A Caesar salad (also spelled Cesar, César and Cesare) is a green salad of romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with lemon juice (or lime juice), olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. In its original form, this salad was prepared and served tableside.

Caesar salad was invented in the early 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian chef who owned a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. He moved to Tijuana from California to avoid Prohibition, and it was here, on July 4th, 1924, where Caesar is believed to have invented the Caesar Salad.

Caesar salad in American English noun. a salad of romaine lettuce tossed with an olive oil dressing, a coddled or raw egg, garlic, and grated cheese and topped with croutons and sometimes anchovies. Word origin. [1945–50; allegedly after a restaurant named Caesar's in Tijuana, Mexico]

Many people think the Caesar salad was named after Julius Caesar -- it's not. The Caesar salad was invented by an Italian man named Caesar Cardini. Italians can rest assured that there was Italian influence behind its creation. Cardini was a restauranteur who was born in northern Italy.

The bottom line A classic Caesar salad can fit into any healthy eating plan, but modifications to make it more nutritious may be a good idea if you eat them often. Choose a salad dressing that's low in saturated fat and sodium and consider using a 1-tablespoon (14-gram) serving.

Health Benefits of the Original Caesar Salad:

• Romaine lettuce contains nutrients such as fiber and vitamin C.
• Anchovies contain protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-12, calcium and many more.
• Lemon juice contains vitamin C and antioxidants.
• Garlic (in the dressing) can lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.

Julius Caesar was a Roman general and politician who named himself dictator of the Roman Empire, a rule that lasted less than one year before he was famously assassinated by political rivals in 44 B.C.E. Caesar was born on July 12 or 13 in 100 B.C.E. to a noble family.

Caesar expanded Roman rule in Europe. After being appointed governor of Rome's northern territory of Gaul in 58 B.C., Caesar vastly extended the boundaries of the Roman Republic across Europe, all the way to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and English Channel.

Caesar salad, invented in Tijuana, Mexico, in the 1920s, is a green salad of romaine with a highly seasoned dressing of pounded anchovies, olive oil, lemon juice, egg, and Parmesan cheese, garnished with croutons. Vegetable salads may be marinated or sauced mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables.

Yolks are what give richness to the emulsion, while umami-rich anchovies are the primary reason Caesar salad dressing tastes so good - that, and a good garlicky kick. (If you just cannot, swap in mayo for a lazy Caesar instead, replacing the anchovy with a splash of Worcestershire sauce.)

The reason chicken caesar salads are so satisfying is that they are perfectly balanced in the macronutrients you need. You have the right amount of protein with the chicken, healthy fats with the parmesan cheese and dressing, and carbohydrates for energy to feel satisfied.

Caesar salad can be satiating The fiber and water content in the lettuce and other added vegetables help you feel full. Plus, the crunchy texture of the croutons and raw vegetables may make salads more enjoyable to eat, according to researchers (10).

A traditional Caesar salad has 470 calories, 40 grams of fat (9 grams of which are saturated) and 1070 milligrams of sodium. Even the “side salad” boasts 362 calories, 26 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat and 913 milligrams of sodium. You're almost better off with buttered popcorn and chocolate.

It was actually named after a man called Caesar Cardini. The Babylonians used oil and vinegar for dressing greens nearly 2,000 years ago. The original Caesar salad recipe did not contain pieces of anchovy; the slight anchovy flavor comes from the Worcestershire sauce.

Caesar's most amazing characteristic is his energy, intellectual and physical. He prepared his seven books on the Gallic War for publication in 51 bce when he still had serious revolts in Gaul on his hands, and he wrote his books on the civil war and his Anticato in the hectic years between 49 and 44 bce.

The Contenders

• Brand 1: Cardini's Original Caesar Dressing.
• Brand 2: Ken's Chef's Reserve Creamy Caesar With Roasted Garlic.
• Brand 3: Whole Food's 365 Organic Caesar Dressing.
• Brand 4: Girard's Classic Caesar Dressing.
• Brand 5: Newman's Own Creamy Caesar Dressing.
• Brand 6: Marzetti Supreme Caesar.