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Healthy Caesar Salad (Low Carb, Primal, GAPS) +Video

05/02/2017 27 Comments

Disclosure: We only recommend products and services we genuinely love. We may receive commissions from purchases made through special inks in this article. Full disclosure
Tagged With: anchovy, budget meals, dijon mustard, GAPS, garlic, low-carb, mayonnaise, nut free, one-pot/pan, primal, quick & easy, romaine lettuce, salmon, worcestershire sauce

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This Healthy Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!

Healthy Caesar Salad -Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!

When I used to work full time outside the home, I would regularly buy Caesar Salad for lunch at a local French Café.  I don’t know if it was the crisp romaine lettuce or the creamy dressing or their housemade French baguettes that was magically turned into croutons…I was sold on that Caesar Salad.

I scoured grocery stores trying to find that salad dressing with just the right proportions of garlic and parmesan to pour over my romaine. But what was most disappointing in all those bottles was the long ingredient list of non-edibles.

Healthy Caesar Salad -Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!

And then I realized I could just as easily make my own.  Thankful for the world wide web and google – I drooled over images of the many caesar salad dressings and got to work.  My excitement didn’t last long, however.

Bland.  Stale.  Too runny.  Too thick.  Not-garlicky enough.  Not-parmessany enough.  They all failed.

Healthy Caesar Salad -Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!

Until I came up with this recipe. It’s heavy on the garlic (but you could easily go light there if you wish) and parmesan cheese. Lots of parmesan cheese. Don’t forget to use homemade mayonnaise or a good brand such as this one.

Related: How to Make Mayonnaise

Healthy Caesar Salad

If you don’t have anchovy paste in your pantry, feel free to use good quality fish sauce such as this brand but this flavor is essential to creating the most authentic, flavorful Caesar Salad.

To make this a complete meal just add your favorite protein to this salad. We love seared salmon but have used leftover roast chicken in the past and it was just as delicious. Grilled shrimp is amazing too.

Finally, top with gluten free crackers instead of the sourdough croutons to add extra crunch. Our favorite gluten free crackers are this brand since they don’t have any fillers.

A note on the worcestershire sauce: this is probably the best organic brand on the market but I do have a recipe that is soy-free and refined sugar free. I’ll have that recipe up soon. If you know of a brand that is paleo compliant, please let me know in the comments. I try to avoid soy consumption as much as possible, that’s why I resorted to making my own worcestershire sauce years ago. 

UPDATE: You can find my Soy-Free Worcestershire Sauce recipe HERE. 

Healthy Caesar Salad -Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!

The dressing can be made in advance up to 4 days and stored in the refrigerator. If for some reason you need a longer shelf life simply omit the garlic until you are ready to serve. It will keep longer that way.

Healthy Caesar Salad -Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!
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4.41 from 5 votes

Healthy Caesar Salad

Made with real parmesan cheese, homemade mayonnaise and lots of garlic, this salad can be made a light meal with your favorite protein.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Author Anya @ Prepare & Nourish

Ingredients

Caesar Dressing

  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard (optional)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste OR fish sauce
  • 2 t Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup real mayonnaise
  • 3/4 cup Parmiggiano-Reggiano, finely grated
  • salt & pepper to taste

Caesar Salad

  • 1 fresh romaine heart
  • 12 oz seared salmon, grilled shrimp, or leftover roast chicken
  • 1/4 cup Parmiggiano-Reggiano, shaved

Instructions

To make Caesar Dressing

  • Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, mustard, anchovy paste, and Worcestershire sauce until evenly combined.
  • Add the mayonnaise, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until well combined.
  • Let stand at room temperature for about an hour to incorporate all the flavors.
  • The dressing is a little on the thick side, add mild oil such as avocado oil to thin it out if necessary.

To make Caesar Salad

  • Rinse and dry romaine lettuce. Chop coarsely and throw in a large bowl.
  • Add 1/2 - 1 cup of dressing and combine everything well with tongs. Add your choice of protein (if using) and gently give a quick toss again. 
  • Top with shaved parmesan cheese and gluten free crackers (if using). 

