Caesar Salad Recipe

This Caesar Salad recipe reimagines the flavours of Canada’s beloved Caesar cocktail as an elegant seafood salad filled with heirloom tomatoes, tender clams, crisp celery, and white anchovies. Featured on Bring on the Karbs, hosts Erica and Josh Karbelnik transform familiar cocktail ingredients into a fresh, sophisticated dish finished with a vibrant olive tapenade and bold homemade dressing.

The Inspiration

The Caesar cocktail has become one of Canada’s most recognizable drinks, famous for its savoury combination of clam juice, tomato, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, and garnishes that range from celery stalks to pickles and even seafood. This creative salad captures everything people love about that iconic beverage while presenting it in an entirely new culinary form.

Rather than recreating a traditional Caesar salad with romaine lettuce and creamy dressing, Erica and Josh Karbelnik reinterpret the cocktail itself as the inspiration. Fresh heirloom tomatoes provide the tomato element, cooked clams pay homage to the clam base, celery delivers crisp texture and unmistakable flavour, while Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, Dijon mustard, and celery salt create a dressing that instantly recalls every sip of a classic Caesar.

On Bring on the Karbs, familiar comfort foods and classic flavours are often transformed into imaginative dishes that surprise viewers without sacrificing approachability. This recipe is a perfect example of that philosophy, proving that inspiration can come from unexpected places while remaining delicious and approachable for home cooks.

Ingredients

For the Salad

2 heirloom tomatoes, punched out with a cannoli tube
1 bunch –celery with leaves, shaved and picked
10 clams, cooked and cooled
6 white anchovies
Chervil leaves, for garnish

For the Olive Tapenade

1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 tbsp lemon juice

For the Dressing

1 shallot
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp lemon oil
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ground juniper
1 tsp celery salt
Scraps from heirloom tomatoes

Method

Make the Olive Tapenade

In a food processor add olives and lemon juice and blend until combined.

Make the Dressing

In a food processor add shallot, tomato scraps, Worcestershire, tabasco, white vinegar, Dijon, ground juniper, and celery salt and blend. While blending stream in lemon oil and olive oil.

Assemble the Salad

Add the tomatoes, celery, and clams to a bowl and toss with the dressing.
Spread the Olive Tapenade in the bottom of a bowl. Top with the dressed salad and garnish with anchovies, celery leaves, and chervil leaves and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Pair the salad with toasted sourdough, grilled baguette slices, or artisan crackers to scoop up the rich olive tapenade and savour every drop of the flavourful dressing. The crisp acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar-based dressing also makes this recipe an excellent companion to richer dishes such as lobster, grilled shrimp, crab cakes, or creamy seafood pasta.

For entertaining, consider serving individual portions in chilled shallow bowls or elegant coupe glasses to emphasize the dish’s inspiration from the iconic Caesar cocktail. Garnishing each serving with extra celery leaves, a few additional anchovies, and fresh herbs creates a sophisticated presentation worthy of a restaurant menu.

If serving this salad during warm weather, pair it with sparkling water infused with citrus, fresh lemonade, or a classic Caesar cocktail for guests who appreciate the recipe’s inspiration. The bright acidity and savoury flavours make it equally suitable for casual lunches and refined dinner parties.

Final Thoughts

This Caesar Salad recipe is a refreshing celebration of one of Canada’s most iconic flavour combinations. By transforming the beloved Caesar cocktail into a beautifully composed seafood salad, Erica and Josh Karbelnik demonstrate how familiar ingredients can become something entirely new while remaining approachable and incredibly satisfying.

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