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On its own, Caesar salad is at the top of our list of favorite sides, but it's also the perfect vehicle for adding a little extra protein to make it a main. Though we often associate Caesar salad with the Roman emperor, it was actually created by an Italian restaurateur named Caesar Cardini while living in Mexico. Like many recipes, the Caesar salad was created out of desperation. During a busy dinner rush, Cardini threw together a salad with what he had left in the kitchen, which was Parmesan cheese, olive oil, anchovies, and garlic. Thus, the classic Caesar was born. My classic recipe centers around crisp romaine, salty shaved Parm, and crunchy homemade sourdough croutons tossed in a creamy, cheesy, umami-packed Caesar dressing (psst—it's the key to the best-ever Caesar). Ready to perfect this staple salad? Read on for everything you need to know about the recipe.
Place rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 375°. Then, in a large bowl, toss the sourdough bread pieces, oil, salt, and pepper, until every piece is coated.
Spread the bread pieces on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and light golden brown.
While the croutons are toasting, we can get started on the dressing. So, in a medium bowl, whisk to combine the anchovies, garlic, egg, lemon juice, and Dijon. My top tip for this? Wrap a kitchen towel around the base of the bowl to keep it steady while whisking.
Once combined, slowly stream in some oil while whisking until the dressing is thick and creamy. This can also be done with an immersion blender or in a small food processor.
Once the dressing is combined and creamy, stir in some Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Season to taste with salt.
Toss the chopped romaine with salt in a serving bowl. Then, add the shaved Parmesan and croutons to the bowl with the lettuce and toss with 1/3 cup dressing.
Toss to fully combine, then serve the salad along with the remaining dressing. If you desire, top with more freshly cracked pepper when serving.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Caesar salad is best eaten right away, but it will keep in the refrigerator (without the dressing) for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Also, remove the croutons before storing and top with fresh croutons before eating.
torn sourdough bread (1/2" pieces)
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped
large egg yolks
garlic cloves, grated
Dijon mustard
fresh lemon juice
neutral oil
finely grated Parmesan
freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
heads of romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
kosher salt
shaved Parmesan
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