Crisp romaine lettuce with garlicky anchovy dressing, homemade croutons and shaved Parmesan — the timeless steakhouse salad.
Caesar salad was invented in 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian-born restaurateur who ran a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, catering to Americans crossing the border during Prohibition. The original dressing used whole egg, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan — no anchovies, which were added by later cooks. The genius of the Caesar is that a small number of bold ingredients — anchovy umami, garlic punch, lemon acid, Parmesan richness and crunchy croutons — create a dressing of exceptional depth and complexity. It is one of the most widely eaten salads in the world and one of the few dishes where the dressing is the centrepiece.
Serves 4
Toss bread with olive oil and halved garlic. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes until golden. Season with salt.
Whisk together minced garlic, anchovies, egg yolks, mustard, Worcestershire and lemon juice.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify into a creamy dressing.
The anchovies dissolve into the dressing — you won't taste fish, only umami depth.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Add more lemon to taste.
Toss romaine with dressing until every leaf is lightly coated. Top with croutons and shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.
The anchovies dissolve into the dressing — you won't taste fish, only umami depth.
For food safety, use pasteurised eggs or substitute 2 tbsp mayo for raw yolks.
Add grilled chicken breast for a more substantial meal.
Substitute kale for romaine for a heartier, longer-lasting salad.
Use a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce and omit anchovies for a vegetarian version.
Dressing keeps 4 days in the fridge. Dress the salad only just before serving.
Caesar Cardini invented his namesake salad on 4 July 1924 in Tijuana to serve a rush of American customers with whatever he had on hand. His daughter Rosa later recalled watching him toss the salad tableside at the original Caesar's Restaurant. The dish was declared a perfect recipe by the International Society of Epicures in Paris in 1953.
You can, but homemade dressing is dramatically better — the fresh garlic, real anchovies and properly emulsified egg yolk create a depth of flavour no bottled version can match.
The risk from raw eggs is low but real. For safety, use pasteurised eggs, or replace the egg yolks with 2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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