Caesar salad is a delectable salad that is healthy and filling. But since its dressing contains ingredients such as raw eggs and cheese, you would want to know if eating caesar salad during pregnancy is a safe choice or not? Generally, eating raw or uncooked eggs and cheeses made with unpasteurized milk is a strict no during pregnancy because they are a source of harmful pathogens that can cause food-borne illnesses. However, choosing the right ingredients and tweaking the salad recipe can help you enjoy it safely. Read on as we tell you about the Caesar salad, its safety for expecting women, and tips to prepare a healthy caesar salad at home.
What Is A Caesar Salad?
Caesar salad is a famous Mexican delicacy known for its distinctive flavor. It is said to be named after restaurateur Caesar Cardini. This tasty salad contains Romaine lettuce and croutons dressed in olive oil, lemon juice, egg, garlic, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, and black pepper.
Is Caesar Salad Safe To Eat During Pregnancy?
It is not safe to eat Caesar salad containing raw eggs. Raw eggs can contain Salmonella bacteria, leading to infection and making you sick (1). However, commercially available Caesar dressings are safe as they contain cooked or pasteurized eggs that are safe for pregnant women. Before you order the salad in a restaurant, confirm that they are using thoroughly cooked eggs. If you want to make Caesar salad at home while avoiding the risk of any bacterial infections, then try some modified recipes.
Eggless Caesar Salad Recipes For Pregnant Women
Since the original recipe contains raw egg, you may modify Caesar salad to avoid raw egg.
1. Easy Caesar salad
You will need:
Caesar dressing ½ cup eggless mayonnaise 2 cloves garlic, grated 1tbsp fresh lemon juice 2tbsp olive oil ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded Salt and ground black pepper (for taste) Salad 3 hearts of Romaine lettuce, torn ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded A few ready-to-eat croutons Little ground black pepper
How to: Preparation time: 10min Servings: 4
2. Caesar salad with tofu croutons
You will need:
Caesar dressing 1tsp Dijon mustard 2tbsp lemon juice 1tsp water 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/8tsp each of salt and ground black pepper ¼ cup soybean cooking oil Salad 5 hearts of Romaine lettuce, torn 2 cups pear or cherry tomatoes, halved ¼ cup ripe olives, pitted and halved ¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded Tofu croutons 8oz extra-firm tofu (fresh bean curd) 1tbsp soybean cooking oil
How to: Preparation time: 35min Servings: 10
3. Kale Caesar salad
You will need:
Caesar dressing 1 ½tsp Dijon mustard 2tbsp lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 anchovies, finely chopped ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼tsp ground black pepper ¼tsp salt Salad 1 bunch of dino kale, thinly sliced 2tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
How to: Preparation time: 10min Servings: 6
4. Grilled chicken Caesar salad
You will need:
Chicken marinade 1lb skinless chicken breasts 1tbsp olive oil 1tbsp lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 2tbsp Dijon mustard ¾tsp kosher salt 1tbsp fresh rosemary, minced Ground black pepper (for taste) Caesar dressing 1tbsp lemon juice ½ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt 2tsp red wine vinegar 2tsp olive oil 2tsp Dijon mustard 2tsp Worcestershire sauce 1tsp anchovy paste ¼ cup Parmesan cheese ¼tsp granulated garlic Kosher salt and ground black or white pepper (for taste) Salad 2 hearts of Romaine lettuce, halved 4 slices whole wheat bread 2tbsp parmesan cheese, grated Kosher salt and ground black pepper
How to Preparation time: 30min Servings: 4 Classic Caesar salad recipe contains undercooked or non-pasteurized eggs that carry the risk of salmonella bacteria. Salmonella poisoning is unlikely to harm your baby but could affect your health (2). It causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, fever, and abdominal cramping. These symptoms can increase the likeliness of preterm labor or miscarriage. Therefore, it is good to go for eggless varieties like the ones mentioned above.
How To Avoid Salmonella Infections While Having Caesar Salad?
Here are some safe practices you should follow to protect yourself from bacterial infections:
When ordering a Caesar salad from the restaurant, order an eggless variety. Avoid other raw egg-based ingredients such as mayonnaise. Wash the vegetables before using them in the salad. Also, make sure the chicken or meat is thoroughly cooked. Wash your hands before handling food. Cook eggs or meat at high temperatures to kill the bacteria.
