Romano Bean Caesar Salad with Cheesy Crumbs and My Legendary Eggless Caesar Dressing

Why Make a Romano Bean Caesar?

Romano beans are perfect for when you’re craving a Caesar but you want something a little bit more substantial than lettuce. Romano beans are a type of pole bean in the green bean family, but they’re longer, flatter, and a little sweeter than their more familiar cousins. When they’re blanched and shocked, they become impossible to stop eating, even straight out of the ice bath! That makes them a particularly excellent partner for my Eggless Caesar dressing, which is lemony, briny, and zingy. Add a crunchy, cheesy crumb, and you get all the things we love in a Caesar: freshness, crunch, richness, and plenty of flavor.

Why Blanch and Shock the Romano Beans?

I blanch and shock the beans to elevate their bright, grassy and slightly sweet flavor. If Romano beans aren’t available, regular green beans work beautifully too, but I’d give them a little smash to break up some of the tougher exterior membrane and make them more receptive to the dressing. It’s a small step, but it changes the way the dressing gets into the vegetable rather than simply coating its surface.

Romano Bean Caesar Salad with Cheesy Crumbs and My Legendary Eggless Caesar Dressing FAQ:

Why is the Eggless Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe Eggless?

I developed this recipe when my daughter was two years old and couldn’t eat raw eggs, and it was so yummy that it stuck! This recipe is great because it is perfect for people who are pregnant or immunocompromised, or are just grossed out by the thought of raw eggs. Also, it is so easy to make vegan friendly by using vegan Worcestershire sauce!

Do I really need BOTH grated Pecorino and a block of Parmesan Cheese?

No. You can use all Parmesan or all Pecorino, but I I think that the grated style of Pecorino cheese (the kind that looks like sand) clings best to the cheesy crumbs and having a block of Parmigiano Reggiano to shave on top of the salad is the pathway to Caesar Salad nirvana!

Where Can I find that epic Chicken Cutlet recipe that you always serve with your Caesar Salads?

• Here is my Best Chicken Cutlet recipe bestie.

I love anchovies! Can I blend anchovies into the dressing?

Yes! My Eggless Caesar Dressing was made without because my daughter was 2 when I originally developed it. But recently, I’ve been sneaking one or two in, and she hasn’t complained (yet)! Just blend the anchovies up right up with the capers and garlic.

Romano Bean Caesar Salad with Cheesy Crumbs and My Legendary Eggless Caesar Dressing

Recipe by thesal28_wp

Course: Salads

Servings

4

servings

This Romano Bean Caesar Salad is crunchy, creamy, and perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner side. It is a bit non-traditional, as there are no eggs or anchovy in the dressing, but I guarantee you won’t miss them, as the dressing is the perfect creamy and lemony vehicle for all the salty goodness we crave in a Caesar salad.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. Romano beans, washed and trimmed

• 1 batch Eggless Caesar Dressing, recipe below

• Cheesy Crumbs, recipe below

• 4 oz. block of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

• freshly ground black pepper (preferably from a pepper mill)

• Eggless Caesar Dressing Ingredients (Updated 3/26)

• 2 oz. fresh lemon juice

• 1 tbsp capers, drained

• 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (use vegan if you want a completely plant based dressing)

• 3 peeled garlic cloves

• 1-2 anchovies, optional

• 2/3 cup your preferred neutral flavored oil, like avocado oil or grapeseed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• Cheesy Crumbs Ingredients

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, or use my homemade crumb version linked here

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2-3/4 tsp seasoned salt (if you don’t have use scant 1/4 tsp each granulated garlic and smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp sugar and kosher salt to taste)

• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

• 2-3 tbsp grated Pecorino cheese, or Parmesan cheese, the kind that looks like sand. It just clings better!

Romano Bean Caesar Salad with Cheesy Crumbs and My Legendary Eggless Caesar Dressing

• PREPARE THE DRESSING: I prefer to use my immersion blender to make the dressing, but you can use a top loading blender if you wish. Blend together the lemon juice, capers, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic and anchovies (if using) until homogenous. With the blender motor running, drizzle in the grapeseed oil in a slow steady stream, then the olive oil, and season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
  
• PREPARE THE CRUMBS: Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast for a few minutes. Add the seasoned salt and Italian seasoning and continue toasting, stirring often, until golden, about 3-4 min. Remove the breadcrumbs from the heat, stir in the Pecorino, and cool on a paper-towel lined plate.
• BLANCH AND SHOCK THE ROMANO BEANS: Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice, then add enough water so the bowl is 2/3 full.  Blanch the Romano beans in boiling salty water (use about 1 tbsp salt per quart of water) for about 50-60 SECONDS, then immediately transfer the to the ice bath to halt the cooking process and preserve the vibrant green color. Once cold, drain the Romano beans and pat dry gently with a kitchen towel (don’t skip this step or the salad will be soggy). Cut the Romano beans into 3 inch pieces and place in a large bowl. 
• BUILD THE SALAD: Add appx. ⅓ cup dressing to the Romano beans and toss. Finish with the cheesy breadcrumbs, a blanket of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (use a microplane grater), and black pepper.
  

Equipment

• 
  Braun Immersion BlenderBuy Now!
• 
  THE ORIGINAL MICROPLANE GRATER/ZESTERLINK TO MICROPLANE GRATER

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