on our YouTube channel for recipe videos!
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories94
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
4.5g
7%
- Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%
- Cholesterol 10mg 4%
- Sodium 375mg 16%
- Total Carbohydrate
9.5g
4%
- Dietary Fiber 2.1g 9%
- Sugars 6.5g
- Protein 7.6g 16%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.