Caeser Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove outer leaves if damaged. Slice each romaine head lengthwise and then crosswise into roughly 1–1.5 inch pieces. Rinse under cold water, spin dry in a salad spinner or pat very dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels.

Assemble base

Place the dried, chopped romaine in a large salad bowl. Add cherry tomatoes if using. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan for finishing; add the remaining Parmesan to the bowl and toss lightly to combine with the greens.

Add croutons

Add croutons to the salad just before serving to keep them crisp.

Season

Freshly grind the measured black pepper over the salad after dressing is added and toss to coat.

Mince anchovies and garlic

Finely chop the anchovy fillets and garlic cloves together on a cutting board until they form almost a paste. Scrape into a medium bowl.

Combine base ingredients

To the anchovy-garlic paste, add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until smooth and homogeneous.

Emulsify

While whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to help emulsify the dressing. Season with measured salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste and adjust lemon, salt, or Worcestershire as needed.

Chill briefly

If time permits, cover and refrigerate the dressing 10–15 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste once more and adjust seasoning before using.

Prepare chicken (if using)

If using cooked chicken breasts, slice them thinly against the grain into bite-size strips. Warm briefly in a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil (optional) for 1–2 minutes per side just to take the chill off; do not overcook.

Dress the salad: Pour about 3–4 tablespoons of dressing over the salad (reserve extra to offer on the side). Toss gently but thoroughly so leaves are evenly coated. Add sliced chicken on top if using. Sprinkle reserved tablespoon of grated Parmesan and additional croutons if desired. Grind a little extra black pepper over the top and serve immediately.