Caesar Salad
intro
Crisp romaine tossed in creamy umami anchovy dressing, topped with crunchy homemade croutons and shaved parmesan for a timeless, fresh, satisfying salad.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare and Bake Croutons
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Toss the 150g of 2cm sourdough cubes with 30ml (2 tablespoons) of olive oil, 5g (1 clove equivalent) of the minced garlic, and 1g (1/4 teaspoon) of kosher salt until evenly coated. Spread the bread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake for 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp, flipping the croutons with a spatula at the 5-minute mark to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool fully.
Mix Caesar Dressing Base
While the croutons bake, prepare the dressing base in a medium glass mixing bowl. Add the 30g mashed anchovy fillets, remaining 10g (2 clove equivalent) minced garlic, 15g Dijon mustard, 60g mayonnaise, 5ml Worcestershire sauce, and 30ml fresh lemon juice. Whisk steadily for 1 minute until the mixture is completely smooth, with no visible lumps of anchovy or garlic.
Whisk Dressing Until Smooth
Continue whisking the dressing base at a steady pace, and slowly stream in the remaining 50ml of olive oil to create a smooth, emulsified consistency. Once all oil is incorporated, stir in 20g (1/4 cup) of finely grated parmesan, 1g (1/4 teaspoon) black pepper, and remaining 1g (1/4 teaspoon) kosher salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then set the dressing aside.
Wash and Dry Romaine Lettuce
Wash the 600g of chopped romaine lettuce thoroughly under cold running water, then spin completely dry in a salad spinner to remove all surface moisture (any remaining water will thin the dressing and cause it to slide off leaves). Transfer the fully dry romaine to a large, wide serving bowl.
Toss Salad to Coat Evenly
Drizzle 3/4 of the prepared Caesar dressing over the dry romaine, then toss gently with salad tongs for 20 seconds to evenly coat every leaf. Add the fully cooled croutons and 40g of the shaved parmesan, then toss lightly for an additional 10 seconds to distribute ingredients, taking care not to crush the croutons or bruise the delicate romaine leaves.
Top and Serve Salad
Top the tossed salad with the remaining 20g of shaved parmesan, a light crack of fresh black pepper, and drizzle with the reserved dressing if desired. Serve immediately, before the croutons lose their crisp texture and the romaine wilts.
Tips
2.Wait until croutons are fully cooled to add them to the salad: warm croutons will wilt the romaine and melt the dressing, leading to a soggy, unappetizing texture.
3.For a vegetarian adaptation, replace the anchovy fillets with 30g (2 tablespoons) of rinsed, mashed capers and use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce to replicate the signature deep umami flavor without fish.
OMG this Caesar is SO good! I made it for our Sunday family dinner and even my super picky 8 year old asked for seconds. The homemade dressing is a total game changer, no more store-bought gloop for us! I added a little extra parm because we’re cheese obsessed over here. 10/10 will make again for our next neighborhood potluck.
Super easy recipe that took me exactly 20 minutes like it said, no fancy equipment needed. I was worried I’d mess up the anchovy paste part but it blended right in and added that perfect umami kick I miss from takeout Caesar. Will be adding grilled chicken to this for my work lunches this week.
This is solid! I used sourdough croutons I made from leftover bread instead of store bought and it elevated the whole thing. The dressing has just the right amount of garlic, not overpowering at all. Great go-to weeknight side.
My kids loved it!!! I was shocked because they usually turn their noses up at any salad that isn’t drowning in ranch. I skipped the raw egg because I was nervous about serving it to little kids, used a little extra mayo to make up for it, and it still turned out chef’s kiss.
Made this after a long day on the trails last weekend, it was light but satisfying enough after burning a ton of calories. I tossed in some roasted cherry tomatoes from my garden and it slapped. Only knock is I wish I made a double batch because it was gone in 10 minutes.
Super versatile base recipe! I swapped the parm for nutritional yeast and used vegan Worcestershire to make it plant-based for my sister who’s vegan, and even the non-vegans at the table went back for seconds. So easy to tweak for different diets without losing that classic Caesar flavor.
Quick, easy, no frills Caesar that hits the spot. I keep all the dressing ingredients stocked in my pantry now so I can throw this together on nights I don’t feel like putting a ton of effort into dinner. Way better than the bagged salad kits from the grocery store, and almost as fast.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and people were begging me for the recipe! Multiple people said it was the best Caesar they’d ever had, and I didn’t even tell them how simple it was to make. The crouton recipe alone is worth making, they’re so crispy and garlicky.
I’ve been making Caesar salad for over 40 years, and this recipe is almost as good as my old standby! I added a tiny squeeze of extra lemon like I always do, and it was perfect. My grandkids devoured it when they came over for Sunday supper.
Tried this for date night with my partner last night, paired it with some steak and a bottle of chardonnay, and it felt like a fancy restaurant meal for a fraction of the cost. The dressing is so creamy and flavorful, I will never buy bottled Caesar dressing again.
Solid easy recipe, but I felt like the dressing was a little too garlicky for my taste when I followed the measurements exactly. Next time I’ll cut the garlic back to one clove instead of two, other than that it was great! The croutons were chef’s kiss, no notes there.
Great for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday, kept the dressing, croutons, and chopped romaine in separate containers, and had fresh Caesar salad for lunch all week. Saved me so much money on takeout salads, and it tasted way better too. Will be on my regular meal rotation from now on.
Made this for my roommates last night and we all agreed it’s better than the Caesar from the Italian place down the street that charges $15 for a side salad. I didn’t have anchovy paste so I used a dash of fish sauce instead and it worked perfectly, no weird fishy taste just that deep savory flavor. So easy even for a college kid who barely knows how to boil water lmao