Caesar Salad

One of my favorite salads to eat is a Caesar salad. Caesar Salad has so many wonderful elements that all work well together. The caesar dressing has a unique and tangy flavor. The homemade croutons in this particular salad are so good and give it a nice crunch. I could just eat a whole bowl of the croutons alone. The crunch of the chopped romaine lettuce and the chewiness of the shredded Parmesan cheese truly take the salad to the next level. 

First, start by making the dressing. It is best to make the dressing first so that it can sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes. 20 minutes is best! You don’t want to make the dressing last and then put it right on the salad because you won’t get that genuine flavor of the caesar dressing that you’re looking for. The dressing is easy to make. It is a combination of mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, milk, salt, and black pepper. That sounds like an interesting combination, doesn’t it? It is so tasty!

Caesar Salad

3.3 from 48 votes

Recipe by Madison

Course: Sides, Main, SaladsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• For the Dressing:
  

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

• 3 tablespoons milk

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• For the Croutons:

• 1/2 french loaf

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• For the Salad:
  

• 1 large head romaine lettuce

• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

• For the Homemade Caesar Dressing:
  
• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, milk, salt and black pepper.
• Set aside until ready to use on salad.
• For the Croutons:
  
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. 
• Cut the french loaf into ¼” thick pieces.
• Drizzle baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place cubed bread on it and toss.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy to your liking.
• To Assemble:
  
• Cut up romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
• Place in a large bowl.
• Add parmesan cheese and croutons.
• Serve with homemade dressing and enjoy!

There are so many different ways to make caesar dressing. I’ve just found this way to be the easiest one. Also, it is a plus that my family loves it. A lot of recipes might call for anchovy paste. I do not use that. Recipes also call for raw eggs. I don’t use that either. Mayonnaise in place of eggs works just fine. 

When you are finished making the dressing, get started on making the croutons. Slice up your bread. Drizzle a sheet pan with olive oil and place in the oven to crisp up for about 10 minutes. Or, until the croutons reach your desired crispiness. Now, you can certainly season your croutons with more flavor, but I find it best to make them plain and have them as a texture component in the salad. Since the homemade caesar dressing is already heavily flavored, it does its part in flavoring the croutons.

A good rule of thumb when making crotons is to not use super fresh bread. I always like to use a French loaf that I’ve had for maybe a few days to a week. It helps the croutons to become even crunchier. 

While the croutons are baking, chop the Romaine lettuce. Then, grate the parmesan cheese. Once the croutons come out of the oven, toss everything together and serve! And, it’s as easy as that!

I hope you enjoy this Caesar salad recipe. Also, please feel free to incorporate any type of protein that you like to make this salad into a full meal. If you have chicken, then add that. If you have salmon or shrimp, add that! Whether you choose to follow this recipe and serve it as a side dish, or if you choose to add protein to make it into the main dish, I hope you find it tasty and filling! If you are serving this as a side dish, then pair it with your favorite pasta and wine! Enjoy your delicious Homemade Caesar Salad!