14 Store-Bought Caesar Salad Dressings, Ranked Worst To Best

I've always believed dressing can make or break a salad, and creating the perfect pairing between the two is essential if you want an overall positive experience. For example, a classic Italian salad deserves only the best homemade or store-bought Italian salad dressing. When it comes to a basic leafy green or house salad, I most often reach for the creamy, seasoned richness of ranch dressing. But when it comes to Caesar salads? It should go without saying that only the best Caesar salad dressing will do. Unfortunately, not every bottle you find at your grocery store will deliver the bold flavor and medium-thick creaminess you're looking for. So which Caesar dressings should you throw in your cart without hesitation, and which should you leave on the shelf at all costs?

Answering this question would usually require trying each salad dressing one-by-one, weathering the poor experiences and waste of money that inevitably came along with that quest. Thankfully for you, this isn't necessary — I've already gone through the tedious taste-testing process, so you can skip straight to purchasing the best option available to you. I judged each Caesar salad based primarily on taste and texture using my food industry background and other relevant experiences. You can learn more about my methodology at the end of this article. Now, ready to discover your new favorite Caesar dressing? Let's get into it.

Unlike other Caesar salad dressings peppering the bottom of this ranking, my issue with Simply Nature's rendition wasn't that it was terrible. Rather, it had almost no discernible taste, whereas the other lower ranking options at least tasted like something. Instead of a rich dairy or mayo-like profile, the base here felt more like 1% milk and was only slightly thicker than it, too. There was the faintest tang layered in, but it was more like diluted lemon juice instead of the cheese I was looking for. I imagine once it's tossed over some salad, what ghosts of flavor exist would fade behind everything else.

Although this contains milk and eggs, it doesn't include fish like many other Caesar dressings on this list. Every 2 tablespoons grants 70 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 180 milligrams of sodium. You couldn't pay me to eat this again. Honestly, you're better off making homemade Caesar dressing or opting for one of the higher ranking options on this list — one of which is also available at Aldi.

The nice medium thickness was the only positive thing this Bowl and Basket Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing has going for it. While the base may have been a rich, mayo-like profile, it was so overwhelmed with a combination of salt, garlic, and a vinegar tang that it was unpalatable. I'm all about seasoning things — a huge proponent of it, in fact — but there's such a thing as too much. Even worse, heavy artificial tones came through at the end, lingering in my mouth far longer than I would have preferred. I didn't think it was possible, but I disliked this dressing even more than the brand's apple cider vinegar.

In 2 tablespoons of this dressing, you'll get 170 calories, 18 grams of fat, and 260 milligrams of sodium. If you have allergies, you'll want to be aware that this contains fish, eggs, and milk. There's no way I'd buy this again, nor would I be tempted to use it if someone else offered it — even if it were the only available salad dressing.

Wish-Bone is usually a decent salad dressing brand, but I was left incredibly disappointed by its Creamy Caesar. For starters, it was a bit too thick. This is something I could have overlooked had the flavor profile been a bit better. As it stood, this dressing tasted overwhelmingly like garlic, black pepper, and buttermilk exclusively. There were mild artificial notes throughout, which further ruined my experience. Overall, this was another case of "too much of a good thing" combined with what I can only assume are low-quality ingredients and a very flat flavor profile.

Per 2 tablespoons, this dressing contains 190 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 370 milligrams of sodium — which is the highest amount of sodium of any dressing on this list, making it the least suitable for those needing to watch their salt intake. There are allergen warnings for fish, soy, milk, and wheat. I wouldn't buy this again, nor could I be convinced to use it in the future.

I had never tried Cardini's Original Caesar Salad Dressing, but I'd heard good things — none of which really came through for me. This dressing was a little thin, although not quite so much I'd call it watery, and it left an oily coating in my mouth. Although it did have a somewhat eggy, mayo-like base, it was masked by the soybean oil, which came through stronger than I expected. There was also an excessive amount of garlic with a moderate vinegar kick, which was almost okay, but faint artificial tones like overly bitter garlic were apparent throughout. I did detect mild salty and Parmesan notes, but they were very muddled and didn't really add to the overall experience.

This recipe contains fish, egg, and milk ingredients. A 2-tablespoon serving has 140 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 170 milligrams of sodium. I wouldn't buy this again, and I couldn't be tempted to use it if someone else offered it to me.

