Radicchio Caesar Salad

By Eric Kim

Published July 14, 2022

  • Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho. Prop Stylist: Christina Lane.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(433)
Comments
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This fragrant take on Caesar salad uses up an entire tin of anchovies and replaces the sweet romaine with gloriously bitter radicchio. For the dressing: Though you could use a raw egg yolk and slowly stream in oil while whisking constantly, relying on the already emulsifying qualities of store-bought mayonnaise gets you to creamy heights with less fuss. This salad does not keep well, so serve it immediately, while the radicchio is still plump and crunchy. There’s no added salt in this recipe, as the many anchovies season both the bread crumbs and the dressing. But should your radicchio be especially bitter — pleasant though that flavor can be — feel free to add a pinch of salt to help tame the bitterness.

Featured in: 20 Easy Salads for Hot Summer Days

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

  • 1 (2-ounce) tin flat anchovy fillets packed in olive oil

  • ½ cup coarse or panko bread crumbs

  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed

  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large head or 2 small heads radicchio (1 pound), any wilted outer leaves removed, quartered lengthwise, cored and leaves separated

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

23 grams carbs; 33 milligrams cholesterol; 437 calories; 18 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 32 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1283 milligrams sodium; 16 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the bread crumbs: Add all of the anchovy oil from the tin (about 2 tablespoons) to a large skillet. Transfer the anchovies from their tin to a cutting board, draining them well. Finely chop 2 anchovies and add to the skillet, then turn the heat to medium-high. Cook the anchovies, stirring occasionally, until they start to sizzle, about 1 minute. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and toasted, 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

  2. Step 2

    Make the dressing: Set aside 4 anchovies (for garnish later) and finely chop the rest (there should be about 6). Add the chopped anchovies to a large bowl, along with the garlic, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan. Season generously with pepper and whisk to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Dress the salad: Add the radicchio leaves to the dressing and toss. The salad should be lightly dressed, not thickly caked. Taste for acidity, adjusting with more lemon juice if your radicchio is especially bitter. Transfer to a large plate, piling the leaves high. Top with a final grating of Parmesan and the bread crumbs, and garnish with the remaining anchovies. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
433 user ratings
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Comments

daniel

A tablespoon of honey in the dressing brings this to another level

Sheila Datt, Integrative Nutrition Coach

The bread crumbs will pick up the oil already in the skillet. Start with a light sprinkle of kosher or Himalyan pink salt. Taste it and add more if you desire. I also added arugula to the radicchio just for the color contrast.

Marina

Instead of breadcrumbs, I sauté panko. They get beautifully golden and stay crispy once you sprinkle them over the dish.

Kimberly

This was really excellent - it will be on rotation! My only edit was to soak the radicchio in cold water in the fridge before spinning and dressing. I do think this step crisps up and takes some of the bitter edge off of the radicchio.

kima

I added some chopped dates to give it a tad of sweetness and a can of tuna because...yeah protein is good too

Leila Piazza

I've made this three times now, follow the recipe except I measure loosely. It's perfect. Absolutely perfect. Made the whole recipe and eating the whole thing myself for dinner tonight. Serves two if the two are me and myself.

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