Garlic Dressing

Non-Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing is an easy and delicious homemade salad dressing that is more of a garlic dressing (actually a vinaigrette) wasn’t named by me… but regardless is amazingly delicious. As long as you enjoy garlic.

I love a good classic Caesar dressing, but I don’t always want the thick, creamy and heavy type. This is my mother’s recipe for Non-Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing– at least this is what it was labeled on the old school note card in her wooden recipe box.

Heavy on the garlic cloves which makes up for the fact that this is a caesar dressing without anchovies! 

Garlic Dressing vs Traditional Caesar Dressing

Traditional Caesar salad ingredients include anchovies, raw eggs, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese- nearly a spiked garlic aioli. Pair it with homemade croutons and grilled chicken for a full meal.

The ingredients for my garlic dressing still use Dijon mustard, garlic, worcestershire sauce and lemon juice, but add vinegar and more garlic to replace to tang of anchovies and olive oil for the creamy egg yolk.

What You’ll Need

The ingredient list is fairly short and made up of pantry staples- as long as you consider garlic essential like I do! Emulsifying makes it into a creamy garlic dressing without having to use sour cream or mayonnaise.

• Garlic– The front flavor in this dressing is garlic so please, for the love of all things, use fresh garlic and not the jarred stuff!
• Red Wine Vinegar– If you need to swap out the vinegar, go for another light one light white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Fresh Lemon Juice– Also better fresh, I won’t be as critical if you use a bottled lemon juice, just know it won’t have as much citrusy taste.
• Worcestershire sauce – Builds a full-bodied base flavor.
• Dijon mustard – Gives an intense punch, but also helps to stabilize the emulsification.
• Fine Sea Salt– Brings out natural flavors and balances. This dressing has a lot of acidity so using a sea salt (versus iodized salt) prevents it from potentially tasting metallic.
• Hot Sauce or Tabasco– Don’t worry, it won’t be “spicy”, these two dabs can also be omitted.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Salad dressings are one of the times you want to use the good olive oil. Since the majority is made up of it, a nicely balanced and flavored oil is key to a good dressing recipe. Other types of oil can be used, like canola oil or avocado oil.

Ground black pepper is optional, I usually add it to the salad after dressing so it stays fresher.

Make It !

This dressing can be made in a shaker, with a whisk or most easily in a food processor or blender. Since it is an emulsification, you need to manually take two liquids that wouldn’t usually mix and MAKE THEM BLEND. This takes a lot of processing- which blenders do really well!

• Blender/Food Processor Method– Place the garlic into the food processor or blender and give a few more pulses to blend it up. Add all of the other ingredients and pulse a few more times to blend. Most food processors or blenders have a small hole in the lid or a removable piece to slowly pour in ingredients while the appliance is on. Slowly pour to not make a mess and blend until just mixed.
• Whisk or Shaker Method– For this, I encourage you to use a microgrator to prevent large chunks of garlic in the dressing. Whisk together all of the ingredients, including grated garlic, and then slowly whisk in the oil until blended. It will take a fast whisking!

Other Uses for Garlic Dressing

You can serve this easy garlic dressing on a traditional bed of fresh or grilled romaine lettuce with parmesan cheese and croutons for a traditional salad… or you can mix it up a bit!

• Baste– Use it as a basting liquid for the grill or roast chicken, salmon and pork.
• Marinate– The nature of this mix is excellent for denaturing proteins for flavorful and tender meats. Add a touch of water to aid in osmosis and chill for 12 hours. Discard the marinade and cook the meat!
• Veggies– Whether you are making grilled vegetables or roasted vegetables, toss them in just a tablespoon of this dressing right before serving for a brighty and poppy flavor.
• Chex Mix or Pretzels– Love garlic and salt? Toss a few cups of pretzels or Chex cereal with a few tablespoons of this garlic dressing and bake them at 200°F for 15 minutes. The snack mix you have will be irresistible.
• Side Dish Amps– Stir in a tablespoon to your favorite rice, quinoa or even couscous.
• Pasta- Need a quick pasta dish? Think of this as a garlic pesto- toss it will hot pasta and shave Parmesan cheese over top for a quick and garlicky meal.

Don’t limit yourself to the traditional!

Storage & Shelf Life

This dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead of time. Store it at room temperature in an airtight container, but out of the sun.

Emulsified dressings do seperate. This is normal. Whisk or shake it really well to use it again.

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Garlic Dressing (Non-Creamy Caesar)

4.38 from 177 votes

This Garlic Salad Dressing is a lighter version of creamy Caesar favorite with no anchovies or raw eggs! Use on salads, marinades and more.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8

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Equipment

• Garlic press
• Plastic Airtight Containers
• Microplane Grater
• Ninja Blender System
• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 drops hot sauce or Tabasco
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• In a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic. Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and hot sauce. Pulse several times.
• Using the pouring opening, slowly pour the olive oil in while the mixture is blending to emulsify.
• Use immediately on your favorite salad, as a marinade or over grilled or roasted veggies.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

Whisk or Shaker Method– For this, I encourage you to use a microgrator to prevent large chunks of garlic in the dressing. Whisk together all of the ingredients, including grated garlic, and then slowly whisk in the oil until blended. It will take a fast whisking!

Nutrition

Calories: 124 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 0.1 g, Fat: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g, Sodium: 35 mg, Potassium: 26 mg, Fiber: 0.1 g, Sugar: 0.3 g, Vitamin A: 2 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 5 mg, Iron: 0.2 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

Calories: 124

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caesar dressing

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