Here is how to make caesar salad: it is the world’s most famous salad I guess! And the perfect recipe for a super light and healthy lunch salad. Enjoy this one!
This one is probably one of the most popular salads in the entire world.
Don’t you think?
And it is also the most favorite salad of all times here in my family. Lunch or dinner: this salad is super delicious. And did you know that it is so easy to prepare as well? I will show you how to make caesar salad, my way!
And I am sure that you are going to love it.
How To Make Caesar Salad
You know how to make caesar salad at home?
You don’t have to make this delicious salad with cooked chicken like in my recipe. You can easily incorporate some leftover cooked or roast chicken from yesterday’s dinner.
Some supermarkets even sell ready cooked and sliced chicken, at least my local supermarket does. I once bought smoked chicken for this salad. Absolutely delicious!
Whatever you use or add, it goes without saying that this classic caesar salad is also a great way to use leftovers!
Anchovies
And what about that famous caesar dressing?
I have tasted many caesar dressings but not a lot have passed my taste test to be very honest. Do you know how to make a proper caesar dressing?
Whatever you add, just don’t forget the anchovy!
This is the main ingredient that gives so much flavor to this creamy sauce. You can use canned anchovy fillets in oil or anchovy paste, it really doesn’t matter which one. As long as you add it! Remember that there is no caesar dressing without anchovy.
The anchovy flavor is also an extremely great match for the parmesan cheese!
The romaine lettuce is also an important ingredient here.
Croutons
And so are the crunchy golden croutons of course!
I like to dice up and pan fry old bread to make the bread croutons. But if you only have fresh bread, then dive it up and let it dry out on an oven tray on your kitchen counter for a full day. If you haven’t got all day, then you might want to grill the diced fresh bread lightly first to dry them out faster.
Or just use croutons from the supermarket.
Dried out croutons will become crunchier while baking.
Freshly diced bread will absorb the oil or butter immediately and become soggy, soft and chewy. Far from the crunchy croutons every single caesar salad on this planet deserves!
History
I love it when restaurants prepare their caesar salad table side.
Apparently it is an Italian guy and successful restaurant owner named Caesar Cardini who invented this salad a long time ago in the twenties. The salad creation kind of happened a bit accidentally if I am right.
Mister caesar had run out of quite some ingredients in his restaurant after a successful fourth of July day in 1924 and created a salad with a couple of the leftover ingredients: romaine lettuce, croutons, anchovies, parmesan cheese, garlic and lots of black pepper.
Worcester Sauce
He also served this salad table side to add some extra show to his makeshift salad. Some claim that there were no anchovies in the original salad dressing but that the worcester sauce gave it that typical anchovy flavor.
Certain is that cooked chicken was not part of the first caesar salad version.
Well I can tell you with my hand on my heart that cooking or creating dishes with leftovers are very often my most delicious recipes as well. Dishes you didn’t plan on making are sometimes much better than the ones you had a clear idea of in your mind.
Great for leftovers!
Don’t you think?
Not surprisingly a lot of staff members who worked in Caesar’s restaurant at that time have claimed that it was them who came up with the caesar salad idea, not the owner who even named it after himself. Whatever the truth might be behind this salad story, the famous caesar salad stays a great salad.
How often do you make a caesar salad at home?
I made a caesar salad version with pork tenderloin also a couple of weeks ago.
Check it out as well, it is the second recipe here on this page. And also check out another world famous salad you sure are familiar with: my classic chicken waldorf salad!
Romaine Lettuce
Are you fond of romaine lettuce?
Then you should also try out my grilled romaine lettuce vegetable side dish with vinaigrette!
Enjoy!
How To Make Caesar Salad Easily
Here's how to make caesar salad: the world's most famous salad!
- 10,5 oz fresh chicken breasts (350 g)
- 1 lb romaine lettuce (450 g)
- 1 thick slice bread or toast diced
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 canned anchovy fillets in oil or 1 tsp anchovy paste
- ½ tsp worcester sauce
- ½ tsp strong mustard
- a handful parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 small garlic clove sliced or mashed finely
- olive oil
- pepper
- salt
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Put the diced bread on a baking tray and let them dry at room temperature for a few hours to make them extra crisp. Add the butter and some olive oil to a medium non-stick pan until melted. Then add the dry croutons. Gently fry them over medium heat until golden.
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Stir regularly to keep them from burning. Add a pinch of salt right in the end. Then transfer the croutons to a plate and let them cool down fully at room temperature. Don’t put them in the fridge or they will loose their crunch. Clean the pan. Then add the fresh thyme and some olive oil.
