Classic Caesar Salad

Why This Classic Caesar Salad Works

The dressing starts out thick from the mayonnaise, but the lemon juice and olive oil loosen it up so it coats the lettuce instead of sliding off. As everything is whisked together, the mayonnaise and oil blend into one smooth sauce, so there are no oily spots and no heavy clumps. Garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire spread through that creamy base, so every bite tastes the same instead of some bites being plain and some too strong.

Once the romaine goes in, the dressing clings to all the little ridges and edges of the leaves. The lettuce stays crisp because nothing is heated and the dressing isn’t too watery, so it doesn’t soak and wilt the leaves right away. Parmesan goes in next and sticks to the dressed lettuce instead of falling to the bottom of the bowl. Croutons are added at the end, so they touch the dressing just long enough to grab some flavor, but they stay crunchy instead of turning soggy.

Mistakes To Avoid

Overloading the bowl with wet lettuce straight from washing leaves the dressing watery. The extra moisture thins the mayonnaise mixture so it slides off the leaves instead of clinging, and the salad ends up soggy at the bottom and bland on top.

Adding the croutons too early causes them to soak up the dressing and soften. Instead of staying crisp, they turn chewy and heavy, and the salad loses the crunchy bits that balance the soft lettuce.

Skipping the whisking step or barely mixing the dressing ingredients leaves streaks of plain mayonnaise and oil. The dressing separates on the leaves, so some bites are greasy while others are thick and pasty instead of smooth and even.

Using whole leaves or very large pieces of romaine makes it hard for the dressing to coat everything. The thick ribs stay plain and watery, and the salad feels uneven, with some bites overloaded with dressing and others almost bare.