I got in BIG trouble with the cousins when I shared this treasured family recipe. I guess when they said "secret", they meant it. 🙈 It's a staple at family functions and it's the only green salad my kids regularly request.
The magic is in the zesty homemade Caesar salad dressing with lots of garlic and lemon.
Ryan's family is also the source of our beloved kifle cookie recipe. I married into some great food!
Quick Look: Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
A four-generation family recipe built on bold garlic dressing, two kinds of parmesan, and homemade croutons.
🥬 Prep Time: 25 minutes
⏲️ Total Time: 25 minutes
🍽️ Servings: 8
🧀 The Cheese: Two kinds of parmesan, shredded and grated from the same block
🧄 Garlic: Bold and unapologetic, scale back if you're in mixed company
🐟 Anchovies: Optional, Worcestershire gives you that umami depth without them
💚 Difficulty: Easy, no cook
Click to have AI save and analyze this recipe and provide assistance as you go:
What Goes Into a Classic Caesar Salad
A great Caesar salad doesn't need much. Just a few quality ingredients done right. This is the foundation our family has used for four generations, and it's stood the test of time for good reason.
Crisp Romaine lettuce is the classic choice for Caesar salad. The sturdy leaves hold up to the rich dressing without getting soggy. That said, we've absolutely used other greens when that's what we had on hand. Tender kale or shredded cabbage both work surprisingly well.
Fresh Parmesan is non-negotiable. We always grate it fresh from a block. Those pre-shredded bags have anti-caking agents that really dull the flavor. The sharp, salty bite of real Parmesan is what makes a Caesar taste like a Caesar.
The dressing is where four generations of tweaking comes in. It's built on simple pantry staples: good olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, egg yolks (or mayo for the easier version), Worcestershire sauce for that salty umami punch, and salt and pepper.
Homemade croutons make all the difference. Just toss day-old bread with olive oil and garlic, then bake until golden. That crunchy contrast is key. Or use your favorite store-bought. I love the croissant croutons from Trader Joe's.
*A note on anchovies*: traditional caesar dressing does include them, and purists will argue they're non-negotiable for that signature briny, umami depth. In our family we're divided. My mother-in-law and I make it without, relying on Worcestershire sauce for that savory punch. Worcestershire already contains anchovies, so you're not entirely escaping them. Ryan loves the full anchovy route and adds fillets directly to his bowl when we have them in the pantry. If you want to try the traditional version, add one teaspoon of anchovy paste to the dressing.
Garlic Lovers
It is a flavor-packed dish because the dressing has a healthy dose of garlic. If you're in mixed company, maybe scale back on the garlic cloves. But, if you want to keep the vampires away, this recipe will rock your world.
I use a microplane to grate the garlic finely, but you could mince it with a knife or use a garlic press.
Preparing Lettuce for Caesar Salad
Romaine is the traditional lettuce for Caesar salad. I always go for fresh lettuce and cut it myself. The bagged stuff isn't really "my bag."
I personally chop lettuce with a regular chef's knife, but my mother-in-law is a die-hard tear-it-by-hand type. Other people swear by using a special lettuce knife because it doesn't bruise the lettuce.
How to Make Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
The dressing is easy to make. I drop all of the ingredients into a mason jar and shake to mix.
Be sure to use fresh lemon juice because it's such a significant percentage of the dressing. I've had people report back negative results after using the bottled lemon juice, because, well, that stuff ain't fresh.
The dressing is also wonderful on other things. I use it as a dipping sauce, drizzle it on veggies, and use it as a sauce for other entrees.
Does Caesar Dressing Have Raw Eggs?
Traditional Caesar Salad does contain raw eggs. If you're concerned about egg safety, you can buy pasteurized eggs at the store.
I use the regular ones and our family has been enjoying this recipe for decades without incident.
What kind of cheese is in Caesar Salad?
The cheese in a classic caesar salad is parmesan, specifically Parmigiano-Reggiano or a good domestic parmesan block. It dissolves directly into the dressing, adding salty, nutty depth, and on top of the finished salad where it adds texture and flavor.
Fresh is non-negotiable. Pre-shredded parmesan contains anti-caking agents that dull the flavor and prevent it from melding with the dressing. Buying a block and grating it yourself only takes two minutes and makes a noticeable difference.
Ryan's Mom uses a two-parmesan method: using both shredded and grated parmesan from the same block, just run across two different sides of a box grater. The shredded pieces give you larger, chewier bites of cheese throughout the salad. The finely grated almost dissolves into the dressing and leaves. Together they create a depth of parmesan flavor and texture that makes the whole salad sing.
