Some of the most fun foods to eat, in my opinion, are the ones you can eat with your hands. I love a dip scooped up with pita chips or a charcuterie board where every bite can be mixed and matched. That idea sparked the inspiration for this recipe, taking something classic that is not usually eaten by hand and turning it into something more playful.
Enter the dippable salad. I chose Caesar not only because it is one of my favorites, but because the crouton element felt like the perfect jumping off point for what you could actually dip. Around the same time, I had leftover garlic parmesan shortbread cookies from my last recipe, and since parmesan is already a key ingredient in Caesar salad, it felt like fate.
I hope you enjoy this dippable Caesar salad, a familiar favorite reimagined to be a little more fun, and yes, it even comes in a “bowl.”
Topics
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Crisp Lettuce: For the best salad, your lettuce should be crisp. If it feels limp, soak it in an ice bath for 10–15 minutes to refresh and firm it up.
- Clean Thoroughly: Always clean your lettuce thoroughly! Even if it looks clean, anything grown in the ground can carry dirt or bacteria. Rinse the leaves in cold water, then remove any brown or damaged parts, using only the fresh, healthy leaves for your salad.
- Dry Before Dressing: It’s essential that the lettuce is as dry as possible before mixing with the dressing. Since the dressing is oil-based, any excess water will prevent it from sticking properly.
- Emulsify the Dressing: When making the dressing, resist the urge to pour all the oil in at once. To achieve the correct consistency, the egg and oil must emulsify. Slowly drizzle the oil while whisking continuously until fully incorporated.
- Appearance and Texture: This dressing will look different from store-bought Caesar. It’s a version of a Cardini Caesar dressing, naturally yellow from the oil, and slightly thinner rather than creamy.
- Taste Test: Always taste the dressing before serving and adjust seasonings, lemon juice, or parmesan as needed. Taste it with a piece of lettuce, as the lettuce itself will change the flavor.
- Lettuce Cutting: The method described for cutting the lettuce is called a chiffonade. If you need a visual, check the demo videos linked below or look it up online. If this method feels too tricky, you can cut the lettuce into small bite-sized pieces or simply tear it by hand.
Select one of the buttons below to follow along with a step-by-step recipe demo!
Dippable Caesar Salad
Serving Size:
2-3 Salads
Time:
30 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 head purple cabbage
- Shredded parmesan to taste
- 1 tin anchovies in oil
- Olive oil to taste
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Garlic parmesan shortbread to taste
Dressing
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 anchovies
- 1 whole egg
- 1 wedge lemon
- 6 oz olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Grated parmesan to taste
Directions
Making the Dressing
- Peel and crush the garlic, then finely mince it. Use the flat side of your knife to press and drag the garlic repeatedly across the cutting board until it forms a smooth paste.
- Place the anchovies on top of the garlic paste and mince them together. Continue pressing and dragging with your knife until the garlic and anchovies form a cohesive paste. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until foamy. Add the garlic-anchovy paste and the juice from one lemon wedge, whisking until fully combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously, adding it gradually so the dressing emulsifies properly.
- Finish by whisking in the salt and grated parmesan.
- Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for later.
Assembling the Salad
- Remove the leaves from the romaine lettuce and purple cabbage, then wash and dry them thoroughly.
- Massage the olive oil, salt, and pepper into the cabbage, shaping it on a plate so the edges curve up and form a natural “bowl.”
- Cut the romaine lettuce lengthwise into 1–1½ inch wide pieces. Stack the pieces, roll them into a tight cylinder, and slice into ¼-inch rounds. When unfolded, the lettuce should resemble long rectangular strands.
- Place the cut lettuce into a medium bowl, add dressing to taste, and toss until evenly coated.
- Spoon the dressed lettuce into the cabbage “bowl,” stacking it generously to create height and a visually appealing presentation.
- Finish by topping with shaved parmesan and whole anchovies to taste, and serve alongside garlic parmesan shortbread for scooping and dipping.
- Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for future use.
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