If you enjoy a delicious Caesar salad, raise your hand. (Me! I do!) I have a lot of favorite salads, but Caesar salad has always been a favorite of mine. A delicious mix between fresh and crisp and creamy and cheesy flavors may be found in a fantastic Caesar salad.
A flexible salad is the caesar salad. It goes well with a hearty bowl of soup or your preferred handmade Italian dish. It will also complete a particular event, such as a weekend supper or a significant holiday.
I started desiring all of my creamy childhood favorites while I was pregnant with our daughter, Grace, including baked potatoes, ranch dressing, and crisp but creamy Caesar salads. It was evidently time to create a genuine Caesar salad recipe, and now you have one.
This dish includes my easy-to-make Caesar salad dressing, handmade croutons, crisp romaine lettuce, and one more sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The entire recipe is provided below and is written from beginning to end.
How to Make Caesar Salad
The Caesar salad is fairly straightforward. Here are a few quick notes and tips to keep in mind:
Start with the croutons, then work on the dressing.
While the croutons are baking, you’ll have time to stir together the dressing. It’s so easy since it’s made with store-bought mayonnaise, rather than a homemade emulsion of raw egg yolk and oil.
Chop your own romaine lettuce.
Fresh, chilled heads of romaine lettuce will yield the nicest chopped salad. Pre-chopped bagged lettuce tends to go brown at the edges, plus the pieces are cut larger than I like for Caesar salad (aim for small bite-sized pieces).
Toss when you’re ready to serve (no sooner).
Once tossed in dressing, the lettuce and croutons will start to soften. Wait to dress the salad until you’re ready to dig in. Keep in mind that the croutons are best consumed within a few hours after baking.
Special diet considerations:
This Caesar salad recipe, unlike most others, is anchovy-free so it is safe for those with shellfish allergies (see my Worcestershire sauce recommendations at the bottom of the recipe). It’s also fully vegetarian if you choose your Parmesan carefully—Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese.
Also read: Coconut Pancakes
INGREDIENTS
Homemade croutons
- 2 large slices of crusty bread, about ¾-inch thick (about 4 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Caesar salad dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce*, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅓ cup (1 ounce) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon water
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Everything else
- 2 medium heads of romaine lettuce (10 ounces), roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup (1 ounce) finely grated Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Line a plate with a paper towel and set it aside.
- To prepare the croutons: Use a serrated knife to gently slice the bread into ¾-inch cubes (or if it’s easier, use your fingers to gently tear the bread into pieces about that size). Place the cubed bread on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder, and several twists of black pepper. Gently toss the bread with your hands until it’s lightly coated in oil, then arrange the bread evenly across the baking sheet.
- Bake, tossing every 5 minutes, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the croutons are turning golden brown but still offer a bit of chew in the center. Remove the croutons from the oven and transfer them to the lined plate to absorb excess oil. Once cool, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- To prepare the salad dressing: In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Stir to combine. Stir in the Parmesan, followed by the water. Season generously with black pepper, to taste.
- When you are ready to serve, assemble the salad: Place the prepared romaine in a large salad bowl. Top with the croutons. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, then sprinkle most of the Parmesan on top. Toss gently to lightly coat the lettuce in dressing, then garnish with the remaining cheese. Serve promptly, as the lettuce and croutons will soften with time.