Making Homemade Croutons
Most of the family uses store-bought croutons, but being a little bit extra, I like to make my own. My absolute favorite way is to buy day-old croissants at the grocery store because they're usually marked down in price. Then dice them up, toss with a few Tablespoons of olive oil, a generous sprinkle of salt and bake them in the oven on a sheet pan at 350F for 5 minutes. Then flip and toss the around and bake for another 5 minutes until they're golden and crispy!
Joanie's Balanced Bites
Caesar salad deserves more nutritional credit than it usually receives. The olive oil and egg yolk base in the dressing provides healthy fat that slows digestion, and romaine is one of the more fiber-rich salad greens you can choose. Parmesan adds a protein boost in addition to a pop of flavor.
The only thing this salad needs is some protein to round things out. Ryan's family always serves it alongside grilled steak. I also love to make it a main dish Chicken Caesar Salad with easy rotisserie chicken from the store.
And of course I love to enjoy it alongside a slice of sourdough bread or homemade focaccia. The protein, fat, and fiber in this meal blunt the curve so the bread just adds joy.
Classic Caesar Salad
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Salads
- Method: no-cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
A four-generation family caesar salad with crisp romaine, homemade garlic dressing, crunchy croutons, and the two-parmesan method that makes every bite better than a restaurant.
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral flavored oil (I like avocado oil or olive oil)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 whole egg
- 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic (more if you're my husband's family)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (half grated, half shredded)
- 1 to 2 cups croutons
- 1 large head of romaine, chopped (or 2 romaine hearts)
- Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces or chop with a knife
- Combine the ½ cup of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 whole egg, 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and two cloves of minced garlic into a jar or dressing container and mix until smooth and emulsified.
- Toss the lettuce with the dressing to desired amount of dressing, parmesan cheese, and croutons and season with fresh cracked black pepper to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 218
- Sugar: 1.8 g
- Sodium: 371.9 mg
- Fat: 17.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.6 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 27.6 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
The dressing keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. The salad itself is best assembled right before serving. Once dressed, lettuce wilts quickly. For meal prep, store washed and dried lettuce separately, make the dressing ahead, and toss together when ready to eat.
You can, but freshly grated parmesan makes a noticeable difference in both the dressing and as a topping. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that affect texture and flavor. A block of parmesan lasts months in the fridge and takes just a minute to grate.
Romaine is the traditional choice for Caesar Salad, but I've also made this with kale, cabbage, even mixed greens and spinach. The dressing is also tasty on sandwiches and in slaw.
Caesar salad was created in 1924 by Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. It's named after him, not the Roman emperor. He reportedly invented it during a busy Fourth of July weekend when supplies were running low, tossing together what he had on hand.
Caesar salad is traditionally made with parmesan cheese, specifically finely grated fresh parmesan in the dressing and shredded or shaved parmesan on top. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that dull the flavor. Always grate from a block for best results. In our family recipe we use the two-parmesan method: both shredded and finely grated from the same block using two sides of a box grater, which gives you two distinct textures in every bite.
Barney Lund says
I love the layout, pictures, etc. for your new blog, but I HAVE to ask, how did you create your recipe multiplier/nutrition facts widget thing at the bottom? That is amazing! Thanks for your awesome work. Keep it it up!
I’m making your salad ASAP!
Joanie Simon says
Thank you so much! The recipe card with the multiplier is the Tasty Recipes plugin by WP Tasty and the nutrition facts are thanks to Nutrifox. Pretty nifty plugins! https://www.wptasty.com/
Gb says
Hi Joanie,
I lbeen watching your videos for a very long time now! Your photography is beautiful, clean, crips, moody! I LOVE IT!
Question, the material for the backdrops in Ink and Elm are for food photography or studio material?
Thank you,
Joanie Simon says
Thank you so much! The Ink and Elm are great for the price. They are the background in all of the shots here on the blog.
vurtil opmer says
When I initially commented I clicked the "Notify me when new comments are added" checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Bless you!
Amanda says
I watched this video last night and my husband said that looks amazing. So guess I gotta make it now. Love a good Caesar salad.
Joanie Simon says
It's a fave! Hope you enjoy <3
Amanda Reiter says
Last night I watched the Good Place where someone on the show sings "You can ring my be-ee-ee-l, ring my bell". When I went to sleep, I was trying to remember the song and couldn't think of it. Now this morning I came to your site to pick up the ingredients as I make the instacart order, I see the name The Dinner Bell and suddenly the song comes back to me. Love when worlds collide.
Joanie Simon says
Ha ha ha! I love it! And that's such a great show. Happy weekend Amanda!
Yummypair says
I found you on youtube. That's really amazing. I learn lots of things from you. I am also food blogger love to explore new fusion food throughout the world. All your tips helps us a lot. Please keep sharing all recipes and tips.😊🙂😍
Joanie Simon says
So glad to hear! Cheers!
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