Caesar Salad

Chop up some romaine and shave a pile of parmesan—it's time to make a classic Caesar salad. This crunchy green salad is a timeless favorite because it's simple and full of savory, creamy flavor with plenty of fresh crunch. The ingredient list is short and sweet: just lettuce, croutons, and cheese. The iconic flavor you know and love comes from the luscious, garlicky dressing. But don't worry, making Caesar dressing is as simple as tossing a few ingredients into a blender, and the results are way better than anything sold in a bottle.

By the way, there are plenty of other tasty ways to iterate on the classic. Try chicken Caesar pasta salad, chicken Caesar Milanese, or chipotle Caesar salad with grilled salmon.

What is Caesar salad?

Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant and restaurant owner, invented this salad in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico. Typically, the salad contains romaine lettuce, shredded parmesan cheese, crunchy croutons, and flavorful dressing. In this recipe, the lettuce is chopped into bite-size pieces for mess-free forking. The salty cheese is blended into the dressing, baked onto the homemade croutons, and shaved over the salad to showcase its versatility. You can buy croutons to save time, but you won't regret making them yourself. They're crispy, cheesy, and downright delicious!

What are the ingredients of Caesar salad dressing?

To make this creamy dressing, you'll use a blender to quickly mince fresh garlic and emulsify an egg yolk into olive oil. The result is a thick but pourable dressing that coats every nook and cranny of the romaine. Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce add savory and bright notes. And don't skip the flecks of freshly ground black pepper to add a subtle kick.

Is Caesar salad dressing fishy tasting?

Ree prefers Caesar dressing with plenty of anchovies and no egg yolk for a vinaigrette-style dressing. But if you're not an anchovy fan, this recipe leaves plenty of room for variation; just taste as you go. You can skip the fish altogether. If you prefer grainy mustard over Dijon, spoon it in. Want more cheese? Don't hold back!

Why are my croutons not crispy?

When baking croutons, it's important not to overcrowd the baking sheet. Use a big enough sheet so the croutons aren't piled on top of each other or even touching. That way, each can crisp up on all sides.

Does Caesar dressing contain raw eggs?

Understandably, the idea of consuming raw eggs can make people nervous. However, a raw yolk is essential for the classically thick and creamy Caesar dressing. Just be sure to use pasteurized whole eggs. These have been heated briefly, so they're safer to consume raw, and you can find them in most grocery stores.

You can also coddle the egg yourself. To do so, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Submerge a room-temperature egg in the boiling water for no more than 1 minute. Immediately chill the egg in an ice bath and use it like any other egg. The quick boiling helps kill bacteria without changing the texture of the yolk.