Best Caesar Salad

Caesar salad in wood salad bowl with salad servers.

from kristineskitchenblog.com

Now you can make a restaurant-quality Caesar salad, at home! This classic salad recipe has crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy homemade croutons, creamy Caesar dressing and shaved Parmesan. Serve it as a side salad, or add chicken, shrimp, bacon or hard boiled eggs for protein to make it a meal. Everyone will be asking for this recipe!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Servings: servings

Calories: 480kcal

Author: Kristine Rosenblatt

Ingredients

Garlic Herb Croutons

6 cups 1-inch bread cubes from a French baguette, French bread, thick country bread, or similar (day old bread is best)
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Caesar Dressing

2 small cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup good quality mayonnaise
2 tablespoons olive oil
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon anchovy paste optional, see note
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Remaining Salad Ingredients

3 romaine hearts or 1 large head romaine lettuce coarsely chopped or torn, about 12 cups
½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese or shredded Parmesan

Instructions

Make the Croutons:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes and stir them together with the oil and seasonings until evenly coated. Spread them out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 minutes, until golden brown, flipping them over half way through the bake time.

Make the Dressing:

Place the minced garlic in the bottom of a medium bowl. Pour the salt onto the garlic and use the back of a small spoon to mash the garlic and salt together into a paste.
Add the mayonnaise, olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste (if using), and black pepper. Whisk until fully combined.
Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, if needed. If the dressing is too thick, you can whisk in a little water, a teaspoon at a time, to thin it out.

Assemble Salad

Place the chopped lettuce in a large bowl. Drizzle on dressing, a little at a time, tossing it with the lettuce until the salad is dressed to your liking. Then add the croutons and shaved Parmesan and toss briefly to combine. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead: It's best to store each component separately and then assemble the salad right before serving. Croutons can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Caesar salad dressing can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Anchovy Paste: Chopped anchovies or anchovy paste are a traditional ingredient in Caesar dressing. If you prefer not to use the anchovy paste, the Worcestershire sauce in the dressing brings a similar flavor profile.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.