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Caesar Salad

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  • Prep 15 min
  • Total 15 min
  • Servings 6
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Homemade Caesar Salad in 15 minutes? Yes, please! Our recipe rivals the classic Caesar salad found on many restaurant menus with the addition of the secret ingredient…anchovy paste.
Updated Dec 7, 2023
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What Is Caesar Salad?

Classic Caesar salad starts with crisp romaine lettuce that’s tossed with a garlicky vinaigrette, containing lemon juice, Worcestershire, and many times anchovies. Anchovy paste is our secret ingredient. By keeping anchovy paste on hand (it lasts in the refrigerator for months), you don’t have to use a just a partial can of anchovies and take the time to mash them. Grated Parmesan cheese and croutons finish the salad. Some classic Caesar salads also contain coddled egg or egg yolk, however, we don’t add them here, as for recent food safety reasons, coddled eggs and egg yolks may contain bacteria that can cause food borne illness.

Can I Make Caesar Salad Without Anchovy Paste?

Some recipes omit anchovies, but we think they’re missing out! It’s the secret ingredient that really makes this Caesar salad recipe special. And don’t think just because you don’t like anchovies, you won’t like this salad. The salad dressing ingredients are perfectly blended to make the dressing everyone loves!

How Can I Fix Caesar Salad Dressing That’s Too Strong?

Wait until the Caesar salad recipe is all put together before you decide how it tastes. Romaine absorbs much of the pungent flavor of this dressing. Parmesan also mellows the flavor. Once the salad it all tossed, taste the salad. All the ingredients in the proportions called for will come together beautifully. If you like, you can always toss in more Parmesan cheese to mellow the fresh briny flavor, if wish.

Can I Make Caesar Salad Dressing Ahead of Time?

For the best results with the most balanced flavor, you can make the dressing up to 2 hours in advance. Any longer than that, and you’ll find the dressing flavor changes. The anchovy flavor becomes more pronounced, and the garlic and lemon flavors take more of a back seat.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 large bunch romaine, torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups)
  • 1 cup garlic-flavored croutons
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Freshly ground pepper

Steps

  • 1
    Mix oil, lemon juice, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, mustard and garlic in salad bowl.
  • 2
    Add romaine; toss until coated. Sprinkle with croutons, cheese and pepper; toss.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    Anchovy paste is a great choice for Caesar salad, as it can be kept for months in the refrigerator! Look for it in larger grocery or discount stores, near the condiments or salad dressings. It comes in a tube (like toothpaste), within a box.
  • tip 2
    For 9 grams of fat and 115 calories per serving, decrease oil to 3 tablespoons, increase lemon juice to 1/4 cup and add 2 tablespoons water to the anchovy mixture. Decrease cheese to 3 tablespoons.
  • tip 3
    Jazz up this classic salad with grilled chicken breast. Or for seafood lovers, top the salad with 1 pound cooked peeled deveined large shrimp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this Caesar salad dressing taste different than bottled Caesar dressing?

Scratch Caesar Salad has a fresher, more pronounced briny lemony/garlic flavor than bottled dressings. Fresh Caesar salad resembles the classic restaurant Caesar salad, which is more like a vinaigrette than a creamy dressed salad.

What else can I use anchovy paste for?

Anchovy paste is a great way to boost the flavor of savory dishes! It adds depth of flavor and a little extra saltiness. Try stirring a little into your pasta sauce or beef stew. Spread it on meat like steaks or pork chops before grilling or broiling. Or keep it just for making our Caesar salad recipe! You’ll see by the reviews; this is a LOVED salad.

How do I make my own croutons for this salad?

Homemade croutons would make this salad even more delicious! Simply substitute homemade croutons for the purchased ones. We love the garlic variation of our homemade croutons on this salad--so yum!

Nutrition

175 Calories, 15 g Total Fat, 5 g Protein, 7 g Total Carbohydrate

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
175
Calories from Fat
135
Total Fat
15 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Cholesterol
5 mg
Sodium
430 mg
Potassium
310 mg
Total Carbohydrate
7 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Protein
5 g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
40%
40%
Vitamin C
40%
40%
Calcium
12%
12%
Iron
8%
8%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Vegetable; 3 Fat;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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