Caesar Salad

5 from 3

Classic Caesar salad made with crisp romaine lettuce, fresh Parmesan, homemade croutons, and the absolute best homemade Caesar dressing! You can even make it a meal by adding in some grilled chicken or shrimp.

Prep Time40

Total Time40

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Caesar Salad Dressing, Caesar Salad Recipe, salad recipes

Servings: medium salads

Ingredients

For the Croutons

3 cups hearty day old Italian bread , sliced into small 3/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the Dressing

2 cloves garlic , minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (found near the canned tuna in the supermarket)
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
couple dashes of Tabasco or a pinch of cayenne pepper
water, as needed to thin to desired consistency

For the Salad

3 Hearts of Romaine , wilted outer leaves discarded
1/2 cup fresh shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place bread cubes close together on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle slowly and evenly with olive oil, then toss to coat. Spread bread across baking sheet and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, tossing once halfway through, about 15-20 minutes total.
Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Whisk until well combined. (If dressing is too thick to pour, drizzle in a bit of water until your desired consistency is reached.) Taste and adjust to your liking. {You'll have about 1 1/3 cups. If you want to make just the dressing in advance, it will keep well in the fridge in a sealed jar for about 5 days.)
Make the salad: Rinse, dry, and chop the romaine into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large serving bowl and sprinkle generously with shaved parmesan cheese and cooled croutons. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently until lettuce is evenly coated. (I like to start with half of the dressing...if it's not enough, then add more. You want everything well coated, but not weighted-down.)
Garnish with a little more cheese and fresh cracked pepper, serve, and enjoy!
NOTE: For more information and recipe variations, please refer to the full article.

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