I tried 10 different Caesar dressings to find the best one. I’m shocked by which ended up being my favorites.

When it comes to dressing, I don’t think it gets more recognizable than Ken’s Steak House. The company is famous for its dressings and sauces, which are based on in-house recipes from its namesake restaurant that opened decades ago.

Walmart had an entire section dedicated to the brand, which included at least a dozen flavors. Target also carried it, which seemed like a promising sign.

I bought a 16-ounce bottle for $3.49, or $0.22 per ounce.

This dressing had a familiar, classic taste — and I’m convinced every good steakhouse uses Ken’s. With flavors of Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, garlic, and anchovies in well-balanced proportions, it had a signature Caesar taste.

The garlic came in strong without overpowering the cheese, and the anchovies stayed subtle in the background. Texture-wise, it poured easily and coated the lettuce well.

I’d gladly serve Ken’s at a dinner party, but for regular consumption, it felt pretty rich and heavy.

Olive Garden is known for its house salad with an Italian dressing, and its restaurants don’t have Caesar salads on the menu. So, I was extra surprised to also find a Caesar dressing from the chain at the grocery store.

At Walmart, the 16-ounce bottle cost me $3.98, or $0.25 per ounce.

Not only was Olive Garden’s Caesar nose-scrunchingly salty to me, but also it seemed dominated by acidity. Perhaps not surprising considering the ingredients list included two types of vinegar and lemon juice.

The dressing also seemed to have a pungent anchovy flavor, which I also didn’t love, and a consistency that wasn’t very smooth.

To its credit, this dressing had plenty of notes of lemon and black pepper, but I felt the salt, vinegar, and fish overpowered them.

Next time, I think I’d stick to Olive Garden’s Italian dressing.

I don’t follow a vegan diet, but having gone through many dairy-free phases, I have an open mind (and palate).

The front of the Trader Joe’s dressing bottle highlighted surprising, more unconventional Caesar ingredients such as tofu, white miso, and capers.

At $3.99 for an 11-ounce bottle, or $0.36 per ounce, I hoped this pricier pick was worth the gamble.

Rather than Caesar, this umami-leaning dressing reminded me of a miso-ginger option I might find at a sushi restaurant.

This could have something to do with some of the ingredients, like shiitake-mushroom powder, white miso, and a Dijon mustard containing cinnamon and ginger.

Despite the inclusion of tofu, which usually thickens vegan sauces, this dressing seemed to have the most watery consistency of all the ones I tried.

At Aldi, I was looking for a Caesar from its Tuscan Garden private label, which produces dressings, condiments, and other salad toppers.

I saw boxes of buttermilk ranch and Thousand Island dressing, but no Caesar. Clearly popular, I guessed it could be worth the trek to another store.

At my second Aldi location, I found a bottle. Aldi’s dressing was a bargain — only $1.95 for a 16-ounce bottle, or $0.12 per ounce.

Aldi’s Tuscan Garden Caesar dressing delivered the boldest taste of all, especially in terms of fishy, umami flavors.

When I checked the ingredients list, though, anchovies were nowhere to be found. I’m still not sure how this dressing achieved that taste.

Still, it was also bright and peppery with a hint of Parmesan, hitting all the classic Caesar notes. Flavor aside, it had an exceptionally velvety texture.

Overall, this dressing felt like a great value.

At first glance, Brianna’s Asiago Caesar looked like a combination of Thousand Island and poppyseed dressing.

Brown and chunky instead of the typical creamy and white I’d expect from a Caesar, it appeared anything but appetizing. That said, it smelled crisp and tangy with plenty of garlic notes.

The 12-ounce glass bottle cost me $4.44, or $0.37 per ounce — even pricier than Trader Joe’s.

I loved everything about this Brianna’s dressing, though it didn’t taste traditional. Part of this could be the absence of Parmesan.

It was certainly in the Caesar family, but ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce added a special flair. It didn’t even need anchovies to achieve a deep, savory profile.

