Potato Chip Caesar Salad
making salads fun again
It is *officially* fall and, at least in nyc, it’s finally starting to feel like it too! and I know you may be thinking that a salad is not a fall food, but something about a rich, authentic caesar salad is perfect for all seasons.
however, i’m not always the biggest fan of croutons. either they taste too stale, they’re too hard to crunch, or they just mess with the chemistry of the salad.
so, instead, we do potato chips! the fun part of this is that you can use whatever flavor potato chips you like. I recommend kettle cooked, a black pepper flavor would be great.
watch the video of this recipe
the full recipe:
makes 2-4 servings
Ingredients
2 romaine hearts, chopped
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
black pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for garnish)
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
3-5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt
kettle chips of choice
Steps
Begin by making the dressing. Add 2 raw egg yolks to a large mixing bowl along with 1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste and 1 teaspoon dijon mustard. Grate in 1 clove of garlic. Use a whisk to combine until smooth and fully incorporated.
Add in the juice of 1 lemon. While whisking, slowly incorporate the olive oil. Drizzle a very small amount at a time and be sure it is fully emulsified before adding the next bit. Repeat until all of the olive oil is incorporated into the dressing and smooth, not separated.
Grate in at least 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (save more for later). Whisk to combine. Add 3-5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Combine again.
Taste and add salt to your liking, keeping in mind that the anchovies and cheese are naturally salty. Crack in a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Stir to combine.
To the large bowl with dressing, add the rinsed, dried, and chopped romaine lettuce. Use tongs or salad spoons to gently toss until the dressing is coating the entire salad.
Add about 1 handful or so of kettle cooked potato chips. Use tongs to toss and gently crush the chips.
Plate the salad in your desired serving bowl/plate. Add more crushed potato chips to garnish the salad, along with more parmesan cheese, and more cracked black pepper. (Feel free to omit the extra pepper garnish if using salt & pepper flavored chips).
What type of potato chips? Feel free to use whatever kind of potato chips you like! I think kettle cooked work best here, but any kind is great. Also, have fun with the flavor options. I used original flavored, but sour cream & onion or salt & pepper flavors would also be great.
egg yolks: I understand that some people have concerns with consuming raw eggs. to be more confident in the safety, opt for pasteurized eggs, which have been heat-treated. Alternatively, use a few dollops of mayonnaise (vegan mayo is fine) for the base of the dressing. if you do this, just be sure to taste the dressing along the way.
anchovy paste: you can, of course, use whole anchovy filets instead of paste. Use 1-2 for this recipe and mash them thoroughly. To fully replace the anchovies, opt for about 1 teaspoon of drained capers. Mash them with the back of a fork.
Worcestershire sauce: to replace the Worcestershire sauce, I recommend soy sauce! however, you should opt for a low sodium soy sauce/tamari, OR start with a smaller amount. It is easy to go too far with the salt in a caesar dressing, so be careful to not add too much.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, please comment below or tag me on social media!