Caesar Dressing

This low-FODMAP Caesar dressing gets its savory garlic depth from garlic-infused oil rather than garlic cloves, so you keep the classic anchovy-and-parmesan flavor without the fructans.

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 6

Gluten-free

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (120g) whole-egg mayonnaise (scan the label and pick one with no added onion or garlic)
• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 4 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and minced (about 15g)
• 1/3 cup (30g) finely grated parmesan, plus more to serve
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lactose-free milk or water, to thin
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Salt, only if needed (taste first, since anchovy and parmesan are already salty)

This makes about 3/4 cup, enough for roughly six 2-tablespoon servings.

Instructions

Make the anchovy paste

1. Pat the anchovy fillets dry, then mince them finely on a cutting board.
2. Drag the flat side of your knife across the pile a few times to work them into a smooth paste. For a fully smooth dressing, drop them into a small blender or use an immersion blender instead.

Whisk the dressing

1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic-infused oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Whisk until smooth.
2. Add the anchovy paste and grated parmesan. Whisk again until the parmesan is evenly distributed and no clumps remain.

Season and adjust

1. Whisk in the lactose-free milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing falls from the whisk in a slow ribbon.
2. Grind in black pepper and taste. Add a pinch of salt only if it needs it.
3. Toss with chopped romaine right away, or cover and chill until serving. It is built for a low-FODMAP Caesar salad.

Tips & Substitutions

• Leave out the Worcestershire. Most bottled Worcestershire sauce lists onion and garlic near the top. Skip it. The anchovy and parmesan carry the savory backbone on their own.
• Parmesan swaps. Pecorino romano or grana padano both work here. All three are aged, hard cheeses that are naturally low in lactose, so a grated topping stays comfortable.
• Raw egg yolk option. For a more classic emulsion, whisk in one fresh egg yolk with the mayonnaise. Use a pasteurized or very fresh egg and keep the dressing chilled, following USDA guidance for raw-egg dishes.
• Adjust the thickness. For a dip-style dressing, hold back the milk. For coating shredded lettuce, thin it a little more so it clings without clumping.
• Watch the mustard. Dijon is low FODMAP at about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon. The teaspoon here is well within range, but check the Monash app if you like a mustard-forward dressing.
• No blender needed. Mincing the anchovies by hand gives a slightly rustic dressing with visible flecks. A blender gives a smoother, restaurant-style pour. Either is fine.

Why This Works

• Garlic flavor without the fructans. Garlic's FODMAPs are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so infusing oil pulls out the flavor while leaving the fructans behind. That is what replaces the raw garlic clove in a standard Caesar.
• Parmesan is low in lactose. Aged, hard cheeses lose most of their lactose during production, so a modest grating of parmesan adds sharp, salty depth without a lactose load.
• Mayonnaise is a safe base. Whole-egg mayo is essentially oil, egg, vinegar, and lemon, all low FODMAP. The only thing to check is added onion or garlic powder on the label.
• No bottled dressing required. Store-bought Caesar dressings almost always start with garlic and onion. Making it from scratch keeps both out entirely.

Storage

Store the dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you added a raw egg yolk, use it within 2 days instead. It firms up when cold, so stir before serving and loosen with a splash of lactose-free milk if needed. Do not freeze it, as the emulsion will split on thawing.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.