Hi my name is Anna and I have a lot of opinions about caesar salads. When making one recently, I had the brilliant idea to add a spoon of Calabrian chiles into the mix and OH BOY. The result was beautiful. How had I not thought of this before?
This is a punchy, spicy take on a classic Caesar with Calabrian chiles, Parmesan that we’ll measure with our hearts, and crispy seasoned panko in place of traditional croutons. Baby gem lettuce keeps it extra crisp, while the toasted breadcrumbs add just enough crunch without weighing the salad down.
The recipe below makes enough for 2 meal sized salads or 4 side salads.
Dressing Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon jarred Calabrian chiles
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste or 1-2 anchovy filets, very finely minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients
3 heads baby gem lettuce
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Olive oil, for toasting the breadcrumbs
Freshly grated Parmesan, for tossing and topping
Instructions
Add the olive oil, Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Calabrian chiles, Dijon, Worcestershire, anchovy, honey, and a pinch of black pepper to a large mixing or salad bowl. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Taste before adding salt since the Parmesan, anchovy, and Worcestershire all bring some salinity. Set the dressing aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Remove any damaged outer leaves from the baby gem. Trim off the ends, separate the leaves, and rinse thoroughly. Dry the lettuce very well using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Dry leaves will hold onto the dressing much better.
Add a couple teaspoons of olive oil to a small skillet over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, add the panko, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are lightly golden and crisp. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the lettuce directly to the bowl with the dressing and toss until all of the leaves are evenly coated.
Add a couple tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan and toss again.
Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Finish with the toasted panko and plenty of extra Parmesan.
Hot Tip
Use a Microplane for the Parmesan. It creates very fine, fluffy shreds that melt easily into the dressing and give you that pillowy layer of cheese over the finished salad.
Serving Suggestions
Crispy skin chicken thighs and a roasted sweet potato
A buttery lobster tail
A petite filet mignon or skirt steak
Cajun spiced shrimps and half a baked potato