This healthy Caesar salad dressing recipe is easy to make at home. It’s tangy, creamy, and thick so it clings to the leaves of your salad beautifully. Plus it includes no anchovies!

While most versions of Caesar dressing contain raw egg and oil, my recipe is lighter because it uses a base of nonfat greek yogurt. This gives us that same creamy texture.

A classic Caesar also uses anchovies. We’re skipping that since most people have squeamish feelings about it and don’t have it on hand anyway. Let’s keep things simple, shall we?

The ingredient list is short for my Caesar salad dressing and you may already have all these ingredients in your home! There’s no blending involved. Just stir the ingredients together and voila! You’ll love this easy, good for you dressing.

Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients

  • Nonfat greek yogurt: Using nonfat greek yogurt keeps our dressing light and also adds some tanginess. Make sure you’re using one that is unflavored and unsweetened.
  • Grated parmesan cheese: Parmesan adds a salty nuttiness to this Caesar dressing.
  • Lemon juice: Lemon juice helps make the dressing a little bright and tangy plus it balances out the greek yogurt.
  • Milk: The milk thins out the dressing a bit. You can use whatever kind you like as long as it’s unsweetened and unflavored. I use skim milk to keep it low in calories.
  • Minced garlic: You can mince your own garlic or use the jarred minced garlic from the grocery store.
  • Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard is an absolute must have ingredient for this dressing. You cannot substitute another mustard.
  • Liquid from capers jar: Capers have a salty, briny flavor that’s very similar to what anchovies usually bring to a traditional Caesar dressing. Instead of chopping capers (which are small and difficult to dice) we’re only using the liquid from the jar.
  • Black pepper: A great Caesar dressing is a little peppery. You can taste and add more if you like.

It’s that easy! Then toss the finished Caesar dressing with chopped romaine or kale, shaved parmesan, black pepper, and croutons. I recommend trying my Homemade Croutons.

Is this an Authentic Caesar Dressing?

No. An authentic Caesar salad dressing is made by emulsifying raw egg and oil. It also has anchovies and often worcestershire sauce (which also contains anchovy). My version is lighter, easier to make (we’re simply stirring all ingredients together), and anchovy-free. It does capture that classic Caesar flavor. You can even make it tangier by adding more juice from the caper jar.

How to Serve Healthy Caesar Dressing

Toss this easy Caesar dressing with chopped romaine or kale, shaved parmesan, black pepper, and croutons. (I recommend my Homemade Croutons) for a perfect healthy caesar side salad. Or top with chicken (try my Air Fryer Chicken Breasts) to turn this into an entree salad.

How to Store Leftover Caesar Dressing

Store your leftover dressing in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a lid. I like to use a jar with a tight seal. It can keep for up to 5 days.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing (without Anchovies)

This healthy Caesar salad dressing recipe is easy to make at home. It's tangy, creamy, and thick so it clings to the leaves of your salad beautifully.

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup nonfat greek yogurt, unsweetened and unflavored
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon milk, I use skim milk
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon liquid from capers jar
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
  • For a perfect healthy Caesar side salad, toss this dressing with chopped romaine or kale, shaved parmesan, black pepper, and croutons. Add chicken if you'd like to enjoy as an entree.

Notes

Nutrition information assumes you use skim milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 28kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Trans Fat: 0.002g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 72mg, Potassium: 47mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 34IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 0.1mg
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