Bottled Caesar dressing is sweet, gloopy, and tastes vaguely like ranch. Real Caesar dressing is sharp, garlicky, salty, and so good you'll want to eat it with a spoon. The homemade version takes 5 minutes, uses ingredients you already have (yes, including the anchovies — trust me), and tastes nothing like the bottle. Once you make it once, you won't go back.
About the anchovies
If you've been avoiding Caesar because of anchovies, here's the truth: they don't taste like fish in the dressing. They melt completely and add an umami depth — a savory background note — that you literally cannot replicate with anything else. Use 4-5 small anchovy fillets from a tin packed in oil. Smash them with the side of a knife until they're a paste. Done.
The dressing in one bowl
Whisk together the anchovy paste, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 egg yolk (or 1 tablespoon mayonnaise if you want to skip raw egg), and a heap of grated parmesan. Slowly drizzle in 1/3 cup good olive oil while whisking — the dressing should thicken like mayonnaise. Black pepper, taste, adjust.
The crouton step
Don't buy croutons. Tear day-old bread into rough chunks, toss with olive oil and salt, and bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until golden. They'll be crunchy, irregular, and a thousand times better than the bag.
The salad assembly
Tear (don't chop) crisp romaine hearts into bite-sized pieces. Wash them, spin them very dry — wet leaves slide off the dressing. Toss with enough dressing to coat, then top with shaved parmesan, croutons, and a final crack of black pepper. Eat immediately.
Make it a meal
Add grilled chicken or shrimp and it's dinner. A perfectly fried egg on top is a brunch upgrade worth knowing about.
