The origin of the Caesar salad is an interesting one. It appears that this very popular salad originated in the 1920’s by an Italian restauranteur named Caesar Cardini who immigrated to San Diego, but set up a restaurant in Tijuana to avoid the restrictions of prohibition at the time. So would we call this dish Italian, Mexican, or American? You tell me…

Origination debate aside, the recipe I’m posting is an adaptation of the Caesar dressing recipe by Once Upon a Chef. She creates amazing recipes and I encourage you to go and check out her site.

There are more “OG” ways to make this dressing (which involves you emulsifying oil yourself and mashing anchovies), but I like this recipe for its quick simplicity. In this version, I’ve decided to make a few adjustments to suit my own preferences (and I hope you do the same!). Here, I substitute half of the mayonnaise with low fat Greek yogurt for a lighter (less guilt) result. This recipe has the ratio of 50/50 yogurt to mayonnaise but you can probably go lighter. Keep in mind that yogurt has a natural tanginess, which may affect the amount of lemon juice you are going to need. Taste it and go from there. 

Lastly, let’s talk cheese in this dressing. The best cheese to use is Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s similar to parmesan but has a stronger, sharper, saltier, and nuttier taste. You can find Parmigiano Reggiano at any fine grocery store, Italian grocers, or Whole Foods. You can easily identify it by the stamped rind of the cheese as shown in the photo below. Still, if you can’t find Parmigiano Reggiano, just go with the trusty (good quality) parmesan.