Paleo Caesar Salad

We make this classic Caesar Salad recipe healthier with only a few simple tweaks.

Introduction by: Andrea Dehnke

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Using a few ingredients tossed in a zesty dressing, Caesar Salad is a crowd-pleasing appetizer or main dish for any occasion. And with a few tweaks, this dish can be made gluten free, dairy free, low sodium, and completely Paleo while still maintaining the same classic texture and flavors.

We start by swapping the croutons with toasted almonds to maintain the same crunch that complements crispy Romaine lettuce. To cut down on the sodium of the original recipe, we flavor our Paleo Ceasar Salad with avocado instead of parmesan and make a paste from no salt–added sardines for the Caesar Salad dressing (salt-free anchovies are harder to source, but feel free to use them if you want to make this salad PaleoFLEX™).

Worcestershire sauce is a typical condiment found in Caesar Salad dressing, though its ingredients are not Paleo. If you want to make up for it, add more garlic, sardines, and a touch of vinegar to the dressing mixture. We also recommend sourcing Paleo-friendly mustard and mayo that doesn’t contain added salt, sugar, or other non-Paleo ingredients. You can skip the trouble of finding storebought condiments by making some yourself with our recipes for Dijon-style mustard and Paleo mayo—just be sure to prep the mustard well in advance, as it needs 48 hours for the flavors to meld.

This Caesar Salad recipe serves four with larger portions, or six as a smaller first course. For a heartier meal, add cooked chicken or salmon to the mix.

Paleo Caesar Salad

Recipe by: Jess Case
Serves: 4
Meal: Appetizer

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

¹⁄₂ cup sliced almonds
1 no salt–added sardine filet (or 2 anchovy filets), deboned
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, peeled
¹⁄₄ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
¹⁄₄ tsp. black pepper
¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
1 avocado, diced
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

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Directions

Heat a small dry pan over medium-low heat. Add almonds and toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Combine sardine, lemon juice, garlic, mayo, mustard, black pepper, and olive oil in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, add lettuce, avocado, and almonds and toss with Caesar Salad dressing. Serve immediately.