Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 1 hour
Caesar Salad: A Classic Dish with a Rich History
Caesar Salad is a staple in the world of salads, known for its bold, tangy dressing and crispy, garlicky croutons. Despite its name, the dish is not named after Julius Caesar but rather after its creator, Caesar Cardini. An Italian immigrant and restaurateur, Cardini first crafted the salad in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico. The recipe was a result of necessity, created from available ingredients to feed guests during a busy Fourth of July rush. What began as a simple improvisation quickly gained international fame, becoming a beloved dish worldwide.
A Dressing That Elevates the Greens
The heart of a great Caesar Salad lies in its dressing. By whisking together oils, egg yolks, and cheese into lemon-steeped garlic, we achieved a perfectly emulsified mixture that clings beautifully to the crisp romaine. The blend of extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil provided a balance between richness and neutrality, allowing the bold flavors of garlic, anchovies, and Parmesan to shine. Grating the garlic into a fine pulp before steeping it in lemon juice extracted its sharp yet mellow essence, setting the foundation for the dressing’s complexity.
The Secret to Perfect Croutons
Croutons play a crucial role in providing texture to the salad, and we took extra care to make them extraordinary. We opted for ciabatta bread, whose rustic texture lent itself beautifully to toasting. A light sprinkling of water and salt before baking preserved the bread’s tenderness while ensuring a crispy, golden exterior. The result was croutons with a satisfying crunch yet a delicate, chewy interior—a perfect contrast to the creamy dressing and crisp romaine.
Building the Ultimate Caesar Salad
Achieving a harmonious balance of flavors required precision. We started by emulsifying the dressing ingredients—yolks, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon-steeped garlic—before slowly whisking in the oils and half of the Parmesan cheese. This technique ensured a silky-smooth texture and deep umami richness. The romaine hearts, cut into bite-sized slices and dried thoroughly, provided the perfect canvas for the bold dressing. A final sprinkle of grated Parmesan and a dash of black pepper brought the dish together in a symphony of flavors and textures.
Tips for Success
To enhance the experience, we recommend using a rasp-style grater for turning garlic into a fine paste, ensuring even distribution throughout the dressing. If ciabatta is unavailable, any rustic, crusty loaf will work as a substitute. When preparing anchovies, it’s important to mince them finely and mash them into a paste to seamlessly incorporate their briny depth into the dressing.
A Timeless Favorite
Caesar Salad remains a classic for a reason—it’s a perfect marriage of crunch, creaminess, and umami-packed flavor. Whether served as a starter or topped with grilled chicken or shrimp for a hearty main course, this salad continues to be a crowd-pleaser. By paying attention to the details, from emulsifying the dressing to crafting tender yet crisp croutons, you can elevate this dish into a truly five-star experience.
Ingredients:
CROUTONS:
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, from 1 medium clove
(see NOTES)
1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
(about 5 cups) (see NOTES)
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
SALAD:
3/4 teaspoon garlic paste, from 1 large clove (see NOTES)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 each anchovy fillets, patted dry with paper towels, minced fine, and mashed to paste with fork (1 tablespoon) (see NOTES)
2 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons canola oil
5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 3/4 cup)
1 pinch ground black pepper
3 hearts romaine hearts (pale green leaves) cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices, rinsed, and dried very well (8 to 9 lightly pressed cups)
Instructions:
FOR THE CROUTONS (15 minutes):
Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic paste in small bowl; set aside.
Place bread cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with water and salt. Toss, squeezing gently so bread absorbs water.
Place remaining 4 tablespoons oil and soaked bread cubes in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat, push croutons to sides of skillet to clear center, add garlic/oil mixture to clearing and cook with residual heat of pan, 10 seconds.
Sprinkle with Parmesan; toss until garlic and Parmesan are evenly distributed. Transfer croutons to bowl; set aside.
FOR THE SALAD (20 minutes):
Whisk garlic paste and 2 tablespoons lemon juice together in large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
Whisk Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and egg yolks into garlic/lemon juice mixture. While whisking constantly, drizzle canola oil and extra virgin olive oil into bowl in slow, steady stream until fully emulsified.
Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and pepper to taste; whisk until incorporated.
Add romaine to dressing and toss to coat.
Add croutons and mix gently until evenly distributed. Taste and season with up to additional 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Serve immediately, passing remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan separately.
A combination of extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil gave our Caesar Salad dressing a neutral base. We used a rasp-style grater to turn garlic into pulp, then steeped it in lemon juice. To get all of our recipe’s ingredients to emulsify, we beat the yolks, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce into the lemon juice and garlic, then slowly whisked in the oil and half of the cheese. For our Caesar salad’s croutons, we used ciabatta. Sprinkling the bread cubes with a little water and salt preserved their moistness and ensured they were perfectly tender at the center and browned around the edges after we toasted them.
NOTE:
GARLIC PASTE: The easiest way to turn garlic cloves into a paste is to grate them on a rasp-style grater.
NOTE:
CIABATTA: If you can’t find ciabatta, a similar crusty, rustic loaf of bread can be substituted.
NOTE:
ANCHOVIES: Since anchovy fillets vary in size, more than 6 fillets may be necessary to yield 1 tablespoon of minced anchovies.