Caesar Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove outer leaves from the Romaine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels or spin in a salad spinner. Chop or tear leaves into roughly 1- to 1.5-inch wide pieces. Place in a large salad bowl and chill while preparing dressing.

Cook and chop bacon (if using raw bacon)

If starting with raw bacon slices, cook 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 bite-sized pieces. (If using store-bought bacon bits, skip this step and use measured amount.)

Add croutons and cheese

Add 1 1/2 cups of croutons and 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan to the chilled bowl with the prepared Romaine. Reserve remaining Parmesan for garnish.

Combine base ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon anchovy paste until smooth.

Add garlic and oil

Stir in minced garlic and slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons olive oil while whisking to emulsify the dressing.

Season

Taste and adjust seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper (start with 1/2 teaspoon and add up to 1 teaspoon to taste). If you prefer a tangier dressing, add up to 1 teaspoon more lemon juice.

Optional thin

If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until desired consistency is reached (usually 1 tablespoon).

Pour about half to two-thirds of the dressing over the prepared Romaine, croutons, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Toss gently with tongs or salad servers until leaves are evenly coated. Add more dressing as needed to taste.

Scatter chopped bacon over the tossed salad. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan on top and finish with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately in chilled bowls so croutons remain crisp.