Caesar Salad Recipe

Classic Caesar Salad with crisp homemade croutons and a light caesar dressing – for when you want to impress your dinner guests.

If you love caesar recipes as much as we do, check out our creamy caesar dressing and caesar pasta salad.

My son, David, is to thank for this recipe. He is 9 years old and took kids cooking classes at Sur La Table where he learned and fell in love with this caesar salad recipe, so we re-created it at home together.

caesar salad recipe

Caesar Salad Recipe

caesar salad recipe

Classic Caesar Salad with crisp homemade croutons and a light caesar salad dressing.

Prep: 20min

Total: 30min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 289 kcal, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 26 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 9 mg, Sodium 596 mg, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 French Baguette (cut in half and thinly sliced (1/4″ thick))
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp minced garlic (2 small cloves)
  • 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 small garlic cloves (minced (1 tsp))
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper (plus more to serve)
  • 1 large romaine lettuce ((or 2 small heads romaine))
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (shredded or shaved)

Instruction:

  1. Toss until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer over the baking sheet and bake at 350˚F until light golden and crisp (10-12 minutes), or to desired crispness.
  2. Whisk in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste.
  3. Rinse, dry and chop or tear the romaine into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large serving bowl and sprinkle generously with shredded parmesan cheese and cooled croutons. Drizzle with caesar dressing and toss gently until lettuce is evenly coated.

The Best Homemade Caesar Salad

caesar salad recipe

This really is the best homemade Caesar salad! With homemade croutons and a creamy homemade dressing.

Prep: 5min

Total: 15min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 208 kcal, Carbohydrate 15 g, Protein 5 g, Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 9 mg, Sodium 544 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups torn bread cubes (, about half of a small loaf)
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Heavy pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 clove of garlic (, minced)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 head romaine lettuce (, washed and torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces)
  • Dressing
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (, grated, shaved or shredded)
  • Croutons

Instruction:

  1. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad. Can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container.
  2. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Can be made at least 1 week in advance.
  3. Top with remaining croutons and cheese and serve immediately.

Classic Caesar Salad

caesar salad recipe

A great Caesar salad recipe like this one gets its swagger from cold and crisp greens, a creamy and briny dressing, and freshly made croutons.

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more
  • ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups torn 1″ pieces country bread, with crusts
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 romaine hearts, leaves separated
  • Parmesan, for serving

Instruction:

  1. Chop together anchovy fillets, garlic, and pinch of salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in egg yolks, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°. Toss bread with olive oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden, 10–15 minutes.
  3. Place whole romaine leaves (for the ideal mix of crispness, surface area, and structure) in a large bowl. Use a vegetable peeler to thinly shave a modest amount of Parmesan (a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing). Use your hands to gently toss together the lettuce, croutons, and dressing. Top with the shaved Parm.

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

caesar salad recipe

My family loves this rich and creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s not overly garlicky or fishy — it’s just right.

Total: 10min

Yield: Makes 1⅓ cups (enough for about 10 starter salads)

Serving Size: About 2 tablespoons

Nutrition Facts: servingSize About 2 tablespoons, calories 184, Fat 19g, Carbohydrate 1g, Protein 2g, Saturated Fat 1g, unSaturated Fat , Sugar 0g, Fiber 0g, Sodium 296mg, Cholesterol 13mg

Ingredients:

  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I like the brand Maille)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s Real
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instruction:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week.
  2. Note: Anchovy paste can be found near the canned tuna in the supermarket.

Classic Homemade Caesar Salad Recipe

FAQ

What does a classic Caesar salad contain?

We all know what it is: chopped romaine lettuce and garlicky croutons, tossed in a creamy dressing made with eggs, olive oil, lemon, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies. Even when mass-produced, this combination of savory, creamy, tangy, and crunchy ingredients is tasty stuff.

How does Gordon Ramsay make Caesar salad?

Caesar Salad Recipe Ingredients:

Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved. Crisp croutons – homemade can be made several days ahead. The recipe below makes enough for 2 salads.

What kind of cheese do you put in a Caesar salad?

Normally, it’s romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. This iconic dressing is made from lemon juice, egg, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies. Even though the tossed salad only has four ingredients, it packs a major flavor punch.

About the author

Helen is an author and editor at helenbackcafe.com, who has a passion for writing about recipes. She loves to experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques to create delicious and unique dishes.

Among all the foods, pizza holds a special place in her heart, and she loves exploring different variations and toppings to create the perfect slice. Through her writing, Helen hopes to inspire others to get creative in the kitchen and share their love for food with the world.

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