Classic Caesar Salad recipe with romaine, bacon, croutons and yes - anchovies. You can leave those out if you want but then it won't be CLASSIC caesar salad, just caesar salad. If you're fine with that, I am too.
I can't rest until I've completely figured out the best way to do something. A lot of times this obsession really starts to rage when the focus is food. I'm just not satisfied with something that's pretty good. It has to be the absolute best version of itself that it can possibly be.
As you can imagine, those around me find this tiresome. Until they need the perfect caesar salad recipe.
Because my homemade caesar salad recipe is going to make them the hit of the pot-luck dinner they're going to and everyone will think they're smarter and prettier and better at math than they really are on account of it. They will appear so impressive in the glow of the caesar salad that almost any number of good things could happen! They could be offered jobs, company cars ... pet monkeys! Anything is possible when you hold the recipe to this crowd favourite.
Table of Contents
Classic Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
So that's what you need to make the best Caesar Salad dressing you've ever made.
Want to make a meal of it? Add grilled chicken for a Chicken Caesar Salad. Although, weirdly, even though I like both chicken and caesar salad, I don't like them together. But you might. Most people do. They're weird like that.
This recipe is made a lot like my mayonnaise recipe using that whole immersion blender technique. Like this ...
How to Make this Caesar Salad Dressing
Just whack your egg into a mason jar and then add all of the other ingredients.
You don't even need to chop the garlic. Just throw the whole clove in there.
Place the base of your immersion blender directly over the egg yolk until the blender is resting firmly on the bottom of the jar. Now turn it on. Don't move the blender! Just leave it pushed down to the bottom of the jar and everything will immediately whirl and emulsify.
Once everything is emulsified you can slowly lift the immersion blender (while holding the mason jar firmly) and it will release it's little tornado-like suction. Blend up and down a couple of times.
Let it sit in the fridge for a day if you can and you're done. (Just like chili, caesar salad dressing is the best the next day.)
Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
Classic Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil OR very light olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 4 tbsps parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon vinegar scant
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ inch Anchovy Paste
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Crack egg into bottom of a wide mouth mason jar or immersion blender jar.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Place the bottom of the immersion blender and blade directly over the egg yolk and press the bottom of the blender to the bottom of the jar. Turn on the blender and let it mix. Once the ingredients are emulsified slowly pull the immersion blender straight up. You will feel a vacuum and then the vacuum seal with break. This technique creates a mayonnaise consistency from your two main ingredients, egg and oil.
- Pour the dressing onto torn romaine lettuce leaves. Mix dressing into the leaves by hand. I mean, you can use salad tongs if you're fancy like that, but mixing it by hand will do a better job of getting all the dressing evenly distributed over the lettuce.
- Top with shaved parmesan cheese, croutons and bacon.
Notes
Nutrition
Like I said, I love my immersion blender for this. It's the only way to go. Mine is similar to this one by Kitchen Aid, although I'm sure the cheaper ones probably work just as well. I do like the way mine and the one I've linked to have a flat bottom which helps create the great suction for emulsifying (as opposed to the style of blender that have more of a prong bottom)
Now if you'll excuse me I have some very complicated math problems to solve whilst watching my pet monkey.
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You can also substitute Miso for those who don't want to eat anchovies.
Hey there, opinion time please! Ok, first a confession, I’ve never gotten around to making your recipe but I had the best of intentions.... 🙄. Yeah I know. Now I’m having company for a deck supper and want to make it so I checked my frig and the never opened tube of anchovy paste’s best before date is May 2018. Would YOU use it? I won’t hold you responsible if anything happens but I don’t want a salad related death either. I frequently ignore that date depending on the item. You may want to reconsider my next dinner invitation 😉.
Any thoughts?
I'm sure it would be fine, but no I wouldn't use it. However, I'm sure you've made and eaten the salad by now, lol. ~ karen!
Thanks. I just happened to come across your response now... no email notification... It matters not since yes, I made the dressing with fresh anchovy paste and it was uhmazing. I decided that it would be thoughtful to not give food poisoning to my guests.
Excellent; the best classic Caesar dressing.
Glad you liked it Deni! And thanks for reviewing. :) ~ karen!
In your original recipe you added a tablespoon of mayo, why not in this recipe. It makes it so much more creamy?
HI Beth! Good eye! I took the mayo out because it really doesn't do anything. I made it over and over again without it and there was no difference. Is your dressing not creamy? ~ karen!
Yes with the mayo is creamy. Love and only use this recipe. Have never found another i like this much thanks.
Thanks for letting me know Beth! ~ karen
OMG. I had given up on caesar salad as I was so grossed out by the over salty and weirdly textured bottled dressings. I made this for a party a few days ago and made a second batch immediately because I liked it so much. It was amazing. In my college days, I worked in a restaurant where we made the tableside Caesar salads. I cringed every time I pulled out those nasty anchovies. The paste made it easier on my more mature palate.
Yes! Glad you liked it! I ate it earlier tonight. :) And thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review. ~ karen!
