Caesar Salad Recipe

Toast pepitas

Place a dry 10–12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup raw pepitas and toast, stirring or shaking every 30 seconds, until they begin to pop lightly and turn fragrant and golden at the edges, 3–5 minutes. Remove from skillet to a bowl immediately to prevent burning.

Season toasted pepitas with 1/4 tsp kosher salt while still warm and set aside to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt, 3 minced anchovy fillets, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Whisk until smooth.

Add 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tablespoons finely grated or shredded cotija. Whisk to combine.

Slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Taste and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusting lemon or salt to preference. If the dressing is too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons of cold water until desired consistency is reached.

Cover and refrigerate dressing at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld (can be made up to 2 days ahead).

Stack 2 corn tortillas (from the 'Crispy Tortilla Crumbs' section), roll them up and slice into 1/4" ribbons, then chop into small 1/4" pieces. Alternatively, crumble by hand into coarse crumbs.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons neutral oil. Add the tortilla pieces in a single layer and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and golden brown, 4–6 minutes. Reduce heat if they brown too quickly.

Transfer crispy crumbs to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Let cool; they will crisp further as they cool.

Place 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce in a large bowl. Add half of the toasted pepitas (about 1/2 cup) and about 1/2 ounce of crumbled cotija (reserve remaining cotija for finishing).

Add 3–4 tablespoons of the Cotija Caesar dressing to the bowl and toss gently to coat the leaves evenly. Add more dressing, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired coverage is reached (typically 4–6 tablespoons total for 6 cups lettuce).

Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or a grind of black pepper if needed.

Plate the dressed romaine, then sprinkle remaining toasted pepitas, the crispy tortilla crumbs (as much as desired, typically 1/3–1/2 cup), and the remaining crumbled cotija over the top for texture and salty finish.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for extra brightness.