Caesar Salad is a wonderful classic-- salad stacked high with romaine lettuce, croutons, and plenty of Parmesan cheese! This salad is an explosion of flavor combining saltiness with lemony-garlic undertones and a subtle smokiness. The dressing is luxuriously creamy with a pleasant cheesiness and a hit of tanginess to balance it all out.
CROUTONS: If making homemade croutons, start here! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust the rack to the center position. Cut baguette into 1-inch slices and then into 1/2-inch cubes. Place on a large lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/8 teaspoon each). Toss to combine and bake until crisp and firm but not overly browned, about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through baking time. Remove from oven and let fully cool. (They will continue to firm up as they cool.) Taste and adjust, adding more salt if desired.
DRESSING: Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender jar. Process until smooth. Taste, adjust any flavors to personal preference and season to taste with salt. (I typically add 1/8 teaspoon salt, depending on how salty the cheese is.) If you'd like the dressing slightly thinner, add a touch more lemon juice or olive oil, noting that it will thin out a bit when tossed with lettuce. Place dressing (covered) in the fridge to chill and for flavors to meld and intensify, about 15-20 minutes if time allows.
OPTIONALEXTRAS: If adding chicken, bacon, or eggs, see Note 5.
ASSEMBLY: Add washed and dried chopped lettuce to a large bowl. Drizzle on dressing to personal preference (you may not want it all) and use tongs to toss well. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Top with crisp cooled croutons, any of the optional extras, and lots of Parmesan cheese (to taste preference). Serve immediately.
STORAGE: This salad doesn’t sit very well with the dressing and croutons mixed into it. If you aren’t planning to eat the entire salad at one sitting, toss and add dressing and croutons only to the lettuce you’ll be eating at this time. Caesar Salad dressing can be made in advance and will stay fresh for 3-6 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to thoroughly mix the dressing again before using.
Notes
Note 1: Croutons: To make homemade croutons, you'll need 4 cups cubed sourdough or French baguette (artisan-style baguette is what we use here!), 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste. (This recipe will create more than you'll likely want on the salad, but better to have more than not enough!)Note 2: Lettuce: Chop, wash, and thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce before tossing with the dressing. If the lettuce is still at all wet from being washed, it will water down the dressing and the salad isn't as pleasant. If time permits, chill the washed (and dried) lettuce and Caesar salad dressing and keep refrigerated until you're ready to assemble.Note 3: Anchovy paste: Anchovy paste comes in a toothpaste-like tube that you'll find usually in the condiments aisle, canned fish aisle, or next to the tubes of tomato paste at the grocery store. What's in it? Anchovies, salt, and olive oil that have been ground into a thick, greyish paste. Once opened, it does need to be refrigerated. If you omit the anchovy paste, the dressing will lack a depth of flavor and saltiness -- you'll want to add quite a bit of salt to make up for it.Note 4: If you buy store-bought grated Parmesan, it's going to be a lot denser than freshly grated, so start with 3 tablespoons and add more from there. Note 5: Optional additions listed below:
Addchicken: either leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken from the store (We like lemon-pepper-seasoned chicken best). Or cook about 3/4th pound chicken breasts. (Pat chicken breast dry with a paper towel or napkin. Cut the chicken in half horizontally to get two equal-sized pieces. Pound if needed to get chicken to even thickness. Drizzle with olive oil -- about 1/2 teaspoon per side per piece of chicken. Sprinkle each side evenly with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. I add about 1/4 teaspoon per side of each, but add to personal preference. Cook the chicken on a grill or in a pan (in bacon grease or olive oil & butter) for about 3-5 minutes per side over medium high heat or until juices run clear. When the chicken is done, remove and tent it with foil. Let cool 5-10 minutes before very thinly slicing it and adding to the salad.
Addbacon: We love thick-sliced bacon added into the salad-- about 3-4 slices. Coarsely chop the bacon then add to a large skillet (don't add oil/butter). Turn to medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper-towel-lined plate. Once cooled, add to salad.
Addeggs: Cook eggs to personal preference, then peel and halve them for the salad. Add 1 inch of hot water to a large pot. Add a steamer insert inside and cover the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add eggs to the steamer basket and cover. Cook for 13 minutes. Meanwhile, fill up a large bowl with cold water and (~12-15) ice cubes. After eggs have steamed, add them directly to the ice water and let them cool for a full 15 minutes before peeling. Once they've fully cooled, gently tap the hard-boiled eggs all over to crack the shell. Then remove the shell under running cool water. Start at the wider end -- there is usually an air pocket there that will make the shell easier to remove.
Nutrition information does not include optional add-ins.