Caesar Dressing without Anchovies

This Caesar Dressing without anchovies is perfect for vegetarians or anyone loving an easy homemade dressing. Pair it with our Italian-style roasted veggies for an easy meal prep or weeknight meal!

Why Make Caesar Dressing without Anchovies

Homemade Caesar Dressing tastes SOOO much better than store bought. Our version is fresh, bright and completely devoid of any fish-y taste. It is easy to make and will make you never want to buy bottled dressing again. This version pairs perfectly with these roast vegetables for an easy, fresh dish.

Ingredients in this Caesar Dressing without Anchovies:

• Mayonnaise: Use a good quality mayonnaise that you enjoy the flavor of, I used this one
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: For this recipe you will need grated, not shredded parmesan cheese. Grated is the parmesan that is normally sold in jars.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is really best to give your dressing the optimal flavor; however, if you do not have fresh lemons available, bottled lemon juice will work.
• Garlic: Much like the lemon juice, freshly grated garlic will yield the best flavor
• Red wine vinegar
• Capers: Capers add so much flavor to this Caesar dressing and replace the salty/briny flavor that would have come from the anchovies. They are a key component to being able to make this Caesar dressing without anchovies taste like a traditional Caesar dressing.
• Salt and pepper

What Veggies did we pair with this Caesar Dressing without Anchovies?

• Cremini or baby bella mushrooms
• Red onion
• brussels sprouts
• grape tomatoes
• butternut squash

How to Make Italian Roasted Vegetables?

Begin by prepping all of the vegetables. Quarter the squash cubes, halve the tomatoes, halve and thinly slice the onion, finely chop the capers. Halve the lemon. Shred the brussels sprouts.

Toss the butternut cubes and mushrooms with the spices and olive oil, salt and pepper. Put in an even layer and roast.

On another baking sheet. Toss the brussels sprouts shreds with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil and cook the onion to done. Add the tomatoes and garlic powder and cook around 5 minutes until warm and jammy. Add some salt and pepper.

Make the sauce by combining the mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon juice, capers, salt and pepper and stir to blended.

How to store leftover Homemade Caesar Dressing:

Place any leftover dressing in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ways to use this Homemade Caesar without Anchovies:

• With veggies: As we suggest here, I find this dressing a great spread for pairing with roasted veggies. It makes for a super easy meal prep option that keeps very well.
• Tacos: Following on our first suggestion, I love to wrap the roasted veggies in a small flour tortilla. Drizzle with the Caesar dressing and enjoy. This would also be a great sauce to mix up traditional beef or chicken tacos.
• As a dip: Caesar dressing makes a delicious dip for vegetables, crackers, or breadsticks. Simply serve the dressing in a small bowl alongside your favorite dippable foods.
• As a marinade: Caesar dressing can be used as a marinade for chicken, fish, or vegetables. Coat the food in the dressing and let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking.
• As a sandwich spread: Use Caesar dressing as a spread for sandwiches, wraps, or paninis. It adds a creamy and tangy flavor that pairs well with a variety of fillings.
• As a pizza sauce: Replace tomato sauce with Caesar dressing on your pizza for a unique and flavorful twist. Top with chicken, bacon, and Parmesan cheese for a classic Caesar salad-inspired pizza.
• As a pasta sauce: Toss cooked pasta with Caesar dressing for a quick and easy pasta salad. Add grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and chopped romaine lettuce for a complete meal.
• As a topping: Drizzle Caesar dressing over grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or baked potatoes for a burst of flavor.

What to serve with these Italian Roasted Veggies with Caesar?

While this dish is intended for meal prep, making it a meal on its own, you could easily also serve it as a main dish. Here are some ideas of what would be great:

• SOUP
  • This Copycat Panera Tomato Soup would be great with these roast veggies.
• BREAD
  • Some Spicy Cheese Bread would make a great base for a sandwich using the roast vegetables and using the Caesar dressing without anchovies as a sauce.
• PASTA
  • A simple pasta such as these Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles would be a nice match for the veggies.

Italian Roasted Veggies with Homemade Caesar Dressing (no anchovies)

Anne

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

For the Caesar Dressing without Anchovies

• 2 Tablespoons capers
• 3 ounces mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lemon juiced

For the Italian Roasted Veggies

• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms halved or quartered
• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 8 ounces grape tomatoes
• 8 ounces butternut squash cubes
• 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon dried fennel
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 450.
• Chop the squash, wipe the mushrooms clean and quarter. Peel, quarter, and thinly slice the onion. Halve the tomatoes and the lemon. Finely chop the capers.
• Stir together all of the spices. Place the squash and mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with the seasoning mix. Roast until mushrooms are golden and the squash is softened, around 18 minutes.
• Shred the brussels sprouts in a food processor. Place them on a baking sheet and coat with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer until browned and crispy, 12-15 minutes.
• Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes and cook, breaking up the tomatoes, until jammy, around 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Combine the mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, juice of 1 lemon, the red wine vinegar, the capers and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Divide the dish between the meal prep boxes. Add 1/4 of the brussels to the end of each box. Follow by the squash & mushroom mixture and then the tomato & onion mixture. Divide the sauce among 4 small ramekins.

Keyword Caesar