Street FoodEasy

Caesar Salad

Name: Caesar Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 100 ml Olive oil virgen extra; 2 cloves Garlic; 6 Anchovy fillets; 2 Lettuce romana; 2 Lime (Juice); 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 150 g Baguette (for croutons); 80 g Grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 Egg yolk

30 min (20 prep + 10 cook) Easy 4 servings Baja California

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 24 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Oct 2026

⏱️Under 30 Minutes 🌙Quick Dinner 🇲🇽Traditional 🛒Street Food

The iconic salad invented in Tijuana with cos lettuce, creamy dressing and croutons.

About this recipe

The Caesar salad was invented in 1924 by Italian-Mexican chef Caesar Cardini at his restaurant in Tijuana. It features cos lettuce, creamy anchovy dressing, croutons, Parmesan and lemon. It is one of the world's most famous salads - and it is proudly Mexican.

History & Origin

The Caesar salad was created on the 4th of July 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who ran a restaurant in Tijuana, Baja California, during Prohibition in the United States. According to legend, on a particularly busy weekend Cardini ran out of ingredients and had to improvise with whatever was left in the kitchen: cos lettuce, eggs, olive oil, lemon, Worcestershire sauce and toasted bread. The salad was originally prepared tableside in front of diners as a culinary spectacle. American tourists who crossed the border for legal drinks were delighted by the creation. Its fame spread rapidly through Hollywood as film stars began frequenting Cardini's restaurant. Today, the Caesar salad is one of the most ordered dishes in restaurants around the world, and Tijuana celebrates it as one of its greatest contributions to international gastronomy.

Estimated cost

$16.39

Total cost

$4.10

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on Australian supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

280

Calories

10g

Protein

20g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

580mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cut the bread into 1 cm cubes and toss with olive oil, salt and chopped garlic. Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes until golden and crisp.
💡 You can add a little Parmesan to the croutons for extra flavour.
2
Make the dressing: in a bowl, mash the anchovies with the garlic to a paste. Add the egg yolk, mustard, lime juice and Worcestershire sauce.
3
While whisking, pour in the olive oil in a thin stream until it emulsifies into a creamy dressing.
💡 The dressing should be thick but pourable. Add a few drops of water if it is too dense.
4
Wash and dry the romaine lettuce well. Separate the whole leaves (the traditional way) or cut them up.
5
In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the dressing. Add the croutons and half the Parmesan.
6
Serve on individual plates, sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan and garnish with an anchovy fillet if you like.
💡 For the classic presentation, leave the leaves whole and eat with your hands.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.