Recipe

November 3, 2025

A Caesar for All Occasions

Recipe: Alison Roman

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“This Caesar was born from always wishing that the dressing was less mayonnaise-y and more of a vinaigrette — creamy without being heavy.” — Alison Roman

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 anchovy fillets or 2 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard, plus more
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, plus more
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Salad

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 anchovy fillets, plus more
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 head romaine lettuce or 2 to 3 heads Little Gem lettuce, ends trimmed, leaves torn or cut into large pieces
  • Hunk Parmesan cheese, for shaving or grating

Directions

Yield: Serves 4

Make Dressing

  1. In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, anchovies or capers, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Gently whisk in olive oil and canola oil.
  2. Season with salt and so much pepper it really ought to be in the recipe name. Taste and season with more mustard, lemon and Worcestershire, as you like. (The dressing should be very acidic.) If you find it too punchy or too thin, whisk in a few more tablespoons of olive oil.

Make Salad

  1. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies, stirring just to melt. Add breadcrumbs and stir to coat in oil. Keep tossing or stirring until panko is evenly coated and turning a nice golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add garlic and toss in warm breadcrumbs, just to take the edge off. Season with salt and pepper, and let cool.
  2. In large bowl, add greens and half of Dressing. Toss well and season with more salt, pepper or Dressing as you (and the greens) see fit. Shower with cheese and breadcrumbs, tossing to encourage both to settle into the nooks and crannies. If you’re me, top with more anchovies.
Author: Alison Roman
Source:

Recipe from Something from Nothing ©2025 by Alison Roman. Photographs ©2025 by Chris Bernabeo. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House

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