Creamy Miso Maple Caesar Dressing

Name: Creamy Miso Maple Caesar Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup full fat mayonnaise; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tablespoons white miso paste; 4 teaspoons maple syrup; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 teaspoons dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese; 3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

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This Creamy Miso Maple Caesar Dressing is a lighter style caesar dressing with a slightly sweet twist. White miso paste adds a sweet and savory, umami depth and maple syrup balances the usual sharp, salty bite of caesar dressing. It comes together in one bowl in just 5 minutes and can easily be made vegan. It goes perfectly with my Brussels sprouts caesar salad but also works great as a dip with my air fryer boneless chicken wings!

Dressing in a jar with a spoon lifting some out.

Quick Look: Miso Maple Caesar Dressing

⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
🍽 Servings: 8 (3 tablespoons per serving)
⚡ Calories: 275 per serving
🔥 Flavor/texture: creamy, sweet and savory with rich, umami flavor.
👌 Difficulty: easy; no blender required.
❤️ Why you'll love: ready in 5 minutes; no raw eggs; easily made vegan.

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Why this recipe works

Traditional caesar dressing gets its rich, salty profile from raw egg yolks and anchovies. The yolks act as the primary emulsifier, while the anchovies or anchovy paste and Worcestershire sauce provide that deep, classic umami flavor. Because this maple miso version skips raw eggs entirely, it relies on mayo for its signature creamy base.

While I kept the Worcestershire sauce in the dressing, I swapped out the anchovies for white miso paste and added maple syrup to balance the acidity from the added lemon juice.

I originally developed this recipe to pair with my Brussels sprouts caesar salad as the sweetness from the maple syrup works to counter the natural bitterness from Brussels sprouts. However, this dressing also works in other caesar salads like my air fryer chicken caesar salad, broccoli caesar pasta salad, and even my vegan kale caesar salad. (I include tips below on how to make this dressing vegan with a few simple swaps)!

Table of Contents

Quick Look: Miso Maple Caesar Dressing
Why this recipe works
Ingredient notes
How to make miso maple caesar salad dressing
Expert tips
Miso maple caesar dressing FAQs
More salad dressing recipes
📖 Recipe

Ingredient notes

Ingredients to make miso maple caesar dressing arranged individually and labeled.

Mayo - Full fat mayo is the base for this dressing. It's the primary emulsifier since we're not using raw eggs. To keep the recipe completely egg-free, you can use plant-based mayo. I've made it this way, and there isn't really any difference in the taste and texture of the dressing.
White miso paste - This is a fermented soybean paste that's rich in umami flavor. It's mildly sweet and salty. I don't recommend substituting with red miso paste as it has a stronger flavor that will overpower the flavor of the other ingredients in the dressing.
Maple syrup - This adds sweetness to the dressing, to balance the acidic and salty ingredients. I don't recommend substituting with honey as it will change the flavor of the dressing.
Dijon mustard - Just a little adds tangy flavor to this dressing. You can substitute with whole grain dijon mustard if you prefer. It will just add a slight grainy texture to the dressing.
Parmesan - A key ingredient for that salty, umami flavor. I prefer to buy the block and grate it myself instead of buying a package of shreds.
Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice works to balance the richness of the mayo. One lemon will yield 4-5 tablespoons. You'll need 4 tablespoons for this dressing.
Garlic - Fresh minced garlic adds better flavor over garlic powder.
Worcestershire sauce - Since we're not using anchovies, a teaspoon works with the miso and parmesan for rich umami flavor.
Oil - I always use a mild flavored extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings. If you prefer a more neutral oil, you can substitute with canola oil.
Pepper - Fresh cracked black pepper is a must for caesar dressings! I used ¾ teaspoon but feel free to add more if you wish.

How to make miso maple caesar salad dressing

Dressing ingredients added to a glass bowl.

Step 1: Add all of the dressing ingredients, except the oil, parmesan and pepper, to a medium-sized bowl.

Most of the dressing ingredients whisked together in a glass bowl.

Step 2: Whisk to combine.

Oil being streamed into the bowl and whisked into the dressing.

Step 3: Slowly stream the oil into the mixture, whisking continuously until fully mixed in.

Parmesan and black pepper whisked into the dressing.

Step 4: Add the parmesan and pepper and stir together until well combined.

Expert tips

Stream in oil. Adding the oil slowly will ensure the ingredients whisk together smoothly and creates a thick and creamy dressing.
Thin out dressing. The dressing isn't overly thick, but if you prefer it thinner, just add 1-2 teaspoons of water.
Taste and adjust. Feel free to add more garlic, lemon juice, pepper or maple syrup to suit your taste. Note that there is no salt included in the ingredient list as the miso, Worcestershire sauce and parmesan already add plenty of salty flavor.

Maple miso dressing in a glass bowl with a spoon lifting some out.

Miso maple caesar dressing FAQs

How can this miso maple dressing be made vegan?

To make this dressing vegan, you can use plant-based mayo instead of regular mayo (like I do with my egg-free caesar dressing). You can replace the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast and just leave out the Worcestershire sauce or use a store-bought vegan version. For another vegan caesar dressing option, you can try my tahini caesar salad dressing.

How should this miso maple dressing be stored and how long will it last?

Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Stir or shake well before serving since it may separate slightly. Note that it does not freeze well because the mayo-based emulsion breaks when thawed.

Why did my caesar salad dressing separate?

This can happen if the oil was added to the base ingredients too quickly or it wasn't whisked together vigorously enough. Slight separation can also happen after the dressing has been stored in the fridge. In my experience, whisking it together again, usually brings the ingredients back together.