This is the ultimate recipe for a Caesar Salad! Made with crisp romaine lettuce, salty parmesan, homemade croutons, and the best homemade Caesar Dressing, this Caesar Salad is worthy of a 5-star restaurant, yet easier to make than you think!
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 meatballs to perfectly cooked steak to grilled shrimp 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.
Caesar Salad Ingredients
- 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, not pre-grated or a canister of parmesan. Instead, use a wedge of cheese labeled Parmigiano Reggiano. I typically recommend using a Microplane to freshly grate parmesan cheese. However, for a Caesar salad, I find it is best to have slightly larger pieces of cheese to really add a punch of flavor to the salad. Use a box grater or vegetable peeler to grate larger shreds of parmesan when making a Caesar Salad.
- 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. And don't worry, my recipe for Caesar Dressing is not made with raw eggs, and the addition of anchovies is optional.
Tips for the Best Homemade Caesar Salad
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- For the best results, it is best to prepare homemade Caesar dressing and homemade croutons. It is minimal work for incredible results.
- 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.
- Add a small amount of dressing. 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 immediately prior to serving. While the dressing and croutons can be prepared up to 7 days in advance, it is best to wait to assemble the Caesar Salad until right before serving. This will keep the lettuce vibrant and the croutons crunchy.
Caesar Salad Variations
- 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 (this will help hold the lettuce together as it grills). Drizzle the romaine with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 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.
- 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.
Serving Suggestions
Caesar Salad makes a perfect start to just about any meal and 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.
- Steak and Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Bolognese Sauce
- Honey Lemon Chicken Skillet
- Pasta Puttanesca
- Honey Garlic Salmon
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If you tried this recipe for Homemade Caesar Salad, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
The Best Caesar Salad Recipe
Made with crisp romaine lettuce, salty parmesan, homemade 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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Servings: 6
Calories: 302kcal
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 degrees F. Toss cubed bread with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and 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 mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Parmesan, and anchovy paste until well combined. Tasted and add a pinch or two of salt and pepper as needed
For the Salad
- Wash and dry the lettuce until completely dried. Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the lettuce to the bowl with the prepared dressing (if using store-bought dressing, add that dressing to the bowl along with the lettuce.) And toss the lettuce with the dressing until evenly combined.
- Top the salad with croutons and shredded parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
Dressing: Any leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days in an airtight container.
Croutons: Use any good quality bread you like, like a baguette or Italian bread. Leftover croutons can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place like the pantry, for up to 7 days after cooling.
Storage: Once assembled, the Caesar Salad is best served immediately to keep the croutons from becoming soggy.
Nutrition
Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3399IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg
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Cori
Excellent recipe! Recently visited NYC and had an authentic caesar salad. The dressing was amazing! This recipe is by far the closest comparison and is definitely restaurant quality.
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Jen
I am a sucker for Caesar salad and this recipe was SOO good. Definitely on my list of favorites!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! It is a favorite here as well, Jen! I love that it is now a favorite for you!
Kellie
Made this to go with grilled chicken and it did not disappoint! So, so good!
Kristen Chidsey
We love it with chicken as well! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Michele
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.
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing that Michele!
christine
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
Kristen Chidsey
You are so welcome Christine! I love hearing this salad was easy to throw together and you enjoyed it.
Sandy Heaberlin
Delicious salad, adding this one to our dinner rotation!
Kristen Chidsey
Fabulous! Thanks for sharing, Sandy.
Chester
Excelllent!
Janet
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!!
Kristen Chidsey
Perfect timing! Enjoy the salad, Janet!