Creamy Parmesan Dressing

Let’s make our easy creamy parmesan salad dressing! This homemade salad dressing recipe is simple to make & delicious on all kinds of dishes!

If you’ve been here a minute, you know I’m a MEGA FAN for all kinds of salads. You’ll also know that I often say “friends don’t let friends eat boring salads.”

Life’s too short for sad, wilt-y lettuce!

Instead, my favorite kind of salad is piles high with mix-ins and toppings, and I love to finish them with one of my favorite salad dressing recipes. I love a tangy Italian vinaigrette, creamy ranch dressing, or classic caesar dressing, or Balsamic Herb dressing. But it’s always fun to try something new!

Lately, I’ve been mixing this Creamy Parmesan Dressing into my rotation! It’s quick and easy to mix up, made from simple, fresh ingredients, and the perfect addition to all sorts of dishes (beyond just salads!).

Here’s what you need to make our easy parmesan dressing recipe…

Simple Ingredients For Creamy Parmesan Dressing:

• Mayonnaise. Good ol’ mayo gives this homemade dressing a creamy base. Use your favorite brand!
• Greek Yogurt. Then, we’ll lighten things up a bit by using some plain Greek yogurt. I prefer using a mix of mayo and yogurt to keep things light without making the dressing too tangy. (Don’t have Greek yogurt? You can use sour cream instead!)
• Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated parmesan please! The pre-grated parm won’t blend in smoothly. A microplane zester makes this easy! Otherwise, use the smallest holes of your grater.
• Fresh Lemon Juice. For some brightness and acidity. (Use fresh instead of bottled or lemon juice concentrate for the best flavor!)
• Worcestershire sauce. Hello umami! This magic ingredient adds layers of flavor in just a few drops. Don’t skip it!
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper. Be generous here–it’ll make a big difference in your dressing and the salads you serve it on!
• Garlic Powder. A little less punchy than the fresh garlic we’d add to Caesar dressing, for instance. Using a more subtle garlic flavor really lets the parmesan shine through.

How To MAke This Homemade Salad Dressing, Step By Step:

1. Combine. In a small bowl or a mason jar, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine.
2. Taste & Adjust. Taste the dressing and add more salt, pepper, lemon juice or parmesan as desired.
3. Thin, If Desired. If the dressing seems too thick, you can thin it out with some water, milk, or buttermilk 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
4. Serve and Store. Use right away or chill to store. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week. For best results, make the dressing a few hours (up to 1 day) in advance to let the flavors develop.

Delicious Ways To USe This Parmesan Dressing:

• Wedge Salad. The first way I ate this creamy parmesan salad dressing was on wedge salad, and it is GOOOOOD. The crispy crunchy lettuce + creamy dressing + toppings = amazing. Such a nice change of pace from blue cheese dressing & perfect for a dinner party! 
• Burgers. Add a dollop of this cool dressing on top of a spicy buffalo chicken burger. The flavors are amazing together!
• Sandwiches & Wraps. A little bit of this flavorful dressing adds gorgeous flavor to caesar salad wraps, grinder sandwiches, and more. The flavors go especially well with turkey, chicken, and veggie options!
• Veggie Dip. Or, go classic and use this as a parmesan veggie dip! It’s delicious with carrots, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, and more.
• Dipping Sauce! Or, for that matter, you can also use it to dip Crispy Chicken Tenders, chicken nuggets, or Crispy Smashed Potatoes. It’s delicious!
• Chopped Salad. Or, add a little creaminess to your favorite chopped salad! It’s a great alternative in this Caesar salad, or you can add it to Italian Chopped Salad, the tiktok grinder salad, garden salad, and more. (Especially with homemade croutons!)
• Chicken Salad. You can also swap the mayo in chicken salad with this parmesan dressing! It’s delicious with celery and chopped pecans.
• Caesar Salad. This parmesan dressing is a great swap for classic Caesar salad dressing! Mix it into some romaine lettuce with fresh parmesan and some homemade croutons, and you’re in business!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Parmesan Dressing:

Use Freshly Grated Parmesan! I know it’s tough to beat the convenience of pre-shredded parmesan cheese, but it makes a BIG DIFFERENCE in your dressing. Pre-grated parmesan is too thick and won’t blend smoothly into your dressing. For the best texture, use freshly grated parmesan.

Make It In Advance. This dressing tastes extra amazing when it has a little time to develop the flavor. Feel free to make it up to a day in advance! I usually like to give it at least an hour or two, or make it in the morning when I plan to eat it in the evening.

Substitutions & Variations.

• Parmesan Cheese – You can swap in romano cheese or asiago cheese instead!
• Lemon juice – I’d recommend a vinegar, like red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• Greek yogurt – sour cream can do in a pinch!

⭐ Don’t forget to leave a star review and comment below when you make our Creamy Parmesan Dressing recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

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