Description
There’s nothing better than a Classic Caesar Salad!
This from-scratch recipe comes to your kitchen from a longtime Caesar salad snob, complete with a thick and creamy homemade dressing, crispy fresh Romaine lettuce, crunchy garlic croutons, and plenty of shaved parmesan cheese—all ready in just 15 minutes or less!
A Caesar lover’s Caesar, it’s the perfect side salad for soup, pasta, pizza, and more!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 head Romaine lettuce OR 2 heads baby romaine or little gem lettuce (approx. 6 ounces), leaves removed and roughly chopped if desired
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan
- 2 cups croutons (highly suggest Homemade Parmesan Croutons)
- ⅓ cup homemade Caesar dressing, below
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for the homemade Caesar dressing:
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ lemon, juiced (approx. 2 tablespoons)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2-3 anchovy fillets OR 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste (see Recipe Notes)
- ¼ cup neutral vegetable oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- 2-3 tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
- Blend the homemade Caesar dressing: To a wide-mouthed jar, add the egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard,Worcestershire sauce, anchovy, and lemon juice. Season generously with ground black pepper. Insert an immersion blender into the jar, submerging it into the egg mixture. With the immersion blender running, very slowly stream in the oils. The mixture will emulsify as you add the oil and blend, transforming into a beautifully thick and creamy dressing.
- Finish the homemade Caesar dressing: Remove the immersion blender from the jar stir in the parmesan cheese. If needed thin the dressing out with a few tablespoons of water, just until your desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with additional salt or ground black pepper as desired. Learn more! ⇢ Thick and Creamy Homemade Caesar Dressing recipe.
- Caesar salad assembly: Just before serving, place the baby romaine or little gem lettuce leaves and sliced shallot in a large bowl. Season with a good pinch of salt and lemon juice, then toss to coat. Add the croutons, grated parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and gently toss to combine well. Season with additional salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately. A classic Caesar salad is the perfect side salad for any of your favorite pasta recipes or soup recipes—you can’t go wrong! Enjoy.
Notes
Jess’ Tips & Tricks:
- Anchovy is an essential ingredient for a classic Caesar salad dressing. For this particular Caesar dressing recipe, feel free to use canned anchovy fillets, though I prefer the convenience of anchovy paste, which is pre-minced anchovy sold in a squeeze tube—a great shortcut ingredient! You can find anchovies and anchovy paste near other tinned fish at most conventional grocery stores – my favorite is DeLallo anchovy paste.
- Anchovy substitutes: If you prefer to make your Caesar dressing without anchovy, feel free to swap it out with a dash of Worcestershire sauce or fish sauce—they taste a little different than anchovies, but they both have similar umami & depth of flavor. You can also give my 5-Minute Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing a try—no anchovies required!
- Dietary restrictions: To ensure your Caesar salad is vegetarian, be sure to use your favorite rennet-free parmesan and swap anchovy with a few dashes of vegan Worcestershire. To take it a step further and make it vegan, opt for your favorite non-dairy parmesan and swap anchovy with a few dashes of vegan Worcestershire.
Portions & Serving Suggestions:
- Portions: As written, this recipe yields a large salad, suitable for feeding 2 as a main dish (perhaps with another add-in) or 4 as a side dish. To feed a larger crowd at a dinner party, feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed using the “Scale Buttons” next to the Ingredients List, above.
- Serving suggestions: A classic Caesar salad is a go-to side salad here at the PWWB House—we enjoy it alongside everything from homemade pizza to our favorite pasta recipes. You can also easily add a protein to make it a little heartier. To keep things simple, toss in some shredded chicken. For a next-level add-in, cube up some Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken or serve with Chicken Meatballs—delicious!
Storage & Make-Ahead:
- Storage instructions: While best enjoyed fresh, Caesar salad leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Enjoy leftovers cold or at room temperature.
- Make-ahead instructions: This Caesar salad is best enjoyed fresh, within a few hours of assembly. If you’d like to make it ahead of time, for meal prep or party prep, I suggest prepping the components in advance. Prepare the Caesar dressing, chop the shallot, and wash the lettuce leaves. Store everything in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. At dinnertime, simply toss together as directed in Step 3, above.