Veni, vidi, salad dressing-y? Caesar would tell you to conquer that salad with a great dressing.
Exactly how such a short list of simple, common ingredients — oil, Parmesan, lemon, garlic, egg yolk and anchovy — can produce such an incredibly rich, dreamy salad dressing is a mystery. In the right balance, a Caesar salad dressing is pure magic. It’s also one of the most popular dressings on supermarket shelves. So when a reader asked if we would put Caesar dressings to the test, we cheered.
Part of the fun of Caesar dressing is its origin. The first Caesar salad was served in the 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in San Diego and Mexico. The dressing became so wildly popular that in 1953, Paris’ International Society of Epicures dubbed it the most important recipe to originate in America in 50 years.
It was a favorite of Julia Child as well, who recalled tasting it at Cardini’s Tijuana restaurant. “Caesar himself rolled the big cart up to the table, tossed the romaine in a great wooden bowl … the greens going all creamy as the eggs flowed over them,” she wrote. “It was a sensation of a salad.”
A great Caesar dressing is creamy and rich, with a luscious balance of salty, earthy, bright flavors that transform lettuce into a memorable meal. Freshly made is best, but bottled dressings can come close to the mark. The best of these bottled dressings are tangy and bold, creamy, but not oily. The worst lack balance or — shudder — taste of rancid oil, imitation cheese or manufactured flavors.
Here’s the scoop on the best Caesar dressings and the ones to pour down the drain. Nutrition details refer to a 2-tablespoon serving.
Marzetti Simply Dressed Caesar
Found in the supermarket refrigerator case, this deliciously creamy, flavor-packed dressing hits all the right notes. It’s cheesy, tangy and rich without being too oily. 120 calories, 12 g fat, 260 mg sodium. $3.99 for 12 ounces at Safeway. ★★★★
Lucini Italia Parmesan and Garlic Caesar
An enjoyable balance of fresh flavors make this extracheesy dressing a good choice for Parmesan lovers. 120 calories, 13 g fat, 290 mg sodium. $3.99 for 8.5 ounces at Whole Foods. ★★★★
O Organics Caesar
This vinaigrette-style blend has pleasant lemony flavor and a richly creamy texture. It’s less fresh than the top dressings, but it won’t disappoint. 120 calories, 11 g fat, 150 mg sodium. $3.49 for 12 ounces at Safeway. ★★★½
Panera at Home Caesar
Big flavor, lots of anchovies and bits of Parmesan make this herby, slightly mustardforward dressing pleasant, if a bit untraditional. 100 calories, 10 g fat, 170 mg sodium. $3 for 12 ounces at Safeway. ★★★½
Brianna’s Home Style Asiago Caesar
Made with Asiago cheese and balsamic vinegar, this untraditional dressing sidesteps the classic to become its own kind of delicious, with bold garlic flavor and lots of cheese. 140 calories,14 g fat, 270 mg sodium. $3.17 for 12 ounces at Target. ★★★½
Girard’s Premium Caesar
This one delivers a fine balance of Caesar flavors, but it’s a bit gloppy and lacks freshness. 120 calories, 13 g fat, 320 mg sodium. $3.59 for 12 ounces at Smart & Final. ★★★
Marie’s Caesar
This uber-creamy, silky dressing delivers mild, yet pleasant lemony goodness. Flavors are fresh, but less fat and more cheese flavor would make it a top pick. Find it in the refrigerated case of your produce department. 170 calories, 19 g fat, 160 mg sodium. $3.49 for 12 ounces at FoodMaxx. ★★½
Cardini’s The Original Caesar
Too much vinegar and salt and a mayonnaise-like flavor overpower an otherwise tasty combination. That said, it’s fine when used judiciously. 150 calories, 17 g fat, 250 mg sodium. $3.99 for 12 ounces at Whole Foods. ★★½
Market Pantry Caesar
The flavors are less than fresh, but the hit of black pepper turns this from ordinary to fun. 80 calories, 8 g fat, 270 mg sodium, 1 g sugar. $1.79 for 16 ounces at Target. ★★
Annie’s Organic Caesar
The lemon, garlic and cheese are welcome flavors, but the cider vinegar nearly drowns them out. 100 calories, 11 g fat, 150 mg sodium. $3.99 for 8 ounces at Whole Foods. ★★
365 Everyday Value Organic Caesar
Those who adore lemon should give this vinaigrette a try. It’s not exactly Caesar dressing, but it’s decidedly fresh, with a big citrus punch. 100 calories, 10 g fat, 280 mg sodium. $3.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. ★★
Bernstein’s Creamy Caesar
Save the cash. Just salt your own vinegar. 90 calories, 10 g fat, 220 mg sodium. $3.99 for 14 ounces at Safeway. ★
Ken’s Steak House Lite Creamy Caesar
This salty dressing tastes like sour cream stirred with vinegar, not Caesar dressing. 90 calories, 8 g fat, 320 mg sodium. $2.64 for 16 ounces at Target. ★
Newman’s Own Caesar
This vinaigrette is not creamy, separates no matter how long you shake it and bears no flavor resemblance to Caesar dressing. (Why they would make this, when they also make a Newman’s Own Creamy Caesar, is a mystery.) 150 calories, 16 g fat, 340 mg sodium, 1 g sugar. $2.99 for 9 ounces at Whole Foods. ½ star
Daiya Dairy-free Creamy Caesar
A strange, paperlike aftertaste ruins this odd blend of less-than-fresh ingredients. 120 calories, 13 g fat, 260 mg sodium. $3.79 for 8.36 ounces at Smart & Final. ½ star
Delmonico’s Restaurant Signature Caesar
Old oil and too much onion powder make this a massive mistake. 80 calories, 9 g fat, 280 mg sodium. $3.29 for 12 ounces at Whole Foods. No stars
Johnny’s Great Caesar!
There’s a hint of promise in this mix, but the flavor of old, rancid oil overpowers everything. 170 calories, 19 g fat, 160 mg sodium. $5.49 for 8 ounces at Safeway. No stars
Rao’s Homemade Caesar
Precisely what went wrong with this is hard to say. It might be the fake blue cheese. Or the whey. The result is shockingly bad. 80 calories, 8 g fat, 310 mg sodium. $4.39 for 12 ounces at Smart & Final. No stars