Caesar Salad

5 from 139 votes

This homemade Caesar salad is simple and easy to prepare! It's made with the classic ingredients of Caesar salad including romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, anchovy, egg yolks, lemon, garlic, and olive oil!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 193kcal

Ingredients

Salad Assembly

3 romaine hearts washed and dried
3 cups croutons
freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges (optional) for serving

Caesar Dressing

2 egg yolks pasteurized; See Note 1
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 ¾ Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeeze
1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste See Note 2
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese and extra for serving

Instructions

Prep romaine: Separate the romaine heart leaves and wash and dry well. Keep the leaves whole or chop if preferred. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to dress.
3 romaine hearts

Make dressing:

Mix: Add the egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined.
2 egg yolks, 2 cloves garlic, 1 ¾ Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Add oil: Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. The dressing should thicken as it emulsifies with the oil. If you see separation, keep whisking until combined before adding more oil.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Add cheese: Lastly, add the Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice and other seasonings to your liking.
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Assemble:

Add the romaine leaves, croutons, and dressing to a large bowl and gently toss together. Portion out servings and serve with extra Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and a lemon wedge. Enjoy!
3 cups croutons, freshly ground black pepper, lemon wedges

Notes

Makes about ¾ cup of dressing or enough for 4 to 6 servings.

Egg yolks are traditionally used in classic Caesar salad dressing. I recommend using pasteurized eggs which are eggs that have been heated in their shells to reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses. You can read more about the process here. If you prefer not to use egg yolks, you can substitute them with mayo or yogurt, about 1 tablespoon per yolk. Note: Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illnesses especially if you have certain medical conditions or are pregnant.
Anchovy paste - Substitute with the same amount of anchovy fillets or use a small splash of fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce instead. But start light as it's very salty.

Nutrition