The problem with this Caesar dressing from Olive Garden wasn't that it was bad — in fact, it had no notable artificial tones to speak of, and nothing in the recipe was incredibly overwhelming. Instead, it didn't taste like anything except maybe mayonnaise that's been diluted with twice as much skim milk. No savory depth, no hallmark tang, and no distinguishable garlic came through during my taste test. I suppose I did catch a few faint salty hints, but even that was like the dressing had simply been in the room with some sodium rather than having it mixed in.

Although this has allergen warnings for fish, eggs, and milk, this dressing is suitable for those needing to follow a gluten free diet. Each 2-tablespoon serving provides 100 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 340 milligrams of sodium. I wouldn't buy this again, nor could I be convinced to eat it if someone else offered it.

Unlike the brand's store-bought thousand island dressing, this Caesar dressing from Aldi's private label simply can't be described as "good." What it did have going for it was an appropriate medium thickness, and a lack of artificial flavors, which is why it ranked above the lower options on this list. But it was salty to the point where I instantly reached for a glass of water after trying a bite. The saltiness was layered over a dominant flavor of mayo diluted with milk like our last dressing, but Tuscan Garden did feel a little less washed out than previous products. There was a weird aftertaste I simply can't describe, but needless to say, I didn't enjoy it.

This dressing contains allergen warnings for milk and eggs, but it's one of the few that doesn't contain any fish. Each 2-tablespoon serving contains 110 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 310 milligrams of sodium. Once again, this is a dressing I would neither buy nor use again — but thankfully, it does get better from here on out.

There was a decent jump in quality between our seventh and eighth picks. After many negative experiences from allegedly better-for-you salad dressings, I didn't expect much from this Chosen Foods Steakhouse Caesar Salad Dressing. But I found myself pleasantly surprised when this featured zero artificial flavors or excessive oiliness. The slightly nutty flavor of the avocado oil did come through, making it taste unique compared to other options on this list. I really enjoy avocados, so this wasn't a downside for me. Over this base was a mild combination of garlic and salt, with an incredibly faint tang of Parmesan cheese. I would have liked these flavor notes to be stronger and more defined.

Every 2-tablespoon serving contains 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 220 milligrams of sodium. Allergens include eggs, milk, and fish. I might eat this again if someone offered it to me, but I would never go out of my way to purchase it.

Great Value doesn't always pull through for me with its products, but its Caesar salad dressing is a perfect example of mediocrity — which, after the legitimately bad options in the bottom of this list, didn't feel like a terrible thing. The mayo-esque base was almost right, tasting only slightly diluted with a milkier profile. This was easy to overlook when the moderate tang and distinct cheesiness of Romano came through nicely, faintly peppered with garlic, and an even fainter sweetness. I would have liked a little more nuance and some stronger undertones, but overall, this fell solidly in "okay" territory.

This dressing lists milk, eggs, and fish as included allergens. Per each 2-tablespoon serving, you'll receive 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 310 milligrams of sodium. I would eat this again if someone offered it to me, but I wouldn't buy it again because there are options I prefer significantly more. However, if you're looking for a private label, budget-friendly Caesar dressing specifically, this is your best choice.

Texturally, Kraft's dressing was wonderful and featured the medium thickness I was looking for. The base was definitively thick and creamy, tasting like mayo without the milky dilution of lower-ranked products. A faint kick of garlic was present throughout, and equally faint notes of tangy cheese came through from start to finish. But that's where the complexity of this dressing ended, which is why it didn't rank higher. Overall, it's just a very plain Caesar dressing without any real zing.

A 2-tablespoon serving of this Kraft dressing contains 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 290 milligrams of sodium. Although it contains allergen warnings for milk and eggs, it doesn't contain fish — which makes it one of few choices appropriate for those with a fish allergy. I would eat this again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it when there are so many better options that are widely available.

Newman's Own Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing was the right medium thickness, with a creamy, mayo-like texture that was largely reflected in the flavor profile. A sharp vinegar punch and moderate saltiness was at the forefront alongside the mayo base. These stronger elements almost (but not quite) overwhelmed a light cheesy bite, mild pepperiness, and faint garlic undertones. If these flavors had been more balanced, this would have ranked much higher. However, the faint complexities got lost bite after bite.

Every 2-tablespoon serving offers 130 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 350 milligrams of sodium. Although this isn't the highest sodium content among these dressings, it's still quite high, which is reflected in the salty flavor profile. Be aware that this also has allergen warnings for fish, eggs, and milk. I would definitely eat this again without hesitation. However, I'll probably stick to purchasing my top three options in the future.

