Last updated on August 2nd, 2024

This Caesar Salad Dressing is a wonderful low-calorie option to drizzle over a classic romaine lettuce Caesar salad without piling on extra calories. Plus, there’s no call for anchovy paste or mayonnaise!

About Caesar Salad Dressing: the Best Low-Calorie Recipe

This simple Caesar Salad Dressing is anchovy and mayo-free, so it’s a great choice if you don’t like anchovies or prefer a low-calorie drizzle over your salad.

Whether you are following a specific diet or just aiming for healthier options, this easy dressing is an excellent complement to just about any salad.

To achieve a classic Caesar salad taste with romaine lettuce, this recipe uses creamy Greek yogurt, parmesan cheese, a couple of cloves of garlic, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and capers.

Why You’ll Love This Caesar Salad Dressing

• Low-Calorie Recipe: A great option for health-conscious people who still want to enjoy the classic Caesar taste.

• No anchovies: So there’s no need to worry about including them. However, if you enjoy anchovies, you can swap the capers for them.

• Egg-free: Perfect for anyone with an egg allergy. Swap mayo for Greek yogurt, which is creamy and protein-rich, making it a healthier alternative to traditional Caesar salad dressing.

• Easy to make: Simply blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, and you’ll have a delicious and healthy dressing. 

Salad Dressing Adventures

When I lived in the United Kingdom around 20 years ago, Heinz Salad Cream reigned supreme as the top choice for salad dressings. It was my preferred option in my late teens, followed by Heinz Thousand Island dressing, which is used for a prawn (shrimp) cocktail.

It seemed that a squeeze of any Heinz dressing released a tangy, carb-rich, calorie-packed delight. Of course, back then, my salads were more of a guilty pleasure than a healthy option. Then, when I moved to Canada, I discovered the wonderful flavour of Caesar salad dressing, which seemed to be everyone’s favourite on this side of the ocean.

The transition brought a delightful shift in my salad dressing preferences; learning how Caesar Salad came about led me to favour homemade versions of my favourite dressings, like the dijon dressing in kale winter salad.

Evolution of Classic Caesar Salad and Dressing

Imagine being caught off guard when unexpected guests arrive and suddenly having to scramble to put together a meal with whatever you have on hand. Well, that kitchen dilemma paved the way for the traditional recipe for a Caesar salad.

Let’s travel back to 1924, when a restaurant owned by Caesar Cardini, an Italian Chef, stood somewhere along the US-Mexican border.

Picture a busy weekend when Caesar ran out of ingredients for his usual mixed salad. Instead, he did what all chefs do: get creative and rustled up a salad using whatever he had in his kitchen and from nearby grocers.

For the dressing, Caesar used parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, lemon, olive oil, and eggs to whip up a new and now traditional dressing for his Caesar salad.

Carbs and Servings in Low-Calorie Caesar Salad Dressing

This Low-Calorie Caesar Salad Dressing is guilt-free because it doesn’t contain the high-fat content that typically contributes to the calorie count in most Caesar dressings.

under 1g net carbs per serving

This recipe yields 16 tablespoons (about 1 cup), with approximately one tablespoon per serving. Each tablespoon contains:

• 14 calories
• 0.5g carbohydrates
• 0g fibre
• 0.5g net carbs
• 1.5g protein

Ingredient Notes

Greek yogurt – yogurt is the main base for this low-calorie recipe, making it fat-free.

Parmesan Cheese – as used in classic Caesar dressing, grated parmesan works best for this recipe.

Garlic Cloves – minced or crushed finely.

Lemon Juice – add a tangy flavour to the recipe.

Capers – replace the anchovies typically used in a classic Caesar dressing and use capers along with some of the pickle juice.

Salt and pepper – Use as much as indicated, then adjust to taste.

Dijon Mustard – is not necessary but helps to keep the dressing emulsified. Use Olive oil or a little mayo instead.

Water – have some water aside to thin out the dressing as needed.

How to Make Low-Calorie Caesar Salad Dressing

1) Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor

• Pulse all the ingredients (except water) in a blender until smooth. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

2) Add water, then transfer to a mason jar or container.

• If the dressing is too thick, add some water to thin it out. Give it a few more pulses to mix everything well, then pour the dressing into a mason jar or any container with a lid.
• Store the dressing in the fridge for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours. Use it immediately or keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Tips for the Best Low-Calorie Caesar Salad Dressing

How to Serve Low-Calorie Caesar Salad Dressing

The ultimate way to serve this dressing is with romaine lettuce leaves, bacon, croutons, and parmesan shavings. However, you can also serve it with cut-up vegetables as a light, low-calorie snack.

Storage Notes

To keep the dressing fresh and flavourful, store it in an airtight jar with a screw-top lid. You can refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days. Before using it, give the jar a good shake to mix the flavours, as oil and water may separate during storage.

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