Delia Smith Caesar Salad​ Recipe

Delia Smith’s caesar salad uses three different leaves, Cos lettuce (romaine), Crispheart, and rocket, tossed with homemade garlic croutons and a caesar salad dressing made from scratch with raw egg, anchovies, lime juice, and Parmesan. It serves 4 and takes about 30 minutes.

I put off making my own caesar salad dressing for years because I assumed it was complicated. Delia’s recipe from How to Cook changed that: everything goes in a food processor, you stream in the oil, and the dressing is better than anything from a bottle.

More Salad Recipes:

• Potato Salad
• Rice Salad
• Fruit Salad

Why the Dressing Is Worth Making From Scratch

Shop-bought caesar dressing is thick and sweet, but Delia’s caesar salad dressing recipe starts with a raw egg blended with anchovies, garlic, lime, and mustard powder. You stream olive oil in slowly to emulsify it, and the result is thinner, sharper, and actually tastes of something.

I make double and keep the extra in a jar in the fridge. It lasts 3 days and works on any green salad, not just this one.

Mixed Leaf Caesar Salad Ingredients

The Leaves:

• 1 small Cos lettuce (romaine)
• 1 packet Crispheart lettuce, or the heart of a Webb’s Wonder
• 1 large handful of rocket (arugula)

The Croutons:

• 50g (2 oz) crustless white bread, cut into 8mm cubes
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of finely grated Parmesan
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

The Dressing:

• 1 large egg
• 1 x 50g (2 oz) tin of anchovy fillets, drained (keep the oil)
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 heaped teaspoon of mustard powder
• Half a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 150ml (5 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil mixed with the reserved anchovy oil
• 40g (1.5 oz) Parmesan, finely grated
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

How To Make Delia Smith Caesar Salad

1. Make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, crushed garlic, and grated Parmesan. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until golden and crunchy.
2. Blend the dressing base: Put the egg, garlic clove, anchovy fillets, lime juice, mustard powder, and Worcestershire sauce into a food processor. Blend until smooth.
3. Emulsify: Mix the olive oil with the reserved anchovy oil in a jug. With the processor running, pour the oil in a thin, steady stream until the dressing thickens and emulsifies.
4. Finish the dressing: Add the grated Parmesan and blend briefly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Prepare the leaves: Tear the Cos and Crispheart lettuce into bite-sized pieces and scatter the rocket on top in a large bowl.
6. Assemble: Pour the dressing over the leaves and toss well. Scatter the croutons and any remaining anchovy fillets over the top. Serve immediately.

Common Caesar Salad Mistakes

The biggest mistake is wet leaves, because if you do not dry the lettuce properly the dressing slides off and pools at the bottom of the bowl. I use a salad spinner and then pat the leaves with a clean tea towel.

The other one is adding the croutons too early because they go soggy within minutes. I keep them separate until the moment I serve, then scatter them on top so they stay crunchy.

What To Eat With Caesar Salad

On its own this is a light lunch for two or a starter for four, and I sometimes add grilled chicken strips on top to make a chicken caesar salad. One of Delia’s other dressings on the side gives guests a lighter option.

It also works as a side next to a lasagne or a bowl of French onion soup. The sharp dressing cuts through anything rich.

Leftover Notes

A dressed caesar salad does not keep because the leaves wilt and the croutons dissolve. If I know there will be leftovers, I keep the dressing, croutons, and leaves separate and let people assemble their own.

The dressing on its own keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a good shake before using.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 490 kcal
• Fat: 42g
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fibre: 2g
• Protein: 18g

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 4 servings.

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