Caesar Salad is an iconic dish of international cuisine that combines fresh and delicious flavors with a fascinating history. Originating from Mexico and popularized in the United States, this salad has gained fame worldwide. Its combination of ingredients makes it a delicious dish that few can resist. The freshness of the salad, along with the contrast and texture of the chicken and the crunch of the croutons, make it a delightful meal. And let’s not forget about its popular Caesar dressing, which adds an extra burst of flavor with its original dressing. So, if you also enjoy this salad, don’t miss out on the Caesar Salad recipe. In addition, we will explore some alternatives and many interesting facts about this dish.
Being such a popular dish, it is true that we can find Caesar Salad in all supermarkets. However, these pre-made versions have nothing to do with the one we can make at home using fresh ingredients, freshly cooked chicken, and a delicious and healthy dressing. It doesn’t include any preservatives, colorings, or additives it shouldn’t have.
That’s why we encourage you to prepare this dish yourself. It’s a very simple preparation that won’t take much time. It’s also a great option to use up leftover chicken from other recipes. For example, if we’ve made roasted chicken and have some leftovers, a Caesar Salad is the perfect solution.
Caesar Salad Recipe
In addition to the salad, we will also prepare the dressing ourselves. You’ll see that it’s not complicated at all. Simply mix the milk and oil in a blender until both ingredients are incorporated. Just like making mayonnaise, place the blender at the bottom and, without moving it, blend at maximum power until the milk and oil emulsify. Once it’s fully emulsified, add Parmesan cheese, anchovies, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, parsley, pepper, and salt. Taste it to check if it’s to your liking in terms of salt and other seasonings. If it is, refrigerate it to keep it nice and cold.
For the salad, the first step is to cook the chicken (unless you’re using leftover chicken from other recipes). Simply grill it after seasoning it with salt and pepper.
Next, let’s prepare the croutons. It’s best to use stale bread from the previous day. Cut it into small cubes and fry them in a pan with oil. Place them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
With all the ingredients ready, all that’s left is to assemble the salad. In a bowl, combine the lettuce, chicken, croutons, garnish with shavings of Parmesan cheese, and dress with the sauce. And there you have it—a simple Caesar Salad ready to be enjoyed.
Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g Romaine lettuce
- Caesar dressing
- Croutons or 4 slices of stale bread
- 40 g Parmesan cheese
- 1 Chicken breast
- Salt
- Pepper
For the Caesar Dressing:
- 100 ml Whole milk
- 200 ml Sunflower oil
- 20 g Parmesan cheese
- 3 Anchovy fillets in oil
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
- 1/2 Lemon
- Salt
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Let's start by preparing the dressing.In a blender jar, combine the milk and sunflower oil. Insert the blender all the way to the bottom of the jar and, starting at maximum speed, blend without moving the blender. Keep it firmly against the bottom. When you see the dressing starting to emulsify, slowly lift the blender until the entire dressing is well emulsified.
- Once the dressing has emulsified, add the grated Parmesan cheese, anchovy fillets, black pepper, and a pinch of salt (to taste). Also add the garlic clove, the juice of half a lemon, and a little fresh parsley.
- Continue blending until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Add a little more milk to make it more liquid if desired, and continue blending until it reaches your desired consistency.
Homemade Caesar Dressing Recipe
- Next, let's move on to the salad.Season the chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces, with salt and pepper. Cook it on a grill pan until it is nicely golden.
- Next, let's make the croutons. You can also buy pre-made croutons, which are sold alongside breadsticks. However, making them at home is very simple, and we have two options.First, cut the bread (preferably day-old bread) into slices. If you want to make them toasted, put the bread slices in a toaster until they are golden brown. Then cut them into small cubes.To make fried croutons, cut each slice of bread into small cubes and fry them in a pan with oil.
- Wash and finely chop the lettuce.In a serving dish, place the chopped lettuce, top it with the diced or sliced chicken, and some toasted croutons.
- Add some shavings of Parmesan cheese and pour the dressing over the salad. Mix well and sprinkle some more grated Parmesan cheese on top.Your Caesar Salad is now ready.
Tips for a perfect Caesar salad:
To make your Caesar salad stand out, prepare the croutons yourself. They will taste much better if you fry them in oil, although this is the less healthy option. But at least the first time you make this salad, I recommend trying frying them. You can also season them with garlic powder and herbs de Provence once they are fried.
Don’t overdo it with the dressing. It’s better to adjust and add more (or let each diner add their desired amount) rather than going overboard. Otherwise, the salad will become heavy, and it will be difficult to correct.
Include other ingredients such as boiled eggs, a very common ingredient in Caesar salad.
Is it healthy?
Caesar salad can be healthy depending on the ingredients and dressing used in its preparation. The classic version of Caesar salad, which includes romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing, can provide health benefits due to the nutrients present in these ingredients. However, it’s important to consider a few things:
Use fresh and high-quality ingredients. For example, fresh romaine lettuce, organic chicken, homemade croutons (preferably made with whole wheat bread).
Dressing and portion size. The Caesar dressing can add extra calories, so if you’re looking for lighter alternatives, you can make a dressing using yogurt instead of oil and milk.
Some alternatives to the classic Caesar salad
Salmon Caesar Salad: Replace the chicken with smoked or marinated salmon. Keep the rest of the recipe the same, as it pairs well with salmon.
With shrimp: You can also substitute the chicken with shrimp or prawns.
Vegetarian option: Replace the chicken with tofu and omit the anchovies from the dressing. You can also substitute it with sautéed mushrooms or walnuts.
As you can see, this Caesar salad recipe is a different and easy-to-make dinner option with a delicious dressing. It’s perfect for a quick and light yet flavorful meal. If you enjoyed it, remember to leave us your comments, ideas, and tips. We love hearing from you! Also, don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay updated on all our posts. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
