How many Caesar salad recipes can there be? This easy Caesar salad recipe with homemade dressing is an original take on a classic recipe. We debated long and hard about whether to make a classic dressing using raw eggs and olive oil. But in the end, to make this easy for the home cook, we chose mayonnaise as a base, but added pasture raised egg yolk to the dressing to vastly improve the flavor.
Table of Contents
I learned how to make and present Caesar salad table side early in my hospitality career. We started the table side show by mashing anchovy fillets with a pinch of Kosher salt and minced garlic into a large wooden bowl. Then cracking raw eggs to the mix.
Slowly drizzling extra virgin olive oil into the bowl and whisking the mixture until emulsified require some hands and eye coordination. Then a little Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and fresh squeezed lemon.
The guests were really entertained as we tossed the salad and added croutons, Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper from a foot long pepper mill. A waiter would then fill chilled salad plates with salad and offer the guest more cracked black pepper and shaved Parmesan. The show was always a hit!
What You Will Need For Caesar Salad
For this, much easier Caesar salad recipe, you will need: Romaine lettuce hearts, croutons, mayonnaise, eggs, Parmesan cheese, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
The ingredient list for this easy to make Caesar salad may seem longer than you expected, but the result will be well worth it, I promise!
Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
Start making the best Caesar salad you’ve ever had by roasting 1 head of garlic. You can find a recipe for roasted garlic here: Oven Roasted Garlic.
Peel the garlic after it’s roasted and separate 6 cloves. Mash the roasted garlic cloves (6) into a paste. Add anchovy pate (3 tsp) to the garlic paste and mash together.
In a bowl combine mayonnaise (1 cup), pasture raised egg yolk (1), Parmesan cheese (2 tbsp), anchovy garlic clove paste, Worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon), Dijon mustard (1 tsp), lemon juice (1 tbsp) salt (¼ tsp) and freshly cracked back pepper (¼ tsp). Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the lettuce.
If you noticed, we used mayonnaise in this recipe for Caesar dressing as an easy recipe shortcut. By adding in 1 egg yolk to the dressing recipe, we can bring an authentic rich taste to the dressing that matches the flavor of a scratch Caesar dressing.
How To Make The Best Caesar Salad
Separate, wash and dry romaine hearts (3 heads), then split each leaf down the middle and cut the romaine leaves into 1 inch pieces.
Place the romaine in a large bowl and add Caesar dressing (½ cup), Parmesan cheese (2tbsp) and croutons (1 cup). You can find a recipe for great Caesar salad croutons here: Parmesan and Garlic Butter Croutons.
Toss the salad so that all the romaine salad pieces are coated nicely. Present each salad by garnishing the salad with more Parmesan, croutons and freshly cracked pepper.
Variations On A Theme
Once you have mastered this easy recipe for a great Caesar salad and the best Caesar salad dressing, then salad for lunch and dinner may be on the table. Try these menu variations next time you are hungry for salad and want something more creative than a plain Caesar salad
Caesar Salad with Bacon
Follow the basic recipe for dressing and romaine. Cook bacon strips for 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven until crispy. Remove from the oven and blot the bacon with paper towels. While the bacon and chop roughly into 1 inch pieces and top the Caesar salad with the crispy bacon bits.
Caesar Salad with Chicken
Brush a boneless skinless chicken breast with olive oil or grapeseed oil. Season the chicken breast with salt, pepper and your favorite spices. We like to use Mexican seasoning for a smokey flavor. Cumin, garlic and chili powder will do nicely.
Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator while you prepare your salad using the basic recipe for Caesar dressing, croutons and romaine.
Grill the chicken breast for 8 minutes on each side until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Slice the chicken into strips and lay the breast across the top of your Caesar salad while the chicken is still warm. Drizzle a little dressing on top of the chicken and finish with black pepper and Parmesan cheese as a garnish
Ingredients
Caesar Salad
- 3 heads Romain lettuce hearts chopped
- 2 cups Croutons
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Homemade Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 6 cloves Roasted garlic
- 3 tsps Anchovy paste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Combine roasted garlic (6 cloves) with anchovy paste (3 tsp) and mash together to make an anchovy garlic paste.
- In a bowl combine mayonnaise (1 cup), pasture raised egg yolk (1), Parmesan cheese (2 tbsp), anchovy garlic clove paste, Worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon), Dijon mustard (1 tsp), lemon juice (1 tbsp) salt (¼ tsp) and freshly cracked back pepper (¼ tsp). Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the lettuce.
- Separate, wash and dry romaine hearts (3 heads), then split each leaf down the middle and cut the romaine leaves into 1 inch pieces. Place the romaine in a large bowl and add Caesar dressing (½ cup), Parmesan cheese (2tbsp) and croutons (1 cup).
- Toss the salad so that all the romaine salad pieces are coated nicely. Present each salad by garnishing the salad with more Parmesan, croutons and freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
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