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–+ servings

Tahini Caesar Salad

5 | 2 reviews
This is a great salad formula to have in your back pocket. It is always a crowd pleaser and belongs at any dinner party. Think of it as a classic caesar flavor-profile, with a bit of a sesame twist from the tahini. I added fennel taralli on top for some extra flavor, but you can easily swap that for breadcrumbs!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings as a side

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 lemon for both zest and juice
  • 4 flat-packed anchovy fillets
  • 2 tablespoons tahini, the more drizzly, the better
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons cool water, if needed
  • 2 ounces fresh parmesan, for grating
  • 1/4 cup Fennel Seed Taralli (crushed into crumbs) or toasted breadcrumbs, for topping
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  1. Halve the romaine crosswise and tear off any wilty leaves. Cut off the base of the romaine and pull apart the leaves. Wash and dry these very well in a salad spinner.
  2. Roughly chop the dill and set aside.
  3. To a large bowl, grate in the garlic cloves. Grate in the zest from half of the lemon. Squeeze in the juice from half the lemon (about 2 tablespoons) and add the anchovy fillets. Use a wooden spoon to break the anchovies into the zest and garlic.
  4. Add in the tahini and mix to combine.
  5. Switch to using a whisk. Drizzle in the olive oil while constantly whisking. The tahini will begin to seize up into a creamy sauce. It will reach a smooth dressing consistency, but if it looks a bit broken, switch to the water and drizzle that in the same way, whisking constantly. A creamy dressing should form. Taste and season with salt as preferred, but I find it never needs it.
  6. Add the romaine and dill to the bowl and mix to coat everything in the dressing.
  7. Transfer the salad to a serving plate and grate over the parmesan. Top with the taralli or toasted breadcrumbs, grate on some freshly ground pepper and serve!