Perhaps the best part was the shredded Asiago cheese. I always preferred smooth dressings, but Brianna’s changed that.

Since I used to love Kraft mac and cheese, I figured I’d enjoy the brand’s dressing. Plus, like the Brianna’s Caesar I enjoyed, this one also swapped Parmesan for Romano cheese — a sharper alternative.

I found a 16-ounce bottle at Walmart for $3.24, or $0.20 per ounce.

Romano cheese should have given this a unique edge, but nothing about Kraft’s dressing stood out to me. I actually missed the Parmesan.

The only notable elements were the thick consistency and what appeared to be large flecks of spicy black pepper. It seemed more like a dip than a dressing.

At least it was a pretty good deal in terms of price.

I discovered Bolthouse Farms in Walmart’s refrigerated section.

A lot of Caesar dressings I tried had soybean oil as a primary ingredient, so I was surprised to see yogurt (and buttermilk) instead on this one.

It also contained other surprising ingredients, such as sour cream, cheddar cheese, and pineapple-juice concentrate. Needless to say, I was very skeptical.

The 12-ounce bottle cost me $3.78, or $0.27 per ounce.

Somehow, Bolthouse Farms dressing was everything great about regular Caesar, but with a secretly lighter twist — mysterious, given that it included three different types of cheese.

Rather than simply dressing my salad, this version took my taste buds on a journey. It started zesty, then cheesy, then garlicky.

The Asiago, cheddar, and Parmesan all came through, as did the Dijon mustard and vinegar. The latter had a pleasantly understated presence.

This dressing didn’t have anchovies, but in my opinion, it didn’t need them.

I frequently buy dairy, eggs, and pantry items from Great Value, Walmart’s private-label store brand. However, I hadn’t tried its dressings until now.

As I expected, Great Value Caesar was the cheapest dressing I bought at Walmart. At $2.32 for a 16-ounce bottle, its cost came to $0.15 per ounce.

The bottle label said “dressing and dip,” and it certainly delivered on the latter.

Pepper took center stage, followed by mellow Parmesan and Romano. Overall, it had a nice flavor, but with such a thick, dense texture and robust pepper taste, it sounded better on baby carrots.

In terms of flavor, the Great Value Caesar gave me a little Kraft déjà vu, too

I walked past this dressing in Walmart’s produce section for years, but had never picked it up. It looked creamy and I looked forward to finally tasting it and the “real Parmesan” mentioned on the label.

The 13-ounce bottle cost me $3.98, or $0.31 per ounce.

I love Parmesan, but to me, this dressing took it too far. The salt overrode the anchovy, garlic, and vinegars, and it even dulled the cheesy element.

To its credit, this dressing had a nice, creamy texture, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than the powerful cheesy taste.

I wouldn’t buy it again, especially for the price.

Instead of using soybean oil, Primal Kitchen uses avocado oil, which is higher in heart-healthy fats.

This two-in-one dressing and marinade doesn’t contain any anchovies or dairy products, either, so I wondered if it would mimic Caesar well.

After paying $4.97 for an 8-ounce bottle, or a whopping $0.62 per ounce, I sure hoped it would.

Since this version had organic ingredients and more heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, I wanted to like it.

However, the dressing came out in a thick glob, tasted like vinegar (it contains two kinds ofit), and had an overly citrusy finish (probably from the lemon juice).

Unfortunately, this dressing ranked nearly as low as the Caesar from Trader Joe’s for me.

The dressings from Brianna’s and Bolthouse Farms, both full of character, put a cheesy spin on Caesar that I enjoyed.

Ultimately, though, I preferred the one from Bolthouse Farms. It’s the only dressing I’d eat regularly — second to my own, of course.

Not only was it cheaper, creamier, and secretly lighter, but it also captured the true essence of Caesar. Plus, it felt the most balanced. Bolthouse Farms’ offering wasn’t acidic, clumpy, or overpowering, and without anchovies, it certainly wasn’t fishy.

The Goldilocks of salad dressings, it seemed just right to me.