Caesar salad is a staple meal across many tables, and mine is no exception. It is a classic salad and such a crowd-pleaser. My recipe for Caesar salad with homemade dressing and croutons will make you never want to buy the bagged salads again.
I've been perfecting this recipe for years and have finally come to the perfect proportions. just the right amount of lemon, garlic, parmesan, and anchovy. If you've never made Caesar dressing before, you might be surprised to hear anchovy paste is included. It is so subtle though and is what makes it a classic Caesar. If you are really opposed to it, you can leave it out but I highly recommend it.
One of the simplest recommendations I have for salads is to purchase the hearts of romaine and chop the lettuce yourself. The romaine that is pre-bagged has so much less crunch. I've been short on romaine before and tossed in some arugula with the romaine and it was a delicious substitute!
I recommend making this dressing in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender or rapidly whisk the dressing by hand while pouring in the oils.
To make this salad ahead, make the dressing and refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3-5 days. The croutons can be kept in an airtight container in a dry, cool place for 3-5 days as well. When you are ready to serve, chop up the romaine and toss with dressing, parmesan, and croutons.
To make this salad heartier, you could serve it with grilled shrimp, salmon, or chicken. My easy marinated grilled chicken would be a delicious addition to serve on top of this salad.
If you make this homemade Caesar salad, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below!
📖 Recipe
Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Homemade Croutons
- 1.5 cups cubed sourdough or French bread cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Caesar Dressing
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice about 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup mild oil, such as avocado oil
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Other ingredients
- 3 heads of romaine chopped
- ¼ cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
Croutons
- In a small sauce pan on medium high heat, add the bread, olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Frequently toss for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Dressing
- To make the dressing, add egg yolk, lemon juice, parmesan, garlic, anchovy paste, and Dijon to a food processor and process for a few seconds. While processing, slowly pour in both oils until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Assembling salad
- Toss together chopped romaine, shaved parmesan, and croutons. Slowly add in a few tablespoon of dressing at a time, tossing to combine, until you have reached desired dressing amount. Serve immediately with fresh cracked pepper (optional).
Notes
- Makes 1 cup of dressing
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