This Grandpa's Caesar Salad Recipe Has Gone Viral Twice, And 8 Million People Are Crying Out Over His Secret "Ingredient" That Doesn't Use A Single Anchovy

Jaylee and her grandpa, John, have caught the attention of millions of people on TikTok over the past couple of years with John's Caesar salad recipe. It's one he's been making since she was a little girl:

Grandpa John's recipe first went viral when Jaylee shared his recipe on TikTok about a year ago.

His wholesome tutorial made people miss their own grandparents — and also left people excited to try it.

You can watch his first viral recipe tutorial, which has over 3.6 million views, here.

So, when Jaylee recently posted another video of Grandpa John sharing his famous Caesar salad recipe, nearly 5 million people were glued to their phones once again.

In the video, Jaylee starts by asking Grandpa John if he's ready to make his Caesar salad. He starts, "Yep, it's going to be a Caesar salad redo. Take one! Okay, here we go. First thing you got to do is use a wooden bowl, which I had for 35 to 40 years, and make nothing except Caesar salad in it."

And that, my friends, is the ONE essential thing you do NOT want to skip! A wooden bowl that is used ONLY for Caesar salad. Next, Grandpa John says, "Rub the bowl with garlic," which I think explains why the bowl needs to be used exclusively for this dish.

"And as I said, I only use this (bowl) for Caesar salad. Before you start making it, if you can stick your nose in there, you can smell the garlic which is pretty amazing. And I never know how much of this to do. I just do it until I can smell it in the bowl, and it usually works out pretty good," Grandpa John explains as he rubs a couple of garlic cloves around in the bowl.

"Then you have to put in a third cup of oil. If you're going to make a bigger salad than one head, do not double the oil. It never works," Grandpa John continued.

"Then, put in Worcestershire sauce. I just put it in to taste. Then some Grey Poupon [Dijon mustard]," he shared. And, as his bottle makes a farting noise, he apologizes, "Pardon me."

The next ingredient is a "little bit" of salt. "This is pink Himalayan salt. You don't have to use that but don't use regular salt. I always like to have ground sea salt. And I don't use a lot of salt; I'm not a salt person. I'm a big pepper person," he emphasized, generously adding pepper.

@jay_grace3 / tiktok.com

He then adds in some romaine lettuce and starts combining it with the dressing.

Grandpa John adds a coddled egg after mixing the lettuce with the dressing. "This is not a raw egg; it is coddled, which means it is cooked just enough to kill all the bacteria in it. And be very cautious using your egg because today's are quite expensive," he joked.

Here's how to coddle an egg if you're unfamiliar, but basically, you briefly add it to some boiled water to kill the bacteria. The coddled egg allows the ingredients to adhere to the lettuce, according to Grandpa John.

Lastly, he adds a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and squeezes in some fresh lemon.

@jay_grace3 / tiktok.com

And, with a taste-test for approval by Jaylee, the recipe is complete! People are obsessed.

BuzzFeed spoke to the pair, and Jaylee told us, "Grandpa first discovered his love for Caesar salad while dining at a restaurant in Toronto, Canada. The tableside preparation caught his attention, and he was determined to recreate the salad at home. From that moment on, the kitchen became his personal stage for perfecting the ultimate Caesar salad."

"So as a man of curiosity (and great taste), Grandpa took a trip to thelocal library in search of the perfect Caesar salad recipe. Armed with acookbook and a pinch of creativity, he’s been tweaking and perfecting itever since, because, let’s be honest, no recipe is ever truly finished!"

And Grandpa John shared, "There’s no exact science to it... just a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a whole lot of taste testing! I use the same core ingredients, but the ratios? Well, that’s a mystery even to me. Every batch is a little different, and that’s what keeps it fun."

Grandpa John sometimes adds croutons, but one thing he NEVER adds is anchovies! "Let’s be real — they’re basically fish bait. But hey, if you like them, go ahead and toss them in your salad — for me, I’ll pass! And, a lot of people have asked about the Kraft Parmesan cheese. We live in a small, rural area where gourmet cheeses are a bit of a trek. If you’ve got access to fresh Parmesan, go for it! I’d love to try freshly grated Parmesan next time; it is definitely on my list!"

One thing Grandpa John did reiterate is the fact that a wooden bowl is essential. "It absorbs all the delicious oils and aromas, especially the garlic. The garlic enhances the flavor every time. No soap ever touches this bowl, and forget about a towel! Washing it with soap or drying it would strip away the rich fragrances that have built up over time. Instead, I give it a rinse with hot water, let it air dry upside down, and then carefully place it back in its original box. It’s not just a bowl; it’s part of the recipe."

"My wooden bowl has been with me for over forty years, and I still havethe original box. Every time I pull it out and give it a sniff, it's like I'mbreathing in forty years’ worth of garlic goodness. It’s seriously the most comforting and delicious smell. Besides the magic of the wooden bowl, it’s all about making the most of what you have," he added.

Because Grandpa John has been making this salad since Jaylee was little, it has a special meaning for their family — and is always at the most important family gatherings. "I would watch him make it often, and it was always a great day when the wooden bowl would come out. We’ve been making it together, or more so, me watching and taste-testing, for as long as I can remember. Over the years, it’s become more than just a recipe; it’s a tradition, a way for us to bond and create lasting memories..."

"...For years, Grandpa kept the recipe a secret, so when he finally agreed to let me record him making it, it was a huge moment for both of us," said Jaylee.

You can follow Jaylee, with occasional appearances by Grandpa John, here.

After understandably being intrigued by all of this, I knew I just HAD to make Grandpa John's viral recipe to taste it for myself.

I followed his steps exactly...

Krista Torres

And here is the final product, which was absolutely delicious! It did not taste like any other Caesar salad I had ever tried before. To me, it is more tangy and zesty. I think the one thing I would suggest is tasting the dressing before you toss in the romaine. I did play around a bit with the ratio of the Worcestershire and Grey Poupon to tweak to my liking. Either way, it's definitely an easy recipe I suggest you try yourself!

Once you've made Grandpa John's Caesar (or if a classic Caesar is more your thing), download the free Tasty app to save our recipe for Classic Caesar salad and browse through 7,500+ more — no subscription required.