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    Recipes » Salad Recipes

    Caesar Salad

    Published: Sep 4, 2022 by Marissa Stevens · 36 Comments

    Quick Meals

    This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Caesar Salad served on a white plate with knife and fork

    This is my very favorite Caesar Salad recipe. Crisp, hand torn romaine lettuce is tossed in a creamy, classic Caesar Salad dressing made from scratch, then embellished with shatteringly crisp croutons, grated parmesan cheese, and crispy capers. It's heavenly.

    Caesar Salad served on a white plate with a knife and fork.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Caesar Salad
    • Recipe Lore
    • Homemade Dressing is Key
    • What goes into a Caesar Salad?
    • More Classic Salad Recipes to Try:
    • How to Make Caesar Salad
    • Recipe Video
    • Caesar Salad with Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Caesar Salad

    For the Salad, Croutons and Crispy Capers

    • Romaine Lettuce: ideally romaine hearts with fresh, crisp leaves
    • Parmesan Cheese: ideally Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano
    • Capers: ideally non-pareil capers (smaller capers with better texture and flavor)
    • Sourdough Loaf: or other crusty bread
    • Olive Oil: good quality, extra-virgin olive oil

     For the Dressing

    • Lemon Juice: ideally fresh
    • Worcestershire Sauce
    • Egg Yolk: or good quality mayonnaise
    • Anchovy Filets: or anchovy paste
    • Dijon Mustard: good quality, creamy Dijon mustard
    • Garlic: fresh garlic clove
    • Parmesan Cheese: ideally Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano
    • Olive Oil: good quality, extra-virgin olive oil
    • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

    Recipe Lore

    If the story is true, we can thank a rush of unexpected restaurant patrons in 1924 for Caesar Salad. The story goes that an Italian restaurateur in Tijuana, Mexico, Caesar Cardini, was caught off guard by too many customers on the 4th of July. He improvised the few ingredients he had left in the kitchen and tossed them tableside for the serendipitous diners.

    Homemade Dressing is Key

    When I started thinking about creating my own Caesar Salad recipe, I focused on the one key element: Caesar Salad Dressing. Classic ingredients combined in just the right proportions for a reliably delicious dressing: egg yolk, fresh garlic and lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy filets, Dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Quality ingredients matter here because this salad is all about the dressing.

    Caesar Salad Dressing on a spoon

    If you're not sure about using anchovy filets (my favorite brand), feel free to swap in anchovy paste which has a milder flavor (½ teaspoon of anchovy paste for each anchovy filet). But I hope you'll be game to try the dressing with anchovies at least once, you may be surprised. They add a wonderful umami flavor without fishiness (just as they work their magic in Bagna Cauda). Similarly, if you're concerned about eating raw egg yolks, swap in mayonnaise (2 tablespoons of mayonnaise for 1 egg yolk).

    What goes into a Caesar Salad?

    This is largely a classic version of Caesar Salad, just lettuce, traditional dressing (the original didn't have anchovies, but most modern versions consider them a key component) and croutons. But I have twisted the norm on a couple of things: oven crisped capers and oversized croutons. Taking the place of traditional croutons are thin slices of crusty bread drizzled with olive oil and toasted until crisp enough to shatter easily under your fork. And the addition of crispy capers are for spark, little bursts of salty-crisp flavor in every bite.

    More Classic Salad Recipes to Try:

    • Egg Salad (coarsely chopped eggs and just the right amount of dressing!)
    • Spinach Salad (a family favorite for more than 30 years!)
    • Nicoise Salad (the French bistro favorite!)
    • Crab Salad (this one is ALL about the real lump crab)
    • Wedge Salad (just like you order at your favorite steakhouse!)

