Caesar salad is an all time classic salad that almost everyone enjoys. That delicious dressing is so unique and something not a whole lot of people can master. The trick? Anchovies! While this may come as a surprise, anchovies are what give the dressing the distinct savory, almost salty flavor and really tie the dressing together. However, there are many ways to create caesar dressing without using anchovies.
Caesar dressing can be made perfectly without the use of anchovies. Worcestershire sauce, capers, olives, soy sauce, miso paste and even nori are great substitutes for anchovies in caesar dressing. Each substitute has its own unique twist on the dressing, and who knows! You may even fall in love with substitutes more than anchovies themselves.
Substitutes For Anchovy Paste in Caesar Salad Dressing
As mentioned above, there are some great and unique ways to replace anchovies in caesar dressing. From worcestershire sauce to nori, it is extremely possible to make delicious dressing without anchovies. Let’s take a look.
1. Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce is a very unique sauce that actually has a very similar taste to anchovies.Worcestershire sauce is usually made from anchovies, along with vinegar molasses, garlic and other things. That makes it the best substitute for anchovies, since you are getting practically the same flavor with the worcestershire sauce. Worcestershire sauce is called for in the original recipe for caesar dressing, and you can keep that amount in your recipe.
- Add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce in replacement of anchovy paste
2. Capers
Some people actually argue that capers are better in caesar dressing than anchovies anyway and that they make a much better flavor. For those that love that salty, fishy flavor, capers are the best option. Capers have a very strong flavor that may take some getting used to, but they are certainly delicious.
- For every 1 teaspoon of anchovies or anchovy paste, use ½ a tablespoon of capers.
- Blend in a blender along with the other dressing ingredients
3. Olives
Specifically, kalamata olives. They are a great vegetarian option to replace anchovies in cesar dressing. Although they aren’t as salty, they bring a whole new flavor to the dressing that you may fall in love with. Olives bring a more earthy, fruity flavor to cesar dressing, which some love.
- Use about 1 tablespoon for every 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste
- Blend in blender
4. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce will definitely bring the salty flavor that you are looking for to replace anchovies. Soy sauce is also a great alternative because it will hold in that slight fishy flavor. Soy sauce is very salty, so there is no need to add extra salt to your recipe. Soy sauce is also very thin, being a liquid, so your cesar dressing won’t have that thicker consistency that is what you think of when you think of caesar dressing. Just something to keep in mind when creating your recipe.
- For every 1 teaspoon of anchovies, you can add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
5. Nori
Nori is the closest flavor out of anything to anchovies that you will get in your cesar dressing, and is a great vegetarian option. It is commonly sold in small packets that contain small sheets of nori. Most will just shred the nori sheets and mix it into their dressing. It is hard to say how many sheets to use to replace anchovies, you can shred the sheets until you get your desired flavor, this may be around 3-4 sheets of nori.
6. Miso Paste
If you are picky about the consistency of your dressing, miso paste is the best option for you. Miso paste is practically the same consistency as anchovy paste, and it will still hold that fishy flavor. Miso paste is a bit drier than the moisture levels of anchovies, so you may want to add a little bit of oil to your dressing.
- Match the ratios of anchovy paste to miso paste to replace anchovies. For instance, for every 1 teaspoon of anchovies, replace it with 1 teaspoon of miso paste
- Add a teaspoon or so of a neutral flavored oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, and grapeseed oils are good neutral flavored oil options) to give your dressing a little bit of moisture
Above we have gone over some great options to replace anchovies in caesar salad dressing. From vegetarian options, to some less fishy options, there is an option for anyone when it comes to replacing anchovies in cesar salad.