Healthy Caesar Salad -Caesar Salad is best enjoyed with real food ingredients and gluten free crackers for an extra crunch. Perfectly blended with salmon, chicken, or shrimp, it can be made into an easy meal!


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Healthy Caesar Salad Recipe - This Healthy Caesar Salad is low carb, primal and GAPS compliant. Throw in some chicken, shrimp or salmon to make a complete meal.

 

Healthy Caesar Salad Recipe - This Healthy Caesar Salad is low carb, primal and GAPS compliant. Throw in some chicken, shrimp or salmon to make a complete meal.

 

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Filed Under: Salads Tagged With: anchovy, budget meals, dijon mustard, GAPS, garlic, low-carb, mayonnaise, nut free, one-pot/pan, primal, quick & easy, romaine lettuce, salmon, worcestershire sauce

About Anya

Previous Post: « Seared Salmon Tacos with Asparagus Scallion Salsa (Gluten Free, Low Carb)
Next Post: 4 Ingredient Paleo Crêpes (Dairy Free, Nut Free) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hannah

    05/02/2017 at

    Thank you for this recipe! Caesar salad is one of my favorites!

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/03/2017 at

      You’re welcome Hannah. It’s a fave around here too!

      Reply
  2. Carol Little R.H.

    05/02/2017 at

    LOVE Caesar salad! Thanks for your version. I have always made the classic with egg and anchovies etc but will give yours a go Looks delicious!!

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/03/2017 at

      Hope you enjoy this one Carol. We all love it!

      Reply
  3. Anna

    05/02/2017 at

    Love Caesar salad! Really easy recipe and great for quick dinners!

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/03/2017 at

      Yay for quick dinners!! Always a winner!

      Reply
  4. Emily @ Recipes to Nourish

    05/02/2017 at

    This salad looks amazing Anya! I LOVE a good Caesar salad, they’re one of my favorites. I love your yummy additions too. So fun with the gf crackers in there.

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/03/2017 at

      It’s our family’s favorite salad. We all love it and you can change it up with different meats and proteins.

      Reply
  5. Megan Stevens

    05/03/2017 at

    YUMM!! I want that salad!! I love that you use fish sauce as an alternative. Great idea because it’s so convenient!

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/03/2017 at

      Thanks Megan. I don’t notice much difference but I love the flavor it gives.

      Reply
  6. fiona saluk

    05/07/2017 at

    I totally know what you mean about always being disappoint with store-bought caesar dressing both in taste and in suspiciously long ingredient lists! Also, that anchovy paste is definitely key to the perfect flavor. I can’t wait to try out this recipe!

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/08/2017 at

      Agreed! Thank you for sharing my sentiment. And yes, that anchovy is the best!

      Reply
  7. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes

    05/07/2017 at

    Maybe I can convince the husband to make this for me right now while I sit lazily on the couch… 😀

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/08/2017 at

      Haha! Best of luck to you there, Sarah.

      Reply
  8. Sandhya Hariharan

    05/07/2017 at

    Caesar Salad looks amazing.. Loved your version with alternatives Anya.

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/08/2017 at

      Thanks Sandhya! We love it too!

      Reply
  9. Julie

    05/07/2017 at

    I love Caesar salads! I can’t wait to try this recipe as the flavors sound wonderful.

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/08/2017 at

      Thanks Julie. Hope you get to make it soon!

      Reply
  10. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

    05/07/2017 at

    Caesar salad is one of my favorites – and I love to make homemade dressings! I’m saving this one, because I’m certain it will be a weekly staple! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/08/2017 at

      I love this recipe, hope you enjoy it too!

      Reply
  11. Lori

    05/29/2017 at

    The ingredients list does not have mustard listed but in the instructions you say wisk in mustard. What kind and how much???

    Reply
    • Anya

      05/30/2017 at

      So sorry Lori. Fixed that. Just 1 teaspoon of dijon will do.

      Reply

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