Caesar Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Tear washed romaine into bite-size pieces and dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Place in a large salad bowl and chill briefly while you make dressing (optional).

Cook bacon

Cook bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then chop into 1-inch pieces.

Add toppings

Add croutons to the bowl with the lettuce. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan and a few bacon pieces for garnish; add the remaining Parmesan and bacon to the salad when tossing with dressing.

Combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, and minced garlic in a medium bowl.

Whisk in 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify the dressing.

Season the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (start with 1/2 tsp pepper, more if desired). Taste and adjust acidity with a little more lemon juice if needed.

If the dressing is too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons of water or additional lemon juice until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to let flavors meld (optional).

Pour about 3/4 of the dressing over the prepared romaine, croutons, and the portioned Parmesan and bacon in the large bowl.

Toss gently but thoroughly with tongs or salad servers until leaves are evenly coated. Add more dressing if desired, but avoid overdressing—you can serve extra on the side.

Transfer to serving plates or a platter. Sprinkle reserved grated Parmesan and reserved bacon pieces on top, finish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper, and serve immediately.