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The Perfect Caesar Salad

Caesar salad topped with crisp, golden-brown croutons and juicy medium-rare steak

4.7 from 14 reviews

Crisp greens tossed with crunchy croutons, Parmesan cheese, and the most delicious Caesar dressing ever — this is truly the perfect Caesar salad. Dressing recipe adapted from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the dressing:

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 34 anchovy filets, from a jar of anchovies packed in olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Kosher salt and black pepper

For the salad:

  • 1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and thoroughly dried
  • A few handfuls of croutons* (see Notes for instructions on how to make your own)
  • More Parmesan cheese
  • Protein of choice, for topping, optional

Instructions

  1. Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings, then set aside.
  2. Make the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine lettuce, croutons, extra Parmesan, and about half of the dressing. Toss together until thoroughly combined. Serve the salad by itself or topped with your protein of choice — chicken, steak, salmon and shrimp are all great here.

Notes

  • This recipe makes enough dressing for 3 or 4 salads. Store the extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • To make your own croutons: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Chop a few slices of bread into 1-inch cubes and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and your choice of additional seasonings — I like Italian seasoning or smoked paprika. Toss with your hands until the bread cubes are thoroughly coated in the oil and seasonings, then evenly distribute them on the tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, tossing halfway, until crisp and golden-brown. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week.

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