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This is the ultimate Homemade Caesar Salad Recipe! Made with crisp romaine lettuce, salty parmesan, crunchy croutons, and the best homemade Caesar Dressing, this Caesar Salad is worthy of a 5-star restaurant, yet easier to make than you think!
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Impress with a Classic Caesar Salad
Whenever you want to start a meal with an impressive, yet easy salad, Caesar Salad is the way to go!
From a bowl of spaghetti with homemade Italian meatballs to a pan-seared ribeye steak to grilled shrimp skewers to chicken piccata, classic Caesar Salad pairs with them all!
My recipe for Caesar Salad is made with crisp lettuce, creamy Caesar dressing, crispy, seasoned croutons, and salty parmesan. It has all the elements of a Classic Caesar Salad you would enjoy at a high-end restaurant, yet can be enjoyed easily at home.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
You will find the full list of ingredients, along with quantities in the recipe card. Below is a quick glance at what you need and tips to help you make the right selection.
- Lettuce: Hearts of romaine are the best option for Caesar Salads. They have a nice crisp bite and hold up well to the dressing.
- Parmesan Cheese: Now is the time to use REALLY good quality parmesan cheese (like a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano), not pre-grated or a canister of parmesan.
- Croutons: I prefer homemade croutons for the best flavor and texture, but any good-quality store-bought croutons will work. I make them easily with a baguette (but any good quality bread works), olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, and oregano.
- Caesar Dressing: When making Caesar Salad, you can use store-bought dressing, but for the BEST Caesar Salad, homemade Caesar dressing is the way to go.
How to Make Caesar Salad
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Homemade Croutons. While optional, homemade croutons are super easy to make and add tremendous flavor and crunch--transforming a simple Caesar salad into one worthy of a restaurant. Simply toss cubes of bread with olive oil and seasonings and then bake until slightly golden. Let cool slightly before adding them to the salad.
- Prepare Caesar Dressing. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small blender or food processor. Easy-peasy and so much better than anything sold in a bottle!
- Wash and Dry Lettuce. Wash and spin dry chopped romaine lettuce. It is really crucial to remove all the excess liquid from your lettuce before assembling the salad. That way the dressing can adhere and the lettuce leaves and not become watered down.
- Dress Greens. I recommend tossing the lettuce with only a ¼ cup of the dressing and serving the remaining dressing on the side. This will prevent an overly dressed, soggy salad.
- Assemble Salad. Right before serving, shave parmesan cheese over the salad and top with croutons.
Caesar Salad Variations
- Chicken Caesar Salad: Add crispy, diced chicken tenders, grilled Greek chicken, or leftover store-bought or homemade rotisserie chicken to the Caesar salad and serve as the entree.
- Caesar Salad Wrap: Roll up diced, cooked chicken and a scoop of Caesar salad in a tortilla, for a fast and tasty portable lunch.
- Add Additional Flavor: Sprinkle a bit of salad supreme seasoning over your salad for additional depth of flavor and a bit of crunch.
- Grilled Caesar Salad: For a unique twist on a Caesar Salad, grill the romaine lettuce before adding the salad. To do this, slice hearts of romaine in half vertically, leaving the root base intact. Drizzle the romaine with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and grill over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, being careful not to char the lettuce. Remove from the grill, chop into bite-size pieces, and proceed with the recipe as written.
Serving Suggestions
Caesar Salad is a perfect start to just about any meal. Using this easy recipe makes dinner feel more elegant and impressive with minimal effort. Below are a few of my favorite meals to pair with Caesar Salad.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
The Best Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For Croutons
- 4 cups cubed bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Caesar Dressing
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste, optional
- pinch of kosher salt and pepper
For the Salad
- ½ cup Caesar Dressing, or one recipe as stated above
- 2 hearts of romaine lettuce
- 1½ cups croutons
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, ribbons or shredded
Instructions
For Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃. Toss 4 cups cubed bread with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to evenly coat the bread. Spread the seasoned cubes out evenly onto a rimmed sheet pan, being careful to not overlap the cubes. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the croutons are just golden, flipping halfway through cooking. Allow the croutons to cool slightly before adding them to the salad.
For the Dressing
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ½ cup Mayonnaise, 1 clove garlic (grated), 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, and ½ teaspoon anchovy paste until well combined. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt and pepper as needed.
For the Salad
- Wash and dry 2 hearts of romaine lettuce until completely dried. Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the lettuce to the bowl with the ½ cup Caesar Dressing (prepared or store-bought). Toss the lettuce with the dressing until evenly combined.
- Top the salad with 1½ cups croutons and ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (grated) and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am a sucker for Caesar salad and this recipe was SOO good. Definitely on my list of favorites!
YAY! It is a favorite here as well, Jen! I love that it is now a favorite for you!
Made this to go with grilled chicken and it did not disappoint! So, so good!
We love it with chicken as well! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
I made this Caesar salad to go with our pizza, and that homemade Caesar Dressing tastes amazing! It has the best flavor. I will definitely be making this again and again.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing that Michele!
I made this exact recipe last night for a pizza dinner party for 4 it was so awesome. Starting with homemade croutons, wash lettuce, air dry and made dressing. Brought to party and put together. Amazing, best part made at last minute it was fast and easy thanks so much
You are so welcome Christine! I love hearing this salad was easy to throw together and you enjoyed it.
Delicious salad, adding this one to our dinner rotation!
Fabulous! Thanks for sharing, Sandy.
Excelllent!
This day is a just meant to be kind of day. My neighbour down the street gave me fresh romaine lettuce, my neighbour next just invited us for dinner and this recipe just showed up in my inbox. I'll be bringing an amazing caesar salad as my contribution towards the dinner. Thanks for an awesome recipe Kristen. Can't wait to make it!!
Perfect timing! Enjoy the salad, Janet!