Fried Lemon Caesar Salad is full of beautiful fried lemon slices and makes for a delicious Caesar Salad with a unique, fun twist. It's a lovely appetizer salad, and you can add chicken and turn it into a hearty main course.
It might be a stretch to call my Fried Lemon Caesar Salad a twist on the classic, but that's what I'm doing. I took most of the lemon out of the dressing and added that lovely flavor with fried lemon slices in the salad itself.
Fried lemon slices are delicious. The lemons caramelize, making them sweeter and less pungent, but still quite lemon-y.
Fried Lemons
Frying citrus almost doesn't seem like a natural thing to do, but it's actually quite remarkable.
They have an added layer of flavor, and it's sweet. When they're fried, the sour, tart lemons caramelize, bringing all of the natural sugars to the surface. They'll still be sour and tart, of course, but the sweetness rounds the flavor out a bit.
How to Fry Lemons
- Choose the right lemon. Ideally, you want a thin-skinned, seedless lemon. While you can use any lemons for this recipe, Meyers are preferable because their skin is thinner than most other lemons. Fried lemons are better with a thin skin because too much of the pith (the white part between the skin and the fruit), won't taste as good, and doesn't look as appealing. Most lemons have at least a few seeds -- the fewer the better so the slices stay more intact.
- Season with salt, pepper and sugar. The pepper will add flavor, while both the salt and sugar will help brighten the natural flavor of the lemon.
- The pan should be very hot. Treat the lemon slices like ahi tuna you want to sear. The hotter the pan is when the lemon hits it, the more likely it is to get a beautiful, golden caramelization on the surface.
- This is a quick process. We only want to quickly brown the lemons -- if they're in the hot pan for too long, they'll become mushy. We're not actually cooking them, just browning them. Again, think of the seared ahi tuna.
My cousin laughed the other day when I asked her if she'd like any "citrus." I could have been more specific I suppose, but in my mind, citrus may as well be its own food group!
Inspiration
Blood oranges, Satsumas, Pixies, limes and lemons are constantly inspiring me. I love them and I'm always working these fantastic and delicious fruits into my recipes.
Oh, and Lemon-Garlic Croutons are also part of what make this Fried Lemon Caesar Salad so good.
Fried Lemon Caesar Salad is one of my favorite citrus creations.
I hope you love it!
Fried Meyer Lemon Ceasar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the fried lemons
- 2 lemons (preferably Meyer lemons)
- salt, granulated sugar and freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
For the dressing
- 5 anchovies, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 3 heads Romaine lettuce, washed and dried, roughly chopped
- 2 cups Lemon-Garlic Croutons (click here for the recipe)
- 1 cup Parmesan, shaved
Instructions
For the fried lemons
- Wash, dry, and thinly slice the lemons -- placing them on a large plate as you go. You should get about 8 slices per lemon, and they should be about ⅛-inch thick.
- Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil, place it over medium-high heat. While the pan is preheating, sprinkle both sides of the lemon slices with salt, pepper and sugar. This should be a light sprinkling, but enough to season each slice well.
- Once the pan is very hot, add the lemon slices and sauté until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 minute. Use a tiny spatula to gently flip the slices, and brown the other side, about 30 seconds. Place the sautéed lemons slices on a plate to cool. Set aside.
- Once cooled, cut each sautéd lemon slice into fourths -- you can stack a few at a time to do this. Set aside.
For the dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the anchovies, garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and honey. Mix to blend. Gradually, pour in the oil, whisking all the while to blend it evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
For the salad
- In a large salad bowl, mix the lettuce with the Lemon-Garlic Croutons, Parmesan and the fried lemons.
- Just before you're ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing.
Colette from JFF!
Shut
the
door!
I'm so making this!
valentina
😀
sippitysup
I love fried lemon. It seems odd (at first) but don't knock it til you try it. GREG
valentina
Exactly! 😉
Kelsey
Haha! I love you. This is gorgeous.
valentina
Thanks, Kelsey! xoxo
Kristen @ The Endless Meal
This is such a great idea! I made a kale caesar the other day that would have been even more delicious with these lemons. Will have to make it again and try frying up some lemons. 🙂
valentina
Thanks so much, Kristen. Sounds delicious with the kale! 🙂
Cassie
Hi!
How horrible would the dressing be without the anchovies?
