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An overhead photo of caesar salad in a serving bowl with serving utensils.
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5 from 2 votes

Caesar Salad

Classic caesar salad recipe with homemade cheesy, garlicky croutons–doesn't get much better! The dressing here is relatively simple, just be sure to incorporate the oil very slowly and whisk constantly: A few drops at a time to start. See note for an eggless version.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8
Author: Mark Beahm

Ingredients

For the Croutons

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups cubed crusty bread (about 3/4-inch cubes from 2 to 3 slices)

For the Caesar Salad Dressing

  • 3 oil-packed anchovy filets, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad

  • 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
  • Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Season the Croutons: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the cubed bread to the bowl and toss to coat.
  • Bake the Croutons: Spread the bread cubes onto a sheet pan without overlapping. Bake for 10 minutes, toss, and bake until golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven when they’re golden and crisp and set aside to cool.
  • Make the Caesar Salad Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to mash the anchovies, grated garlic, and salt to form a paste. Switch to a whisk and whisk in the lemon juice, then add the egg yolk and whisk to combine.
  • Emulsify the oil (slowly!). Whisking constantly, add the olive oil one drop at a time, waiting for each addition to emulsify before adding the next. After the first couple of tablespoons, switch to pouring the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, while still whisking constantly. The dressing should look cohesive and thickened slightly, like a loose aioli.
  • Finish the Caesar Dressing: Stir in the grated parmesan and ground pepper.
  • Make the Salad: In a large serving bowl, add the chopped romaine lettuce, layering it with the dressing. Use salad servers to toss the lettuce in the dressing until coated evenly. Top with the croutons and extra grated parmesan or parmesan shavings. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil used in this recipe.
  • What bread to use for the Homemade Croutons: Use a few slices of your favorite type of crusty bread, whether it's sourdough, white, whole wheat, or spelt. It doesn’t have to be day-old, unless you happen to have some in which case it's a great way to put it to good use.
  • For an eggless dressing: 
    • Omit the egg yolk. 
    • Reduce the olive oil to 1 tablespoon. 
    • Add 1/3 cup Greek yogurt. 
    • Since you don’t need to emulsify the yolk and olive oil, you can simply whisk everything together.

Nutrition

Calories: 304.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.5g | Protein: 8.6g | Fat: 17.2g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 29.4mg | Sodium: 558.8mg | Potassium: 127.6mg | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 3.6g | Vitamin A: 682.6IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 123.5mg | Iron: 2.4mg

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