Name: Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients: 1 clove garlic; ¼ cup mayonnaise; ¼ cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 teaspoons salt free seasoning; 1 teaspoon Dijon or stoneground mustard; 1 teaspoons worcestershire sauce; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

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Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies gives you the rich, creamy taste of Caesar dressing with less salt. It offers a delicious, low sodium twist on the classic version.

Caesar salad is beloved for giving salad lovers the perfect balance of flavors and textures, and the dressing is often the star of the show. It’s creamy, tangy, and transforms simple romaine lettuce into something special. While purchasing the dressing might be convenient, store-bought dressings can be extremely high in sodium. (Check out my list of low-sodium store-bought dressings here.) One two-tablespoon serving of Ken’s Steakhouse Creamy Caesar Dressing contains 250 mg of sodium. If you’re watching your sodium intake and, like our family, set a 1500 mg per day limit, that bit of salad dressing is a big portion of your daily allotment.

This dressing is a favorite in my kitchen. I use it on salads, as a spread on sandwiches, and as a dip for veggies. For a twist on my Panko Crusted Chicken, I brush this dressing on the chicken instead of the plain Greek yogurt that the recipe calls for. It adds so much flavor and helps keep the chicken moist.

Why Make This Recipe

Quick and Easy: You can blend or whisk this dressing up in minutes!
Customize It: Making salad dressing from scratch allows you to adjust it to suit your tastes.
Meal Prep Ready: You can make this ahead and have it on hand for your salads throughout the week.
Perfect Blend of Flavors: This dressing is tangy and savory. It’s just as delicious as regular Caesar dressings.

Pro Tips

Always look for ingredients with the lowest sodium content and always check the nutrition labels, even for items you’ve purchased before.

I make this dressing without anchovies because they are usually high in sodium. One anchovy can contain about 150 mg of sodium. That may not seem like a lot, but it can add up depending on what you add to your salad. I’d rather use a dash of Worcestershire sauce, which contains anchovies and about 40 mg per teaspoon, instead.

Ingredients

Garlic – You’ll get the most flavor from a fresh garlic clove, though the minced, jarred garlic will work in a pinch.

Mayonnaise – Mayo gives this dressing its trademark creaminess. Use the lowest sodium mayonnaise you can find. I use Kraft Real Mayo, which contains 70 mg of sodium per tablespoon.

Plain Low Fat Greek Yogurt – This is my secret weapon in reducing sodium in creamy recipes. Plain Greek yogurt typically contains less sodium than mayonnaise. It also gives this recipe a protein boost. Make sure you use PLAIN Greek yogurt and not vanilla.

Red Wine Vinegar – Red wine vin brings all the tart acidity we need for a Caesar dressing. It’s more mellow than lemon juice and the two pair well together.

Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice – Avoid store-bought lemon juice, it can’t match fresh lemon juice’s flavor.

Salt-Free Seasoning – A neutral salt-free seasoning is a great way to add flavor without salt. Choose your favorite.

Dijon or Stone Ground Mustard – Mustard emulsifies or helps keep the fat and acids in the dressing together. It also adds great flavor. Stone-ground mustard is made of mustard seeds that are ground into a coarse paste. This will give you a bit more texture, but can sometimes contain more sodium than Dijon mustard, so always check the label.

Worcestershire Sauce – A little Worcestershire sauce goes a long way. It adds umami or a rich depth of flavor to the dressing.

Black Pepper – Pepper balances the tangy, tartness from the yogurt, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Tools:

Blender

Silicon Spatula

How to Make Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies

This recipe couldn’t be easier to make! Simply place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a blender and buzz away until it’s smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender bowl and blend again to make sure the ingredients are fully mixed and no large pieces of garlic remain.

Process shots for Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies

If you’re worried about the garlic not being minced you can drop it into the blender while it’s running, before adding the other ingredients. The blender will blitz it in seconds and you can add your other ingredients.

You can also make this without a blender. Mince the garlic as finely as you can and whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Variations on a Delicious Theme

The beauty of making things from scratch is having the ability to adjust the recipe to suit your family’s tastes. For a thinner dressing, add water, a tablespoon at a time, until you get your desired consistency. Want a spicy version? Add crushed red pepper flakes to taste. You can make a zestier dressing by using a salt-free Italian seasoning.

Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies in jar

Low Sodium Caesar Salad FAQs

How much sodium is in this recipe?

This dressing contains 68.75 mg sodium per 2 tablespoon serving.

Can I make this without mayonnaise?

Yes, all Greek yogurt will give you a tangier, slightly thinner dressing, plus more protein and less fat.

Can you taste the Greek yogurt?

I am not a fan of eating yogurt on its own, but I use it frequently in dressings. (Check out my Low Sodium Ranch Dressing here.) It serves as a great base, but the other flavors in the dressing overpower the yogurt taste.

Traditional Caesar salad dressing contains parmesan cheese and anchovies. Will this taste good without it?

Yes! Parmesan and anchovies give Caesar dressing the flavor we all love, but both of these contain a ton of sodium. This recipe mimics the taste of classic Caesar dressing without the sodium and you won’t miss it. Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so a teaspoon of this adds just enough of the anchovy umami we need. The taste of Parm in most Caesar dressings is mild, if you can detect it all. I prefer to add the cheese to the salad instead.

How long will this dressing last?

Stored properly in the fridge in an airtight container, this dressing will last 5-7 days.

More Salad Dressing Recipes

If you like this recipe, try these low sodium salad dressing recipes!

salad dressing in small jar — Low Sodium Maple Dijon Dressing

balsamic vinaigrette in a small white bowl next to a bowl of salad — Low Sodium Maple Dijon Dressing

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