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Gently fry the thyme over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and then add the chicken. Season with pepper and salt. Sear the chicken nicely on both sides for about 8 minutes until golden brown. Then turn the heat low. Cover the pan and cook the chicken breast for 10 more minutes until cooked through. Turn the chicken regularly. Once done, remove the pan from the heat and let the chicken cool down until needed later.
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In a blender combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, anchovy fillets (or anchovy paste) and garlic.
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Blend the ingredients for 10 seconds. Then also add the mustard, worcester sauce, half of the grated cheese and a tablespoon of olive oil. Season generously with pepper.
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Blend all the ingredients for another 15 seconds until you end up with a runny dressing. Check the seasoning. Add extra lemon juice, mustard, anchovy, pepper or salt to taste. Put the dressing in the fridge for now. Slice the cooled cooked chicken up. Tear the romaine lettuce apart or chop it up roughly. Then add it to a large bowl. Sprinkle with the caesar dressing.
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Stir the lettuce and dressing well. Divide the creamy lettuce over deep plates. Top with the sliced chicken, crunchy croutons and the remaining parmesan cheese. Serve cold.
How To Make Caesar Salad… with Pork!
Do you know how to make caesar salad?
This classic salad is my husband’s all time favorite!
We are all very familiar with the classic way of how to make caesar salad: the crispy fresh romaine lettuce, the cooked (leftover) chicken, a powerful and creamy anchovy dressing, golden crunchy croutons and shaved parmesan cheese.
Classic with a Twist
I thought I would give this classic salad a twist this time and add a juicy pork tenderloin instead of chicken. It seemed like a delicious idea! Apart from that little detail the rest of the caesar salad stays quite the same.
Oh yes, I also made a quick mayonnaise sauce from scratch with a fresh egg here for this recipe. But you can also replace it by store bought mayo of course!
A lukewarm pork tenderloin caesar salad… The hubs was highly surprised and impressed by how well the tender pork works with the creamy crunchy lettuce, the crispy croutons and the salty parmesan cheese.
This was a great success for dinner.
Tenderloin
And one that I will be making often from now on.
Note to self: cook, eat, repeat.
So here is how to make caesar salad: with pork tenderloin instead of the classic sliced chicken breast! But just as good…
Enjoy this salad!
How To Make Caesar Salad Recipe
Let's give this classic salad a special twist and use a beautiful juicy pork tenderloin!
- 10,5 oz pork tenderloin (350 g)
- 1 lb romaine lettuce (450 g)
- 1 thick slice bread or toast diced
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120 ml), or groundnut or canola oil
- 1 small egg
- 4 canned anchovy fillets in oil or 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- tsp worcester sauce
- ½ tsp strong mustard
- a handful parmesan cheese grated
- 1 small garlic clove mashed
- olive oil
- pepper
- salt
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In a high cup combine the egg, vegetable, groundnut or canola oil, anchovy fillets (or anchovy paste), half of the lemon juice, strong mustard, mashed garlic, worcester sauce and half of the grated parmesan cheese. Season with somepepper and salt.
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Then place a stick mixer in it and mix the oily egg mixture into a thick and white rather thick mayo like sauce. You can also make the dressing in a blender. Check the seasoning. Add extra pepper, salt or lemon juice to taste.
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Cover the anchovy dressing with some cling film and place it in the fridge to chill until needed later. Season the meat with pepper and salt to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium frying pan. Place it over high heat. Once hot, add the tenderloin.
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Quickly sear the pork tenderloin on all sides until brown. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Then turn the heat low and cover the pan. Cook the pork for another 8 minutes, regularly turning the meat.
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In the meantime bake the croutons in a little olive oil until golden brown.
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Let the croutons cool on a plate at room temperature. Don’t put them in the fridge or they will loose their crunch. Shred or chop the romaine lettuce and add it to a large mixing bowl. Then add half of the anchovy dressing.
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Stir or toss the romaine lettuce well and divide it over 2 deep plates. Put them in the fridge. Right before serving transfer the pork tenderloin to a chopping board and slice it in half. It should be cooked in the middle but still moist. If it isn’t cooked enough, place the pork back in the pan and cover again. Put the pan back over low heat and let the pork warm through for another 4 minutes. Then slice the pork up and put it on top of the lettuce. Drizzle with the remaining caesar dressing. Sprinkle with croutons and the remaining grated cheese. Finish with a dash of black pepper. Serve lukewarm.
Inviting salad, looks delicious!!!