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Authentic Caesar Salad Recipe
Tijuana, Mexico
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Although the preparation of Caesar salad is quite simple, this dish was considered glamorous because, in Caesar’s restaurant, it was usually prepared ceremonially in front of the guests. The first step is to wash and dry Romaine lettuce and chill it in the refrigerator, leaving the leaves whole. Garlic oil is prepared by crushing garlic cloves and leaving them in salad oil; the pieces of garlic need to be removed before seasoning. Croutons are made by cutting French bread into small cubes and baking them shortly in an oven until they turn golden brown, and the Parmesan cheese should be freshly grated. Other seasonings include pre-made Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, salt, and pepper. In the end, some lemon juice and one raw egg are added, and the salad is mixed gently but thoroughly. Caesar salad was originally served on plates, with the lettuce leaves’ stems facing outwards, so they would be more convenient to eat by hand.
Cooking tips
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romaine lettuce
Also known as “Cos lettuce”, Romaine lettuce is the only option for a real Caesar salad because, unlike most lettuces, it tolerates heat and does not wither when combined with acids such as lemon juice and vinegar. To make eating by hand more convenient, the leaves were originally served whole on a plate, with stems facing outwards. Tearing the leaves is suggested only if guests insist on eating the ... Read more -
parmesan cheese
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese gives saltiness to Caesar salad: according to the original recipe, it should be grated straight into the salad in front of guests. -
oil
This salad uses a mixture of olive and garlic oil in 4:6 ratio which can be adjusted to taste. Garlic oil is basically salad oil scented with garlic — no garlic pieces should end up in the salad itself. -
eggs
In the original recipe one fresh egg is used to bind the dressing together. However, due to safety health regulations, most restaurants serve it with soft-boiled eggs.
Recipe variations
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Original Caesar Salad
Ready in 10minAccording to food historians, this is the oldest identified print recipe for Caesar salad. It was published in 1945 in Sunset magazine, under the name Romaine Salad and without a single reference to Caesar Cardini. However, the ingredients and the preparation process are identical to the ones Cardini used to mention in his interviews. The recipe also omits anchovies, which is exactly how Cardini used to prepare his signature dish.
Original Caesar Salad
PREP 10min
READY IN 10min
According to food historians, this is the oldest identified print recipe for Caesar salad. It was published in 1945 in Sunset magazine, under the name Romaine Salad and without a single reference to Caesar Cardini. However, the ingredients and the preparation process are identical to the ones Cardini used to mention in his interviews. The recipe also omits anchovies, which is exactly how Cardini used to prepare his signature dish.
Ingredients
Original Caesar Salad
3 or 4 heads chilled, crisp Romaine salad
2 handfuls crisp croutons (little cubes of fried bread)
6 tbsp garlic oil
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
6 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 egg
juice of 3 lemons
Preparation
1
Original Caesar Salad
Step 1/6
Remove outer leaves of the Romaine salad, wash thoroughly, shake dry, and chill in a refrigerator.
Step 2/6
To prepare garlic oil, chop or mash a clove of garlic and place in bottom of a pint jar. Fill the jar with any salad oil. Keep at kitchen temperature, and use as needed. Use the oil only; don't add the garlic to the salad. In the case of this particular salad, best results are obtained if only a part (4 tbsp) of the oil used is olive oil.
Step 3/6
As for the black pepper, if possible, grind it yourself with a pepper mill and use plenty. Use freshly grated Parmesan-type cheese. The raw egg acts as a binder and causes the dressing to be evenly distributed through the salad, and does not affect the taste of the finished salad.
Step 4/6
Break the Romaine into a salad bowl; add croutons, olive oil, garlic oil, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and cheese.
Step 5/6
Break the raw egg over the salad. Drizzle the lemon juice over the egg.
Step 6/6
Mix all together by tossing gently from the bottom, and serve.
Other Variations
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