Sardine Caesar Salad Recipe

A restaurant-worthy Caesar salad is easy to make at home with the right ingredients—in fact, you may already have some of them stocked in your pantry. Most recipes call for anchovies, but we subbed in Wild Planet Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Sustainably caught in the Pacific Ocean and lightly smoked, they add delicious complexity and umami flavor to the creamy dressing. It pairs perfectly with refreshing, crisp romaine, savory panko breadcrumbs, and salty parmesan cheese.

Sardine Caesar Salad Recipe

Yield: 4 to 5 servings
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes

Ingredients

For the breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons ghee
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

For the dressing
1 tablespoon avocado oil mayo
1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
1 sardine, mashed into paste
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad
7 cups romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and cut into strips
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the breadcrumbs
Melt ghee over medium heat, then add panko and stir to combine. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, or until panko is golden brown. Set aside and let cool.

Make the dressing
(Press play above to see the dressing come together!)
In a mason jar, add avocado mayo, lemon juice, mustard, sardine paste, salt, and pepper. Shake well. Add oil, then shake again until vinaigrette is thick and emulsified.

Make the salad
To make the salad, toss romaine, parmesan cheese, and toasted breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and serve. Check out a few more ways to eat sardines.

Recipe credit: Angela Gaines
Photo credit: Paul Delmont