Simple Recipes for Every Day
Pesto Caesar Salad with Castelvetrano Olives
- Serves: 6
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
Ingredients
Pesto Caesar Dressing
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 anchovy filets, roughly chopped
- 2 medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ½ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup pesto, homemade or store bought
Salad
- 8 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (about 4 cups)
- 2 cups pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved
- Croutons, store-bought or homemade (optional)
Method
Make the dressing. To a tall mason jar, add the egg yolks, anchovies, garlic, salt, and1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Use an immersion blender to blend the dressing in the jar, about 30 seconds. Continue blending and gradually pour in the oil, being sure to keep the blender flat on the bottom of the jar. Slowly lift the blender up to incorporate the remaining oil. Add the remaining lemon juice, pepper, and pesto, then blend until combined.
Make the salad. In a large bowl toss the lettuce with the dressing along with half of the grated Parmesan cheese, chicken, and olives. Top with the remaining Parmesan, croutons, and pepper to taste.