Caesar Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove outer leaves of romaine if wilted. Slice each head lengthwise and then crosswise into 1 to 1½-inch pieces. Rinse well in cold water, spin or pat dry thoroughly. Dressing adheres better to dry leaves.

Assemble base

Place the dried romaine pieces in a large salad bowl. Add the croutons and toss lightly to combine.

Add cheeses and finishing touches

Shave or thinly slice ¾ cup of Parmesan over the salad. Break 6 Parmesan crisps into large pieces and scatter on top. Grind 1 tsp of fresh black pepper over the assembled salad just before serving.

Mince anchovy and garlic

On a cutting board, finely mince the 2 anchovy fillets and the 1 garlic clove together until they form a nearly paste-like consistency. If preferred, mash them with the side of a knife on a small cutting board and then scrape into a bowl.

Combine base ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce until smooth.

Incorporate anchovy mixture and cheese

Add the minced anchovy and garlic paste to the mayo mixture. Whisk in ½ cup grated Parmesan until fully combined.

Emulsify with oil and season

Slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons olive oil while whisking to create a slightly thicker, glossy dressing. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and taste; adjust lemon or salt as desired. If dressing is too thick, whisk in 1–2 teaspoons of water to reach desired consistency.

Chill briefly (optional)

Let the dressing sit in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Bring back to room temperature before tossing if chilling makes it too stiff.

Dress the salad

Right before serving, add 3–4 tablespoons of dressing to the salad bowl and toss gently to coat leaves evenly. Add more dressing, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired coating is reached (typically 4–6 tablespoons for 4 servings). Taste and adjust with additional lemon, salt, or pepper as needed.