Thank you!
valentina
Not horrible at all! Just different. 🙂
Chocolate Lady
Thank you for sharing this salad recipe featuring fried lemon slices! What a marvelous idea! I just discovered you ~ and so happy I did!
valentina
Thank you! I hope you try the salad -- I just love cooking with lemons. So happy you found my site, too. 🙂
2pots2cook
This is what I call perfect office lunch !
valentina
Thank you! 😀
Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef
What a great recipe, I will make your salad this week especially since I have a Meyer lemon tree in my garden. Thank you for the recipe.
valentina
So great to have a Meyer lemon tree! The best. Thanks, Gerlinde. 🙂
Luci
I never would have thought of frying a lemon. That has to bring out the flavor of the lemon.
valentina
It does! 😀
Pina
Fried. Lemon. This just blew my mind! Can't wait to make this 🙂
valentina
Yay! I hope you love it!
Natalie
I love caeser salad! Looks so delicious and perfect for dinner!
valentina
Thanks, Natalie!
Tilly
You've just blown my mind, I've never seen fried lemons let alone in a salad. Genius!
valentina
Thank you!!!
Bhawana
you successfully tempted me with those roasted lemon wedges. Looking so mouthwatering and drooling over n over.
valentina
Thanks so much!
Jeff the Chef
I have fried lemon slices before. They're gorgeous and intense. I'll bet they're delicious in this salad! Nicely done!
valentina
Thanks, Jeff! 😀
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I love caesar salad, especially those made at home - the best! I've never fried lemons before, but I do love 'em and another way to enjoy is never a bad thing 😉 Bet they add such brightness and flavours to this salad. Can't wait to give this a go! You're totally making me crave this for breakfast right now 🙂
valentina
Well if you're craving salad for breakfast, I know I've done my job well. She says while she sips her coffee and eats cookies. 😀 Have a great day, Dawn, and thanks!
John / Kitchen Riffs
Why have I never fried lemons?!! LOVE the idea. I'm so doing this -- thanks.
valentina
I hope you like it as much as we do! Enjoy!
nancy
This salad SO HAS MY name written all over it! I adore citrus and caramelized citrus? Oh my! I am adding this to my dinner rotation ASAP - definitely a winner in our house!!
valentina
So happy you like it, Nancy. Thank you! 😀
Ron
Who doesn't love a good salad and Caeser? It's likely my favorite salad. Carmalized lemon slices in a Caeser sounds wonderful as well as being a brilliant idea. Your dressing recipe looks divine. What's a Ceaser without anchovies? Not a Ceaser in my book. Can't wait to give this a try.
valentina
I'm with you about the anchovies, Ron. Love them! Thanks so much and enjoy. 🙂
David @ Spiced
Frying up those lemons totally counts as a twist on the classic recipe, Valentina! I don't think I've ever seen that done before. I love tossing citrus on the grill, so it makes sense that I would like 'em fried up, too. This sounds like a wonderful flavor, and I'll have to keep it in mind for sure. Also, that salad looks awesome!
valentina
Grilling citrus sounds awesome, David, and with so many things. Thanks and enjoy!
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
A lemon lovers fantasy salad! What a fabulous way to celebrate the season of citrus.
valentina
Thanks so much, Deb! I do love citrus!!
Coco in the Kitchen
What a delicious idea!
valentina
Thank you, Colette! 🙂
Kathryn
What a great idea Valentina. I have crystallised but never fried lemons. As I have a lovely Myer Lemon Tree I will enjoy venturing out and adding a few 'fried lemons' to my dishes. Very innovative!
valentina
I love crystalized lemon, too. Lucky you to have a Meyer lemon tree. 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia
Valentina, how inspiring! I never heard, thought of, or even imagined fried lemon. It looks and sounds amazing! Brilliant!
valentina
I hope you try it, Kelly. They're a tasty treat. 🙂 Thanks for checking it out.
David
The fried lemons sound amazing, Valentina! I will definitely try this - and I love Caesar salad (sans garlic, natch!). Did you know the original Caesar had no garlic in the dressing? Only the bowl was rubbed with garlic. I was rather astonished to learn that!
valentina
I do think I've heard that -- I like it! Enjoy frying lemons and I hope you're having a lovely weekend.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
What a terrific and different take on Caesar salad. I love all things lemon and can't wait to give your recipe a try.
valentina
Thank you, Karen! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Christina Conte
LOVE this idea! I mean, why not? It's just one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments! Thanks, Valentina!
valentina
Right!? I hope you try it, and I bet you have lemons in your beautiful garden. 🙂
Leona Barnett
Just wondering if you can fry the lemons ahead of time. Looking forward to having a new way to use my Meyer lemon crop
valentina
Hi Leona, I wouldn't do this too far ahead because the lemons will become soggy. I think 30 min. ahead is all I'd do. Though, if you don't mind a soggy appearance, they will still taste great! Thanks for visiting and checking out the recipe. Cheers!
Inn
Wow Valentina.. you came up with such a fantastic idea! I would never have thought to fry lemons. I can't wait to try it. This recipe looks absolutely amazing!
valentina
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