Caesar dressing is a popular salad dressing that typically contains ingredients such as olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, and black pepper. However, the key ingredient that provides Caesar dressing’s signature umami flavor is anchovies.
Do all Caesar dressings contain anchovies?
The original Caesar salad and dressing recipes called for anchovies. So traditionally, anchovies are considered an essential ingredient in Caesar dressing. However, over time, many commercial Caesar dressings have omitted anchovies from the ingredients list.
So in summary:
- Traditional Caesar dressing recipes contain anchovies as a key ingredient
- Many commercial Caesar dressings no longer include anchovies
- Anchovies provide the characteristic umami flavor in Caesar dressing
Whether a particular brand or recipe contains anchovies depends on how closely it follows the traditional anchovy-based Caesar dressing recipe versus a more modern anchovy-free alternative.
History of Caesar dressing and the role of anchovies
Caesar dressing was invented in 1924 by Italian immigrant restaurateur Caesar Cardini. His original recipe, created in his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, included olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and croutons, all combined and emulsified into a thick dressing.
The key umami ingredient providing that rich, savory flavor was anchovies. Cardini’s initial recipe called for 10-12 anchovy fillets. The anchovies break down during the emulsion process, providing a subtle savory background note without a fishy taste.
This original anchovy-laden Caesar dressing recipe became popular in Cardini’s restaurants and then spread globally over the following decades. It became one of the most universally recognized salad dressing recipes.
Modern Caesar dressings – With and without anchovies
As Caesar dressing grew in popularity, food manufacturers began mass producing shelf-stable versions for consumers to purchase at the grocery store. To appeal to the general public’s taste preferences, many of these commercial Caesar dressings omitted anchovies from the ingredients.
For example, famous brands like Kraft and Ken’s produce best-selling Caesar dressings that contain no anchovies. Instead, they recreate the savory umami flavor using ingredients like Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and spices.
On the other hand, some commercial Caesar dressings do include anchovies in the ingredients list. For example:
- Cardini’s Original Caesar Dressing contains anchovy paste
- Newman’s Own Caesar Dressing includes anchovies
- Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Organic Caesar Dressing has anchovy fillets
Among the major supermarket brands, Wish-Bone is one of the few that makes both traditional anchovy-based and anchovy-free Caesar dressing versions:
| Wish-Bone Caesar Dressings | Contains Anchovies? |
|---|---|
| Wish-Bone Robusto Caesar | Yes |
| Wish-Bone Classic Caesar | No |
When dining out, most restaurant Caesar salads are made table-side or in the kitchen using the traditional anchovy-infused dressing unless otherwise requested. So a restaurant Caesar salad likely contains anchovies even if not listed on the menu. However, some restaurants may provide anchovy-free Caesar dressing upon request.
How to make Caesar dressing with or without anchovies
Making homemade Caesar dressing allows the freedom to choose whether to include anchovies or not. Here are basic recipes for each version:
Anchovy Caesar Dressing
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 anchovy fillets
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Mash garlic and anchovies into a paste
- Whisk in egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify
- Mix in Parmesan, salt and pepper
- Refrigerate 1 hour before serving
Anchovy-Free Caesar Dressing
Ingredients:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Whisk egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify
- Mix in garlic, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper
- Refrigerate 1 hour before serving
How to choose an anchovy-based or anchovy-free Caesar dressing
If aiming for the most traditional, authentic Caesar salad flavor profile, use an anchovy-based dressing. The anchovies provide that distinctive savory, umami punch. However, if seeking a more subtle dressing without any fishy taste, an anchovy-free version may be preferable.
Here are some tips for selecting the type of Caesar dressing to use:
- Check ingredients lists on bottled Caesar dressings to see if it contains anchovies, anchovy paste, or anchovy oil
- Ask restaurants if their Caesar dressing is prepared with anchovies
- Make homemade dressing to control whether anchovies are included or not
- Try both versions to determine personal preference in terms of flavor
Conclusion
In summary, while the original Caesar salad dressing recipes call for anchovies as the key umami ingredient, many modern versions omit the anchovies. Traditional anchovy-based Caesar dressings provide a rich, savory character, while anchovy-free alternatives offer a more subtle flavor.
Whether a particular Caesar dressing contains anchovies depends on the specific recipe or manufacturer preferences. But in general, restaurant-made Caesar dressing is more likely to contain anchovies than mass-produced bottled dressings. Understanding the variations in recipes and ingredients can help determine the right Caesar dressing option based on individual taste.