J. Kenji López-Alt’s Ultimate Caesar Salad
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Kenji’s obsessive deconstruction of the Caesar, published in The Food Lab (2015) and on Serious Eats, elevates every element: the dressing is emulsified with a soft-boiled egg yolk for staying power, the anchovies are worked into a paste for depth without fishiness, and the croutons are torn (not cut) and fried in garlic-infused olive oil for maximum craggy surface area. The result is the platonic ideal of the Caesar — restaurant quality, fully reproducible at home.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Romaine hearts, outer leaves removed | 3 heads |
| Day-old sourdough or country bread, torn | 150g |
| Garlic cloves, for croutons | 2, smashed |
| Olive oil, for frying croutons | 60ml |
| Parmesan, finely grated (for tossing) | 40g |
| Parmesan, shaved (for finishing) | 30g |
| Flaky sea salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Croutons: Heat olive oil and smashed garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Once garlic is golden (3 min), discard it. Add torn bread pieces and fry, tossing, until deeply golden and crisp on all sides, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-lined tray, season with salt.
- Prepare romaine: Halve the romaine hearts lengthways, then cut crossways into large 5cm pieces. Keep the inner pale-yellow leaves intact for texture contrast. Wash and spin dry thoroughly — wet leaves dilute the dressing.
- Dress: Place romaine in a large chilled bowl. Add half the grated Parmesan. Spoon Modern-Caesar-Kenji dressing over and toss gently but thoroughly, coating every leaf.
- Plate: Arrange dressed romaine on a platter. Scatter croutons over the top, add shaved Parmesan, finish with several turns of black pepper and a pinch of flaky salt.
Notes
- Do not cut croutons — tearing creates irregular surfaces that absorb dressing and crisp unevenly, which is what you want.
- Dress the salad immediately before serving; Caesar wilts fast.
- The dressing uses a coddled (soft-boiled) egg yolk — Kenji’s method makes it safe and stable; see Modern-Caesar-Kenji for full technique.
- Inner romaine leaves (the pale, tender ones) are Kenji’s preferred component — they hold dressing without going limp.
Dressing: Modern-Caesar-Kenji Source: J. Kenji López-Alt / The Food Lab (2015) · Serious Eats