- Calories
- 240
- Protein
- 12g
- Fiber
- 3g
- Sat. fat
- 4g
- Sodium
- 520mg
- Added sugar
- 1g
What this recipe does for you.
Caesar salad with a creamy, savory yogurt-based dressing instead of raw egg and a slick of oil: Greek yogurt, parmesan, lemon, garlic and a whisper of anchovy for depth. Crisp romaine and real croutons.
Why this works
Every recipe on this site ships with an explanation of the technique decisions, why sear then braise, why the acid goes in at the end, why the fat renders before the aromatics. The method below is those decisions, in order.
Ingredients
Serves 4- 2 headsromaine lettuce · chopped
- 1/2 cupplain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cupgrated parmesan · plus more to finish
- 1lemon · juiced
- 2 clovesgarlic · grated
- 3anchovy fillets · minced, or 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 2 cupsbread · torn, for croutons
- 1/4 tspblack pepper · cracked
Method
Yogurt dressing, not raw egg and oil
A classic Caesar is emulsified raw egg yolk and a lot of oil. Swapping in Greek yogurt gives you the same creamy body with far less fat, more protein and no raw-egg worry, while keeping the tang. Whisk it with lemon, garlic, mustard and parmesan.
Anchovy is non-negotiable for real Caesar flavour
The savoury backbone of a Caesar comes from anchovy. Minced fine or as paste, it dissolves into the dressing and does not taste fishy, it tastes deep and savoury. Leave it out and you have a nice garlic-yogurt dressing, but not a Caesar.
Make your own croutons
Tear day-old bread, toss with a little olive oil and salt, and bake or pan-toast until golden and crunchy. Homemade croutons are worlds better than the dusty box kind and use up bread you would otherwise waste. Rub the warm bread with a cut garlic clove for extra flavour.
Use crisp romaine hearts, kept cold
Romaine is the classic Caesar leaf because it stays crunchy under a creamy dressing. Use the crisp inner hearts, wash and dry them well, and keep them cold until you dress. Wet leaves dilute the dressing and go limp.
Dress lightly, toss thoroughly
Add the dressing a little at a time and toss well so every leaf is lightly coated rather than a few being drowned. A Caesar should glisten, not drip. You can always add more dressing, you cannot take it back out.
Finish with parmesan and cracked pepper
A final shower of grated or shaved parmesan and plenty of cracked black pepper at the table. For a main-course Caesar, top with sliced grilled chicken or seared shrimp to push the protein higher.
Variations
Substitutions and adaptations land with the photography shoot. The method holds across most reasonable swaps.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 to 4 days, sealed. Freezer: up to 3 months. Reheat covered to retain moisture.
Frequently asked
- Is this Caesar dressing safe, with no raw egg?
- Yes. This version uses Greek yogurt for the creamy base instead of raw egg yolk, so there is no raw-egg food-safety concern and it works for anyone who avoids raw eggs. It also cuts the fat and adds protein while keeping the classic tang.
- Can I make it vegetarian?
- Anchovy and parmesan both contain animal products, so a true Caesar is not vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, use a vegetarian hard cheese and replace the anchovy with a spoon of white miso or a few capers for the savoury depth. It shifts the flavour slightly but keeps the spirit.
- Does anchovy make it taste fishy?
- No. When minced fine and whisked into the dressing, anchovy dissolves and provides a deep, savoury, umami background rather than a fishy taste. It is the ingredient most people cannot identify but would miss if it were gone.
- How do I turn it into a full meal?
- Top the salad with sliced grilled or roast chicken, seared shrimp, or a piece of flaked salmon. The yogurt dressing already adds protein, so a Caesar with chicken becomes a genuinely high-protein main-course salad.
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