You won’t want to miss this recipe: Garlic Lover’s Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad, with roasted garlic in the dressing and a whole head of roasted garlic to go on each serving! The dressing is egg-free and it has capers in it!! I added a bit of radicchio to the romaine and served it with a big crostini to spread the luscious roasted garlic on. Can I get a big ‘ole “YUM” people?!!
I originally shared this recipe on August 29, 2014. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
Calling all Garlic Lovers!! This recipe may not be for the faint of heart from a flavor perspective, but don’t turn up your nose just yet! Garlic has a ton of health benefits that might make you reconsider putting up with the occasional dragon-breath moment from time to time.
Garlic is a member of the Allium or onion family and has been popular for centuries because of it’s medicinal properties. Most of the health benefits are caused by garlic’s sulfur compound allicin, which is also responsible for it’s lovely and strong aroma. It’s low in calories, but filled with good for you nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese.
Garlic is known to boost the immune system and actually shorten and reduce the severity of the common cold or flu and it can help lower cholesterol if consumed daily. It has anti-inflammatory properties, can help lower the risk of certain cancers and it contains antioxidants that may help prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Plus you are 100% less likely to have an unpleasant encounter with a vampire after you’ve eaten garlic. Oh yeah, Garlic Rocks! This Garlic Lover’s Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad is my latest contribution to Salad Month. It is delicious, it is crammed with health benefits AND has that bonus vampire deterrent thing going for it. Not to be too over dramatic, but basically this salad can literally save your life!
Why this Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad is AMAZING!
- No raw eggs: I love salmonella and all but… actually I don’t and I kind of love my kids, so I am not a fan of the raw egg variety of Caesar dressing.
- No raw garlic: I do like a bit of raw garlic in simple Caesar dressing, but if you have time and you are going for the best, roasting it makes it even better, and for some reason doesn’t ooze out your pores for days after. Eww.
- Capers: Have we discussed how much I love capers? Yes, yes we have.
- Anchovy paste:Chopping up anchovies is fun and all, but having a half of a can left-over is not so awesome and a total waste when you can just buy it in a tube. Bonus you can make jokes about your new favorite fish flavored toothpaste.
- Radicchio: Because a little bitter makes everything sweeter. Just like my attitude.
- Chopping: Just like stir frying in a wok is ten times more badass than doing a stir fry in a skillet, chopping the lettuce is so much cooler than tearing it by hand. Especially if you use a big knife.
- Crostintons: The croutons are actually like crostini, so you can pick them up and spread the roasted garlic on them, and then crunch them up… which brings me to…
- Roasted Garlic: A whole head of roasted garlic all to yourself. Booom! You’re welcome. That is reason enough.
So let’s keep the Garlic-Love going and check out a few other yummy garlic recipes from me and my blogging buddies…
Shrimp in Garlic Sauce by Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Garlic Herb Marinated Chicken by Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Baked Garlic Butter Chicken by Diethood
Herbed Fresh Pea Soup with Garlic Croutons by Oh My Veggies
Garlic Lovers Salmon in Foil by Gimme Some Oven
Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash by Peas and Crayons
20 Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp by Sally’s Baking Addiction
Garlic Lover's Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad, with roasted garlic in the dressing and a whole head of roasted garlic to go on each serving! The dressing is egg-free and it has capers in it!! I added a bit of raddichio to the romaine and served it with a big crostini to spread the luscious roasted garlic on. A super yummy entree salad!
Ingredients
- 8 whole heads garlic
- 2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 18 slices baguette, preferably multi-grain or whole-wheat
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasonings
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 hearts of Romaine, chopped and washed
- ½ head raddichio lettuce, chopped
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Asiago
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roast Garlic for Dressing: Cut ends of garlic heads off with a serrated knife exposing individual tips of garlic cloves. Place root-side down in a small baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablspoons oil over the exposed garlic clove ends. Cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Roast garlic until the garlic is soft and fragrant and starting to brown, 1 hour to 1 hour 25 minutes. Remove foil and allow garlic to cool.
- Make Croutons: Lay baguette on a parchment lined baking sheet. Stir 1 tablespoon oil, Italian seasoning and salt in a small dish. Brush oil over the baguette slices. Bake until browned and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool.
- While croutons cool, make dressing: Squeeze cloves from two heads of garlic into a blender or food processor and discard papery skins. Add roasted garlic oil from the baking dish, if there is any. Add the remaining ¼ cup oil, lemon juice, capers, anchovy paste, mustard and pepper and puree until smooth. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and puree to combine.
- Make Salad: Combine romaine, raddichio and grated Parmigiano or Asiago in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Mound onto 6 plates and serve each with three croutons and a head of garlic.
Here are the original images associated with this blog post.
This is honestly the most beautiful caesar salad I have ever seen! I love the pop of color that the radicchio adds and roasting the garlic is such a great idea. And I am completely with you on the raw eggs!
Thank you so much Emily. I am not a big fan of taking pics of salad so I appreciate the compliment.
You had me as soon as i saw roasted garlic in your photo. I can imagine that this is the best caesar salad.
I love roasted garlic too Barbara.
It indeed sounds and looks the BEST Caesar salad! Beautiful shots, Katie.
Thank you so much Angie.
Roasted garlic and anchovies? This is literally the best Caesar salad ever! And the pictures are amazing too!
Thank you Mike! So glad you came by 😉
Hi Katie! Thanks for the awesome comment you left on my blog the other day. I just stopped by to check out your site and seriously, you and I need to be friends. Caesar salad is one of my all-time favorites, as is whole roasted garlic. That’s usually my biggest complaint about restaurant versions of caesar dressing, is that the garlic is too sharp and pungent. I pretty much roast garlic whenever I have the time to do so (it’s also awesome in pesto — so much flavor, and no harsh bite), and love the idea of having an entire head of it all to myself to spread on crostini. I might just need to make that for lunch, just so I can stop drooling. 🙂
My thoughts upon reading your blog exactly Willow. Ha ha. Oh I love the idea of roasted garlic in pesto. I have never tried it but will do that before the summer is over for sure.
Roasted garlic is the best! Sounds so delicious 🙂
Thank you Lauren! Have a great week!