Classic Caesar Salad Recipe with Homemade Dressing
Caesar salad is a timeless classic that never goes out of style. This caesar salad recipe shows you how to make it from scratch. The homemade dressing is creamy tangy and so much better than bottled versions.
Fresh Salad Components
The foundation of any good caesar salad recipe is crisp romaine lettuce. Choose heads that are firm and bright green. Fresh lettuce makes all the difference. You also need good quality parmesan cheese and crunchy croutons.
What You Need
- Two heads romaine lettuce
- Half cup grated parmesan cheese
- Two cups homemade croutons
- Three garlic cloves
- Two egg yolks
- Two tablespoons lemon juice
- One teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Half cup olive oil
- Four anchovy fillets
- Salt and black pepper
Making the Dressing
The dressing is what makes this caesar salad recipe special. In a food processor or blender add garlic cloves anchovy fillets and egg yolks. Blend until smooth. The anchovies give authentic flavor so do not skip them.
Add lemon juice and Dijon mustard to the mixture. Blend again for a few seconds. With the blender running slowly drizzle in the olive oil. This creates a thick creamy emulsion.
The dressing should be smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust the flavors. Some people like more lemon and some prefer more garlic.
Assembling Your Salad
Wash the romaine lettuce thoroughly and dry it completely. Tear the leaves into bite sized pieces. Put them in a large salad bowl. Pour about half of the dressing over the lettuce.
Toss the salad gently with clean hands or salad tongs. Make sure every leaf gets coated with dressing. This caesar salad recipe is all about the perfect coating. Add more dressing if needed but do not overdress.
Add the croutons and half of the parmesan cheese. Toss again gently. Transfer to serving plates and sprinkle remaining parmesan on top. Add extra black pepper if desired. Some people like to add grilled chicken for a complete meal.
Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp and the croutons are crunchy. This caesar salad recipe makes enough for four people as a side dish or two people as a main course. Enjoy this restaurant quality salad at home anytime.
