I’ve been making this bright and healthy Caesar dressing for years. It’s lightened with Greek yogurt and packs in loads of lemony, garlicky flavor.
This post was first published on Oct. 14, 2016 and last updated on September 25, 2019.
Can you think of anyone who doesn’t like Caesar salad? I feel like it’s the gateway salad that we either all eat until we graduate to more complex salads. Or we never really learn to like salad (tragic), but can still get down on a Caesar anytime.
I myself can enjoy just about any kind of salad- if I’m in the mood for one. It usually has to be super captivating though, with a million different ingredients and lots of varying textures to keep me interested. There is nothing worse than a boring salad.
But for some reason a simple Caesar with nothing more than romaine (or little gem lettuce, my new favorite, Parmesan cheese and croutons is always satisfying and never boring.
Truthfully I almost always add avocado and tomato to my Caesar salads because I can’t stop myself from jazzing it up, but the secret to Caesar salad’s classic appeal is the complex, umami flavor of the dressing. Without it, it’s just basic.
I usually like to lighten things up if I can, so I’ve been making this healthy Caesar dressing for years.
What makes this Healthy Caesar Dressing taste so good
- A base of Greek yogurt allows you to cut back on the amount of olive oil used and omit the egg yolks completely, while thickening up the dressing at the same time.
- The tanginess of the yogurt is played up with lemon juice and zest.
- LOTS and LOTS of garlic- 2 big cloves, which is almost an obscene amount, gives this healthy Caesar dressing a nice kick.
- Ingredients like Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and grated Parmesan deliver a big flavor boost.
How to make Healthy Caesar Dressing
To make this dressing, simply whisk all of the ingredients together- it couldn’t be simpler. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Tips for the best Caesar Salad
Even though Caesar salads can be thought of as basic and maybe even a little boring, putting a little extra thought into the ingredients will make it anything but that.
- Try switching out romaine lettuce for tender little gem lettuce leaves.
- Buy good quality parmesan and make croutons from scratch or buy some from your local bakery that were made from a good quality bread.
- Making your dressing from scratch like this healthy version is always a fantastic way to upgrade your Caesar salads.
Thanks for reading Le Petit Eats! To keep up with my kitchen escapades, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. If you make this Healthy Caesar Dressing, don’t forget to share it using the hashtag #LePetitEats!
Healthy Caesar Dressing
I’ve been making this bright and healthy Caesar dressing for years. It’s lightened with Greek yogurt and packs in loads of lemony, garlicky flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk vigorously until combined (or blend in a food processor).
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
I was looking for a healthy alternative to ranch dressing and I’ve always enjoyed Caesar. This dressing turned out awesome followed as is. My only question is what does a serving size consist of? I went with 2 tbl. Thank you for a great dressing!!
Feel free to use as much or as little as you want to dress your salad.
This sounds yummy, how long will it keep for in the fridge?
Thanks
Hi Suzanne, this dressing should keep well for at least a week, maybe even a bit longer.
Mine certainly does not last very long with three adults in the household, because it is that good! I now will make it once a week!
How many calories is this? I’m nervous if it’s too many calories but it’s not unhealthy stuff..? Also any other nutritional facts so I can plug into weight watchers
Thank you !
Hi Allison! I don’t have nutrition facts handy but you can plug the ingredients into a calorie counting app to find out the calories. My Fitness Pal is a popular one I think.
Hi Allison, I plugged all this in myfitnesspal app and for 1 cup=8servings at 2tbsp/serving comes out to 55 calories a serving, 4.5 grams fat, 1.3 g carbs, 0.1 dietary fiber, 2.5 g. protein. I hope this helps.
And Thank you so much Denisse for posting this recipe!!
Thanks so much for doing that Brenda!! So glad you liked the recipe!
Reall great alternative! However 1/4 cup of lemon juice is far too much. Instead I added more olive oil and a little bit of low fat mayo (which of course will add more calories) but was delicious!
Thanks for your comment. I stand by the amount of lemon juice in the recipe as it is part of what makes this recipe a healthy version, but understand that the amount of acidity desired is a personal preference. I like it tangy! You are correct that adding more olive oil and mayonnaise somewhat defeats the purpose of a healthy Ceasar dressing.
This is an incredible dressing! For SURE the best one I’ve made without anchovy paste! Thank you!
Awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much, Jenn!
Delicious! I added a bit more parm and a lot of pepper. Excellent!
Loved this dressing! My first time making homemade cesear dressing and wow this was good! I felt like it was missing something at first but then realized i didn’t add any salt and pepper! That definitely gave it the touch it needed. We will definitely be using this recipe again!
Fantasy alternative to an otherwise fattening dressing. Taste is great. My company really enjoyed it! Thank you
What a great, healthier alternative to a traditional Caesar dressing! My only tweaks are using one clove of garlic (for as much as I looove garlic) and I add a little more lemon zest – I too like it tangy! I had some leftover rotisserie chicken and added this dressing to complete a salad. Yummy!