    How to Make Caesar Salad

    Make croutons and crispy capers: bake capers and thin slices of crusty bread drizzled with olive oil on a baking sheet in a 375˚F oven until crisp. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

    toasted bread slices and capers

    Make Caesar Salad Dressing by combining egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy filets, Dijon mustard and parmesan cheese in a blender pitcher. Blend until smooth then, with the blender running, add olive oil in a steady stream and blend until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    In a large bowl toss hand torn romaine lettuce with dressing, half of the capers and more parmesan cheese until combined. Divide among serving bowls, top with croutons, remaining capers and more parmesan cheese if desired. Serve.

    Caesar Salad ingredients in a white bowl ready to toss
    tossing caesar salad

    Recipe Video

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    Caesar Salad served on a white plate with a knife and fork.

    Caesar Salad with Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

    Marissa Stevens
    Serve this as a side or top it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon for a simple one-dish meal.
    5 from 8 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 301 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Crispy Capers and Croutons:

    • ⅓ cup capers rinsed and patted dry
    • 6 thin slices sourdough loaf or other crusty bread, try for ¼-inch slices
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Caesar Salad Dressing:

    • ¼ cup lemon juice ideally fresh
    • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 egg yolk or 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 2 anchovy filets or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • 1 medium clove garlic minced
    • 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    For the salad:

    • 12 ounces romaine lettuce hearts hand torn into bite size pieces
    • 1 ounce grated parmesan cheese or more

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375°F.
    • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange bread slices on one half of the baking sheet and sprinkle capers in a single layer on the other. Drizzle bread slices with olive oil. Bake 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown and capers are crispy. (Capers may require another 5 to 15 minutes to fully crisp. Remove bread and check capers every 3-5 minutes until crisp.) Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
    • Add all dressing ingredients except oil (lemon juice through Parmesan cheese) to the pitcher of a blender; blend until smooth. With blender running, slowly add olive oil and continue to blend until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    • Place torn romaine in a large bowl. Top with desired amount of dressing, parmesan cheese and ½ of the crispy capers.  Toss to distribute cheese and capers and coat with dressing.
    • Divide salad between 6 large salad plates. Top each salad with one crouton, a sprinkle of remaining capers and more Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve.

    Notes

    1. This recipe makes ample Caesar Salad Dressing, so take care not to overdress. Add less dressing than you think you'll want, toss and add more dressing as needed.
    2. I specify 'hand torn' because using a knife will cause the lettuce to brown at the edges more quickly. Feel free to ignore this and use a knife if you prefer.
    3. You'll want a good bread knife to thinly slice the bread, here are a couple of options - a splurge and a steal.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 7gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 532mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 5075IUVitamin C: 6.6mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 1.7mg
    Keyword comfort food, dinner party, easy, restaurant recipe
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Salad Recipes

    • Pulled Pork Salad
    • Classic Wedge Salad
    • Crab Salad
    • Zucchini Salad with Lemon, Feta and Pine Nuts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. David @ Spiced says

      September 06, 2022 at 5:02 am

      5 stars
      I absolutely love Caesar salad, but I've never made a homemade dressing for it. Clearly it's time to change that! This sounds fantastic. I'm thinking topping this with some grilled chicken or shrimp for a tasty meal this week!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        September 07, 2022 at 10:55 am

        Sounds like a great combo, David!

        Reply
    2. Gianrita Celotti says

      December 14, 2020 at 5:54 pm

      Looks wonderful did you use salted capers?

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 15, 2020 at 9:07 am

        Hi there, Ginarita! I've made this with both salt cured and brined capers and they both work well.

        Reply
    3. Debby says

      April 04, 2019 at 5:19 am

      Looks great. Does the dressing keep in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 04, 2019 at 10:11 am

        Hi Debby! Yes, you can keep the dressing refrigerated for up to a week.

        Reply
    4. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

      November 05, 2018 at 7:11 am

      5 stars
      I love Caesar salad! And the crispy capers and giant croutons you include would just take it over the top. I'm definitely trying this one!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:38 pm

        Yay! Thank you, Kelsie!

        Reply
    5. Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says

      November 05, 2018 at 6:43 am

      5 stars
      We love Caesar salad at my house but I never make my own dressing! I'll bet this is so much better than what I use. Love those crispy toasts too!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:38 pm

        I'm so excited for you to try it, Karen! Thank you for your sweet comment!

