Caesar Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove any wilted outer leaves from romaine. Slice each head lengthwise, then crosswise into 1- to 1.5-inch wide ribbons or tear by hand into bite-sized pieces. Rinse under cold water, spin or pat dry thoroughly. Place in a large salad bowl and chill briefly while making croutons and dressing.

Grate cheese

Using a microplane or fine grater, grate 3 oz parmesan and reserve 2 to 2.5 tablespoons for tossing; keep remaining for sprinkling over finished salad.

Season lettuce lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper just before dressing to allow flavors to marry.

Prep bread and garlic

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut day-old bread into roughly 3/4-inch cubes to yield about 4 cups. Finely mince 1 clove garlic.

Toss and bake

In a large bowl, melt 3 tbs unsalted butter with 1 tbs olive oil (either in microwave briefly or in a small saucepan). Stir in minced garlic and 1/2 tsp salt. Add bread cubes and toss until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 10–12 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Let cool.

Make dressing

In a mortar and pestle or on a cutting board, mash 3 anchovy fillets and 1 clove garlic to a paste. In a medium bowl whisk together anchovy-garlic paste, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 2 tbs Greek yogurt; whisk until smooth. While whisking, slowly drizzle in 3 tbs olive oil until emulsified and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning or lemon as desired.

If you prefer a thinner dressing, whisk in 1–2 tbs cold water to reach desired consistency.

Toss and serve

Add the warm or cooled croutons to the salad bowl with the chilled romaine. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the grated parmesan reserved for tossing. Drizzle 3–4 tablespoons of dressing over the salad (start with less; you can add more to taste). Toss gently but thoroughly to coat leaves. Taste and add extra dressing, salt or lemon if needed. Transfer to plates, sprinkle remaining grated parmesan on top, and finish with a crack of black pepper.

Serve immediately so croutons remain crisp. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated up to 3 days.