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Basic Caesar Salad (Gluten-Free)

April 26, 2019 by Kari @ The Savory Celiac Leave a Comment

I say “basic”, but truly the taste of this dressing is anything but that. This is seriously one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. Caesar dressing is incredibly easy to make yourself at home. Using fresh ingredients, like garlic cloves and real lemon juice, makes all the difference in a recipe like this one. It’s like eating at a restaurant…only not!

Overhead shot of hearts of romaine cut in half and smeared with caesar dressing. Some wooden spoons are placed overlapping in the bottom right.

Have you ever been curious about where Caesar dressing came from? Food & Wine Magazine has a good article about about how this delicious salad was invented in the 1920’s. I think quite a few people think it was named after Julius Caesar, but the story behind it is quite different!

Here is the thing with this dressing: you don’t need a lot. So you can really make it stretch far on your salads. Unless you start eating it on everything…veggies, pretzels, a spoon. My pro tip is to not overdress your salad because then it just feels too heavy and the lettuce gets soggy.

The original method of making Caesar dressing calls for emulsifying oil, egg, and the rest of the ingredients together similar to how you make a homemade mayonnaise. I’m into simple so I just use a pre-made mayonnaise (like Hellman’s) and mix all the ingredients together with a spoon. Easy.

An overhead shot of a white gravy dish with caesar dressing inside. There is a spoon placed inside the container and then caesar salad in the upper left corner. There is a blue striped napkin draped in the lower left corner.

Of course, you can use whole anchovies but then you need to blend or mash them up, so why not just use anchovy paste?! The ingredients are exactly the same and it’s nice because you can just screw the cap back on, store it in the fridge, and then use it the next time you make this dressing! Which might be later in the week! It’s that good!

If you’re wondering where to find anchovy paste in the grocery store, it’s typically near the canned tuna fish. It adds a salty umami flavor to dishes.

Overhead shot of hearts of romaine cut in half and smeared with caesar dressing. Some wooden spoons are placed overlapping in the bottom right.

Let’s talk about some fun ways to present this salad. We love to use whole romaine hearts and we buy big bags of them at Costco. Then we cut (or shred), rinse, and dry our own for salads or tacos. I highly recommend a salad spinner like this one from OXO. It makes all the difference! We use this to get the freshest and crispest lettuce for salad. Pre-packaged chopped romaine or another lettuce is fine as well.

You can serve it in big wedges which is fun. To do this, I just cut both ends off the romaine and then split it down the middle. Or you can chop the lettuce up and serve it in a big bowl family style.

Then add freshly shaved parmesan or some store-bought parmesan crisps, freshly ground black pepper and even some halved cherry tomatoes. Of course you can make this the main course of your meal by adding in a protein like grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp. This would be a great summertime dish!

Overhead shot of hearts of romaine cut in half and smeared with caesar dressing. Some wooden spoons are placed overlapping in the bottom right.

Caesar salad is very simple (and popular) so you can find dressing recipes all over the internet. If I am putting a recipe out here on the world wide web then I’m confirming that it works and it’s delicious! I hope you enjoy it, too!

Overhead shot of hearts of romaine cut in half and smeared with caesar dressing. Some wooden spoons are placed overlapping in the bottom right.
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Caesar Dressing

This is an easy, fresh, and flavorful dressing to add to your favorite salad. This will also pair perfectly with a crudite platter.
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Course: Appetizers, Salads, Side Dishes
Cuisine: Gluten-Free
Servings: 12 Servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 Cloves Garlic - finely minced
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese - freshly grated
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Milk - or milk alternative
  • 3 Teaspoons Anchovy Paste
  • 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ Teaspoons Salt
  • ½ Teaspoons Black Pepper
  • Romaine Lettuce

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together until well-combined. Serve over freshly chopped romaine lettuce

Notes

  • You can add more or less milk depending on how thick or thin you like your dressing. 
  • If you're using romaine hearts sliced down the middle, I suggest cutting them, rinsing them, and then drying on paper towels for a bit to get most of the moisture out. 

Bonus: Here is another creative way to use this Caesar dressing – add a few tablespoons to your marinara sauce before serving over your favorite gluten-free pasta. It adds a creaminess and elevates it to the next level!!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Gluten Free, Salads

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About Me

Hi, my name is Kari and I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in March 2017. I quickly and enthusiastically jumped into the gluten-free world. I love to share all of my knowledge, favorite restaurants in Minneapolis (and around the world), travel adventures and recipes that are special to me and my family! Read More…

Most Recent Posts:

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