        Reply
    6. David @ Spiced says

      November 05, 2018 at 5:53 am

      What a fun story about the origin of Caesar Salad...I've never heard that. Caesar salad is totally one of my go-to salads, and a good one is a thing of beauty! I've never tried my hand at making Caesar dressing, though...and now I want to try it! Sounds delicious, Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:40 pm

        Thanks so much, David! I thought of you when I was writing that Caesar Salad lore, knowing that you're a history buff!

        Reply
    7. Shannon Miskell says

      November 04, 2018 at 6:12 pm

      Wow beautiful salad recipe, one comment I had was make sure not to use wholefoods spanish olive oil or it will not turn out as great! The olive oil was too spicy.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:40 pm

        Thank you, Shannon! It's true that some olive oils are on the spicy side. Thanks for the tip.

        Reply
    8. Liz says

      November 04, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      With crispy capers???! SOLD! My hubby orders this salad whenever we go out, so you've inspired me to start making it more often at home!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:41 pm

        You know that makes me happy, Liz!!

        Reply
    9. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      November 03, 2018 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      A favourite for sure! I always like to make at home cause it's so much better than out. Thank goodness that guy improvised all those years ago 'cause we wouldn't have had this classic 😉 Love the addition of capers here, Marissa! So much flavour in a little package!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:41 pm

        Thanks, Dawn. Yes, so much flavor! Adds that extra 'something'. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      November 02, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      This salad is a thing of dreams, Marissa! When I order a caesar salad at a restaurant, I can only hope it'll come out looking like this. That crisp lettuce, and crunchy croutons! I'm drooling a little. Great recipe, great photos!!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:42 pm

        What a sweet comment, Katherine! Thank you so much!

        Reply
    11. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      November 02, 2018 at 11:14 am

      5 stars
      Caesar salad is my all time favorite salad Marissa! And your recipe does look heavenly! I LOVE the video too!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:42 pm

        Thank you so much, Mary Ann! I hope you give this version a shot!

        Reply
    12. Kevin says

      November 02, 2018 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      Love a crisp, fresh Caesar salad, and the homemade giant crouton, genius!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:43 pm

        Thank you, Kevin!!

        Reply
    13. Jeff the Chef says

      November 01, 2018 at 9:23 pm

      Yum! I love Caesar salad, and have never made it at home. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:43 pm

        My pleasure! Thanks, Jeff!

        Reply
    14. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says

      November 01, 2018 at 6:23 pm

      5 stars
      Caesar salads are such a crowd pleaser, and I usually make one any time we have a large gathering. Being able to top it with a homemade dressing is so important as I try to stay away from the store-bought varieties. Looks delicious Marissa, and I love the crusty thin slices of sourdough that go along with it!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:44 pm

        Thank you, Leanne! I agree completely about bottled dressings - they're just never as good as what you can make at home!

        Reply
    15. Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says

      May 02, 2012 at 1:48 pm

      Caesar salad is one of my weaknesses - I love the giant crouton!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 02, 2012 at 1:52 pm

        Me too, it's thin and crispy - easy to crush up with your fork.

        Reply
    16. Healthy Living Val says

      May 01, 2012 at 2:24 pm

      Loving all the different textures here -- crispy capers, crunchy lettuce and toasted bread!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 02, 2012 at 9:09 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    17. Sarah (Thyme) says

      April 30, 2012 at 5:27 am

      Me too. Love the giant crouton idea! Salad and bread make just about an everyday pairing over here. Your combination with the toasted capers looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 30, 2012 at 10:06 am

        It's amazing how much flavor those little guys have!

        Reply
    18. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

      April 30, 2012 at 2:45 am

      Ooh great idea having the giant crouton! I always love the croutons 😀

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 30, 2012 at 10:04 am

        Thanks Lorraine - yes, love the croutons!

        Reply

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