Gordon Ramsay’s caesar salad recipe is crisp romaine with a proper anchovy and egg yolk dressing, Parmesan croutons and shaved cheese, ready in about 20 minutes.
In Ultimate Home Cooking, Ramsay shares two small details I have not found on a single competitor page. He grates Parmesan directly onto the croutons while they are still sizzling hot in the frying pan, so the cheese melts right into every crunchy piece. He then tosses those cheesy croutons in a spoonful of dressing before adding them to the leaves, creating what he calls “explosions of flavour throughout.”
The whole recipe stands or falls on one thing: the emulsion in the dressing. Egg yolk lecithin binds the olive oil and red wine vinegar into a thick, glossy sauce that clings to every leaf, but only if you drizzle the oil in slowly while whisking non-stop. Ramsay uses red wine or sherry vinegar alongside lemon juice, which gives a rounder depth than the all-lemon versions most websites use.
Gordon Ramsay Caesar Salad Recipe
Course: Salads, Lunch4
servings15
minutes15
minutes30
minutesAdapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Home Cooking (2013), this big caesar salad pairs a classic egg yolk and anchovy emulsion with Parmesan-crusted croutons and griddled butterflied chicken. A three-book Ramsay recipe, each version with a different dressing base.
Ingredients
For the croutons and salad:
150g (5 oz) day-old sourdough bread, torn into 2cm chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
50g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese
2 cos (romaine) lettuce or 4 baby gem, washed and sliced
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, butterflied
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing:
2 free-range egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar
150ml (5 fl oz) olive oil
1 x 50g tin best-quality anchovies in olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed
75g (3 oz) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Directions
- Make the croutons: Toss the bread chunks with the olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, add a dash of oil and fry the bread until golden and crisp. Grate three-quarters of the 50g Parmesan over the hot croutons, toss together in the pan, then transfer to a plate.
- Build the dressing: Whisk the egg yolks, Dijon mustard and vinegar in a bowl until combined. Slowly drizzle in the 150ml olive oil, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Finely chop the anchovies and mix with the crushed garlic to form a rough paste. Stir the paste into the dressing, then add the 75g grated Parmesan and lemon juice to taste. Add a splash of water to loosen to a pouring consistency.
- Griddle the chicken: Season the butterflied chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little oil and place on a hot griddle pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until cooked through and nicely charred. Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
- Assemble the salad: Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice and half the dressing. Sprinkle over half the croutons and toss everything together. Top with the remaining croutons, the sliced chicken and the rest of the Parmesan. Serve with the remaining dressing drizzled over the top.
FAQs
What makes Gordon Ramsay’s caesar salad dressing different?
Ramsay builds a classic egg yolk emulsion using red wine or sherry vinegar alongside the lemon juice, not just lemon like most online recipes. This gives the dressing a rounder, deeper flavour. He also mashes the anchovies and garlic into a paste first, so the savoury hit spreads evenly through every spoonful rather than arriving in sharp, salty chunks. If you enjoy this anchovy paste method, his punchy anchovy dip uses the same technique as a starter.
Can you make this without raw eggs?
In Quick and Delicious, Ramsay himself makes a caesar with a mayonnaise-based dressing instead of an emulsion. Whisk good quality mayo with crushed garlic, chopped anchovies, grated Parmesan, lemon juice and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. It is heavier than the egg yolk version but far simpler, and it works well on a crunchy broccoli salad too.
Should you add chicken to this caesar salad?
Ramsay includes griddled butterflied chicken breasts in his Ultimate Home Cooking version and calls it a simple way of making the salad stretch further. Without chicken it works as a starter or side. With it, the salad becomes a proper main for four. For a crunchier twist, try slicing his crispy chicken tenders on top instead of plain griddled breasts.
Why do the croutons go soggy and how should you store this?
The dressing soaks into bread within 30 minutes, so assembled caesar salad does not keep well. Ramsay’s trick of melting Parmesan onto the hot croutons creates a thin protective coat that slows this down, but it is not a long-term fix. Store dressing in a jar in the fridge for up to two days and keep croutons in a dry container at room temperature. Toss everything together only when ready to eat, and accept that leftovers will not be the same.
How does this compare to Jamie Oliver’s caesar salad?
Jamie skips raw egg yolks entirely and uses yoghurt as the dressing base, making his version lighter and faster. He also favours chicken legs over breasts, roasting them with rosemary and calling breasts “dry.” Ramsay’s emulsion is richer, more traditional, and clings better to the leaves. Both are great, just different goals. For another light salad option, his classic caprese salad pairs well alongside.
Can you use kale instead of cos lettuce?
Ramsay does this in both Quick and Delicious and Ultimate Fit Food. Massage raw kale with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for two minutes to soften the tough leaves before dressing. The kale version holds up much longer than cos, making it better for packed lunches and meal prep. For another sturdy salad that travels well, try his crunchy coleslaw. For the complete lineup, browse his cookbook salad recipes.
