scan to cook interactive —
timers, scaling, check-off
timers, scaling, check-off
Caesar Salad
Homemade dressing, real anchovies, no compromises.
tested 2026-07 Bumped anchovies from a timid 2 fillets to 4-6 and switched the dressing to mostly neutral oil - whisked 100% olive oil goes bitter.
Ingredients
tap to check off
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup parmesan, shaved
- 2 cups croutons
- For the dressing
- 4-6 anchovy fillets (don't be timid - they're the backbone, not a garnish)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
tap a step to focus · tap times to start a timer
- For dressing: Mash anchovies and garlic into a paste with the side of your knife (or use a mortar and pestle).
- Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard in a bowl. Add anchovy-garlic paste.
- Slowly drizzle in the neutral oil while whisking constantly until emulsified and creamy, then whisk in the olive oil at the end.
- Stir in grated parmesan. Season with salt and pepper - taste first, the anchovies and cheese carry plenty of salt.
- Wash and dry romaine thoroughly. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Toss romaine with dressing (start with half, add more as needed).
- Top with croutons and shaved parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Why mostly neutral oil? Vigorous whisking or blending shears extra virgin olive oil and releases bitter polyphenols - a 100% EVOO Caesar tastes harsh. Neutral oil builds the emulsion; the 2 Tbsp of EVOO stirred in at the end adds flavor without the bitterness.
- Four to six fillets sounds like a lot. It isn't. They dissolve completely into umami depth - two fillets is a Caesar that tastes like it's missing something.
- For food safety, use pasteurized eggs. Make croutons: cube bread, toss with olive oil and salt, bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.
When it goes wrong
- Bitter dressing → you whisked or blended pure extra virgin olive oil; rebuild with neutral oil and add EVOO only at the end.
- Dressing broke into an oily mess → oil added too fast; start with drops, and rescue a broken batch by whisking it into a fresh yolk.
- Tastes flat and creamy-bland → not enough anchovy or lemon; add another mashed fillet and a squeeze of juice before adding salt.
- Soggy salad → wet lettuce or dressed too early; dry the romaine completely and toss just before serving.
Traditional