Classic Caesar Salad (Hand-Emulsified Dressing)
The real Caesar: a hand-emulsified dressing with anchovy-garlic paste, homemade croutons, and shaved parmesan on top. The base for every version eaten today.
- 3 cups country-style or sourdough bread, cut into ~1 in cubes, crust on
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper For the dressing
- 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 large egg yolks (see the raw egg note in step 3)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
- ¾ tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup neutral oil (sunflower or similar)
- 3 tbsp finely grated parmesan To assemble
- 3 romaine hearts, leaves separated
- Parmesan, for shaving on top
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1
Make the croutons
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and bake 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until golden and crisp.
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2
Make the anchovy-garlic paste
Meanwhile, chop the anchovies, garlic, and a pinch of salt together. Using the flat side of the knife, smash into a fine paste. Scrape into a medium bowl.
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3
About the raw egg yolk (important)
The dressing contains raw egg yolk that's never cooked. Use fresh eggs kept well refrigerated, and pasteurized ones if you can find them, especially if you're serving this to pregnant women, kids, older adults, or anyone with a weakened immune system. If you'd rather skip raw egg entirely, see the alternative dressing in the tips.
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4
Build the dressing base
Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard to the anchovy paste. Whisk by hand to combine.
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5
Why does the oil go in slowly?
An egg yolk can only "hold" so much fat at a time: add all the oil at once and the emulsion breaks and separates instead of turning creamy. That's why it goes in drop by drop at first, whisking constantly, and only speeds up once the emulsion has taken hold and become more stable.
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6
Emulsify the dressing
Whisking constantly, add the olive oil drop by drop at first. Once the mixture starts to thicken, stream in the neutral oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking the whole time, until the dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in the grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice if you like it tangier.
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7
Build the salad
Place the romaine leaves in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a modest amount of parmesan onto a separate plate: a big mound of grated cheese looks impressive, but it mutes the dressing's flavor instead of adding to it. Add the croutons and dressing to the salad and toss gently with your hands.
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8
Serve
Top with the reserved parmesan shavings and serve right away, before the croutons soften.
- The croutons can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar at room temperature. The dressing keeps 1 day in the fridge, well covered.
- Prefer to skip raw egg? Finely grate 1 garlic clove, mix with 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, then stream in ⅓ cup neutral oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until creamy.
- Don't pile grated parmesan on the assembled salad: it clumps and mutes the dressing's flavor instead of adding to it.