Girard's Caesar Salad Dressing represents the part of the list where we begin to see some level of the nuanced, complex flavors I was looking for. Texturally, this had the perfect medium thickness, with a primarily smooth consistency dotted with obvious bits of pepper and cheese. The base was mayo-like, but with a deep salty savoriness I believe came from the anchovies. This was paired with moderate tangy undertones that were more bright and citrusy than what you'd expect from Parmesan. A faint Dijon mustard and black pepper finish came through at the very end, which was nice. The only reason this didn't rank higher is that I would have liked to see garlic come through, and it would have been nice if some of the undertones were a bit more robust.

This uniquely packaged Caesar dressing contains allergen warnings for eggs, fish, and milk. Per two tablespoons, it has 120 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 320 milligrams of sodium. I would enthusiastically eat this again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it in the future.

The perfect medium thickness here was paired with an unrivaled creaminess that outshined most of the other dressings on this list. The flavor profile tasted very mayo- or egg-forward, which I think enhanced the overall creamy feeling. A strong hit of garlic was the dominant undertone, but it wasn't singular or flat. There was a moderate combination of salty and savory, under which laid a surprisingly subtle cheesy tang. This distinct Parmesan pungency came forward stronger at the finish, offering a bit of nuance instead of all the flavor tones becoming muddled.

A 2-tablespoon serving of this dressing has 170 calories, 18 grams of fat, and 250 milligrams of sodium. There are allergen warnings for milk, eggs, and fish. Without a doubt, I would eat this again in the future. Although it won't be my primary choice going forward, I would buy this if my top two options weren't available.

I was a little hesitant about this dressing for a few reasons. First, I was entirely unfamiliar with the brand. Second, it looked a bit thin in the bottle. But I shouldn't have worried because it turned out to be a truly fantastic dressing. While just slightly thinner than other highly ranked options, it was still moderately thick and creamy. Framed against a mayo-forward base were a strong kick of garlic, moderate distinct Asiago cheese notes, and a mild punch of pepper. As this initial taste faded, a savory, nutty finish came forward.

Reading through the ingredient's list in depth showed me that this dressing contained milk and eggs — this appears to be one of the few that doesn't contain fish (and the highest ranking one, at that). A 2-tablespoon serving contains 150 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 330 milligrams of sodium. Not only would I eat this in the future, but I plan to occasionally buy this again to switch things up from my top choice.

This option from Ken's Steak House tasted like an upgraded version of the brand's standard Caesar salad dressing, which took third place. It was still mayo-forward and exceptionally creamy, although it was the tiniest bit thinner than the standard version. A strong kick of garlic was at the forefront once more, but the way all the flavors presented themselves was very layered, which really elevated the eating experience. As the strong garlic began to fade, it was replaced with a moderate saltiness and vinegary tang. After this, a robust Parmesan cheese flavor came through before a savory finishing tone. I truly have nothing bad to say about this dressing, and I think it represents everything a good Caesar salad dressing should be.

Each 2-tablespoon serving contains 160 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 260 milligrams of sodium. Allergens include milk, eggs, and fish. Moving forward, this will be my new go-to Caesar dressing, and I highly recommend you grab yourself a bottle. Once you do, you'll have zero doubts why this was chosen as the best store-bought Caesar salad dressing.

I chose store-bought Caesar salad dressings for this ranking based on their availability to me near Vineland, New Jersey. I tasted each option from a spoon, one after another, with a palate-cleansing drink between and primarily considered their taste and texture before ranking. I was looking for a medium-thick, creamy dressing with some combination of savory, tangy, and salty notes. Bonus points were given if a dressing featured distinct garlic, sharp Parmesan, or spicy black pepper tones. Although nutritional information is included in the sections above, this wasn't used to determine rankings — instead, it's offered so that those with dietary needs or preferences can make the most informed purchasing decisions.

To make my judgments, I primarily relied on more than 15 years in the food industry (where I regularly made salad dressings from scratch), and previous experience with Caesar, as a fan of the dressing. Prior work creating articles for Daily Meal also contributed. This includes similar dressing-based articles like my ranking of store-bought blue cheese dressing and my ranking of store-bought French dressing. Although personal preference played a role in this ranking, I aimed to be as unbiased as possible about product quality.