I haven't ever tried to make this before, mostly because the raw egg squicks me out. Well, that, and it just seemed like it would be difficult and too adult-y. You convinced me and OH BOY! Literally, my 13 year old son would like to move in with you now! As he devoured his salad and giant helping of dressing he exclaimed over (and over, and over) how AWESOME the dressing was (and considering that he took ceasar salad and chicken breast for lunch at school for an entire year, hmm, two years ago? I think he may have some idea of what ceasar dressing should taste like) and how this must be the ONLY dressing we have from now on.
Honestly, I'm trusting you. Mayo is up next!
Hahah! That's great Marisol! Thanks so much for letting me know. (and leaving a review!) Say hi to your son for me and if he likes spaghetti and meatballs, you should try that one next, it's great with the caesar salad!) ~ karen!
This will be my go to Caesar dressing from now on. I didn't have cheese on hand and it was still delicious. Can't wait to try it again with all the ingredients.
That’s great! And thanks for leaving a review! I ate my dinner tonight and cleaned up and was so ticked off when I realized I forgot to make and eat my Caesar salad, LOL.
I made this last night and just had a salad now . . . excellent! I used ACV because I was out of white and left out the anchovies because I'm vegetarian and it was still so, so good. I think I used an exceptionally strong garlic and a half a clove might have been better but my dog still likes me so it can't be that bad.
Thanks so much Nathalie! I'm glad you liked it. And thanks for leaving a rating! It helps give other people confidence that this really is a good recipe when they're searching for one. :) ~ karen!
Amazing! Easy, fresh, and so good. I’ll never buy Caesar salad dressing again.
I’ve tried making mayonnaise in my blender, but your method is the best and it always works. I may never buy mayonnaise again either. Thanks so much.
That immersion blender is a mayonnaise magician! :) ~ karen!
Made it yesterday and waited patiently (sort or) until tonight to use it and it was so worth the wait. This time I did use mayo and even that version is the best I've had since I first tasted Caesar salad on an Alaskan cruise many years ago. My husband was wowed as well. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Oh great! I'm glad you liked it Barb. :) ~ karen!
How long will the dressing keep?
I keep it for 4 days in the fridge. I wouldn't keep it any longer than that due to the raw eggs. I used to keep and use it for a week but I've become more cautious in my old age, lol. ~ karen!
Love the tray. I have more of this silver plate stuff than I can count - everything from flat and footed trays, with and without handles. Coffee pots, tea pots, cream & super sets, all kinds of other serving dishes & bowls of varying sizes. I love them all tarnished and I use them for everything I can think of including as pet food dishes. Thrilled to see your beautiful tray and other things you use and like that I also do.
Ooooh very fancy shmancy with the new photo stylings! Nothin’ like an old silver tarnished tray to kick it up a notch. You’ve been working it. 😅
I was SO excited to make this, even had the same jar! The three heads of romaine in the fridge were calling. Alas— I arrived late to the blender stick conversion so the Breville was too large.
Step one- use a jar that works with your blender stick!!
:-)
P. S. Love a buttery crouton. I make mine in a big cast iron skillet.
I have a math question. 1/2 inch anchovy paste = about how much in teaspoons?
Less than 1/4 tsp! Just a tiny bit. - karen!
My husband is a firefighter and everyone has always said his recipe is THE BEST. It’s essentially identical to yours, but with the addition of an AVOCADO! Makes it even creamier. (Is that a word?) We don’t have an immersion blender. We simply use our Vita Mixer.
Looks so simple and delicious! For someone who’s new to adulting and hasn’t yet invested in a blender (immersion or otherwise), can the ingredients be minced and whisked vigorously or will it not have the same effect?
To do the same thing without an immersion blender (but as soon as you can afford one, buy one because you'll use it all the time and it's way cheaper and more efficient than a cheap blender) you will have to whisk, whisk, whisk. Mince the garlic as tiny as possible. Add all the ingredients other than the oil to a bowl. Then slowly, SLOWLY, whisk in the oil. Slowly add it and whisk until it has emulsified then keep doing that until you've added all of the oil. ~ karen!
Hi Karen, Have you ever tried substituting capers for the anchovies? We use both, but when anyone is visiting that doesn't like anchovies we stick to the capers, very finely minced. They make a pretty good substitute.
I have not! But I do love capers. ~ karen!
Another technique for mellowing out garlic: Slice the clove in half, lengthwise. Pick out the small green shoot part in the center. Your fingernail will work fine. That part contains the "harsh" part of the garlic. Not so important when cooking garlic, but I always do this for raw garlic. My wife claims that doing this has helped in avoiding garlic heartburn! (cutting off the stem end first makes it easier to peel too.)
I know this was posted a while back but I just thought I'd let everyone know that once you make this you will never buy Caesar dressing again. (And you will judge any other restaurant Caesar salad you eat!) this recipe is amazing! I don't mind anchovy paste but I've used filets as well!! Just as good. Everyone must try this!!
I agree about the immersion blender as well. It's almost a must have for salad dressing.