Name: Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Greek yogurt or regular yogurt (2%+ fat); 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated); 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 teaspoons anchovy paste or minced anchovies; 1-2 small garlic cloves (grated); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

This healthy Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing is creamy, garlicky and packed with 9 grams of protein. Takes 10 minutes to make and contains no mayo.

Greek yogurt caesar dressing in a glass jar, croutons and salad behind.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love using Greek yogurt to make salad dressings. Once you start you’ll never go back! This Greek yogurt Caesar salad dressing is at the top of our list and here is why:

Classic flavor, better ingredients: You get all the bold, garlicky, umami-rich flavor of a traditional Caesar dressing without the mayo, egg yolks, or processed oils.
High in protein and low calorie: The Caesar dressing with Greek yogurt packs 9g of protein per serving and is naturally lower in fat and cholesterol.
10-minute prep: Just whisk or blend, like with my healthy ranch dressing or Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing recipes! It’s much faster than running to the store and tastes infinitely fresher than anything from a bottle.
Versatile: While it’s perfect for a healthy Caesar salad with some sourdough croutons, it also doubles as a delicious veggie dip or a savory marinade for grilled chicken breast.

Reader’s Review

Delicious and perfect for a salad!
Lynda

2 more comments

Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

What’s great about making homemade salad dressings is you can play around with the amounts. If you don’t like yours super garlicky or super salty, adjust as needed!

Parmesan cheese, Greek yogurt, anchovy paste, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon.

Yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt replaces raw egg yolks and gives the dressing its creamy texture, tangy flavor and a punch of protein. I wouldn’t go below 2% fat. You can also use regular plain yogurt and dairy-free yogurt.
Parmesan cheese: I always buy a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano and grate myself as it has the best flavor. I don’t recommend cheese from a shaker or not mature Parmesan.
Lemon juice: Please use fresh lemon juice and not from a bottle as you can really taste it in a raw salad dressing.
Anchovy paste or minced anchovies: I love this classic Caesar salad ingredient but if you don’t, swap it with a salty, briny flavor ingredient like Worcestershire sauce, olives, or capers.
Garlic: Only freshly grated garlic cloves. Garlic powder is not a great replacement.
Spices: Salt and black pepper.

How to Make Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

This will make enough for one large healthy Caesar salad. Double or triple the amount, if needed.

Yogurt, parmesan, anchovy paste, salt, pepper, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl.

Add yogurt, grated Parmesan cheese, squeezed lemon juice, anchovy paste or minced anchovy fillets, grated garlic, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Alternatively, can also add all ingredients to a jar and shake.

Greek yogurt caesar dressing in a bowl with black fork.

Mix everything until well combined. If you find salad dressing a bit too thick for your liking, thin it out with one tablespoon of milk or water at time.
Transfer the dressing to a glass jar or container and allow it to chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. I’m not a fan of warm creamy dressings, plus the flavors have a chance to infuse with one another.

Tips for Best Results

Balance the tang: Depending on the brand of Greek yogurt you use, it can be very tart. If it’s too tangy for your palate, a 1/4 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey will balance the acidity without making it sweet.
Mellow the garlic: If you find raw garlic too sharp, whisk the grated garlic into the lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before adding the other ingredients. The acid “cooks” the garlic slightly, removing the harsh sting.
Let it chill: While you can eat this immediately, letting it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes is the real secret. It allows the dried spices and anchovy paste to fully hydrate and meld with the yogurt.
Consistency and texture: If you want a perfectly smooth and pourable dressing that looks exactly like store-bought, give it a quick pulse in a food processor or blender. Also adding a bit of milk will result in a runnier, thinner dressing. The higher the fat content of your yogurt, the richer and thicker the consistency will be.

A bowl with healthy caesar salad, peeler and cheese on a counter.

How to Use This Dressing

This healthy Caesar dressing recipe has so many uses!

On salads: Toss this creamy Caesar dressing with romaine lettuce, croutons and Parmesan savings for a classic Caesar salad. Or drizzle on any green salad!
As a marinade: For grilled chicken breast.
Use it as a dip for veggies, crackers, and flatbread.
Zucchini noodle “sauce”: If you want pasta sauce with a lighter twist, toss this dressing with warm zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
In sandwiches: Skip the mayo on your Greek yogurt chicken salad wraps. This dressing adds a punchy, garlicky kick that regular mayo just can’t touch.

How to Store

Keep stored in a jar with a tight fitting lid or airtight container, so that it lasts the full 7 days in the fridge. Always shake or stir it before serving because the dressing may have settled.

More Healthy Salad Dressings

Pouring greek yogurt caesar dressing over a bowl with Romaine lettuce, croutons and parmesan cheese.

5 from 5 votes