Guilt-Free Caesar-Style Dressing

I couldn’t find a good image of a Caesar salad without croutons and cheese, surprise, surprise…LOL

Guilt-Free Caesar-Style Dressing

Craving a Caesar salad but want to stay On-Protocol? This lightened-up Caesar dressing is the perfect way to indulge without compromise. Creamy and flavourful, this dressing pairs beautifully with a chicken or prawn Caesar salad, delivering all the satisfaction you love while keeping your meals lean and clean.

With only 13 calories per 2-tablespoon serving, it’s a fantastic option for your favorite greens or as a zesty dip for vegetables. It may not be the heavy, classic Caesar of your dreams, but it’s a guilt-free way to elevate your meals and hit your daily nutritional targets. Prep a batch to keep your salads exciting all week long—because delicious doesn’t have to mean off-track.

Ingredients (Makes about 1 Cup)

  • 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

  • 1 tsp minced garlic (about 1 clove)

  • 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

  • 2 tsp grainy Dijon mustard

  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Water as needed to adjust consistency

Method

  1. Using an immersion blender, food processor or blender, purée all ingredients together, adjusting consistency with water as needed.

  2. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, then mix well again.

  3. Dressing should keep, refrigerated, until the “best before” date of your cottage cheese, but I would aim to use it within a week of making it for the best flavour.

Nutritional Info

For the Full Recipe:

  • Calories: ~150 kcal

  • Protein: ~27 g (108 kcal, ~72% of total calories)

  • Fat: ~1 g (9 kcal, ~6% of total calories)

  • Total Carbohydrate: ~13 g

    • Fiber: ~0.5 g

    • Net Carbohydrate: ~12.5 g (50 kcal, ~33% of total calories)

Per 2 Tablespoon Serving:

  • Calories: ~13 kcal

  • Protein: ~2.3 g (9 kcal, ~72%)

    • Estimated palm-size portions: ~0.1 (1 palm = 20-30 g protein)

  • Fat: ~0.1 g (1 kcal, ~6%)

    • Estimated thumb-size portions: ~0.01 (1 thumb = 10-15 g fat)

  • Total Carbohydrate: ~1.1 g

    • Fiber: ~0.04 g

    • Percentage of daily fiber intake:

      • Women under 50: ~0.16%

      • Men under 50: ~0.13%

      • Women over 50: ~0.18%

      • Men over 50: ~0.14%

    • Net Carbohydrate: ~1.1 g (4 kcal, ~33%)

    • Estimated cupped-palm portions: ~0.05 (1 cupped palm = 20-30 g net carbs)

  • Non-Starchy Vegetables: None in this recipe.

This nutritional analysis is an estimate only, based on available knowledge regarding the nutritional content of the individual ingredients. Nutritional content of foods is HIGHLY variable, so you should always base your dietary intake on whether it meets your needs and progresses you towards your goals rather than any theoretical numbers on paper.

Notes and Options

  • If you want to use this both as a dip and a dressing, you can leave it thicker (as a dip) and thin your individual portion with water when you want it to be more of a dressing.