I love this homemade Caesar salad recipe with the most delicious classic Caesar dressing, homemade croutons, and lots of parmesan cheese. If you love Caesar salads like me, you’ve got to try my recipe!
I love so many of our salad recipes, but this from-scratch Caesar salad recipe might be my favorite. I have wonderful memories from when I was young of being out to dinner with my parents, ordering a Caesar salad, and watching as our server made it tableside. The whole experience felt so fancy, and I was utterly captivated.
This recipe reminds me so much of that tableside salad I enjoyed as a child. My Caesar dressing is classic, made with garlic and anchovies, but trust me, it’s so worth it. They combine to make such a delicious dressing. Trust me on this one!
Key Ingredients
- Lettuce: I love romaine lettuce for Caesar salad (kale is excellent, too). You can tear the leaves or chop them. Romaine lettuce tends to brown around the cut edges over time. It’s because of this that I chop right before serving or simply tear the leaves.
- Parmesan: I add parmesan cheese to my salad and my homemade dressing.
- My homemade dressing: You can make my Caesar dressing up to a day in advance. Most of the time, I make it by hand using a bowl and whisk, but you can also use a blender, immersion blender, or food processor. The method for making it by hand is shown in the video since we knew everyone would be able to make it this way. My favorite recipe (shown below) has raw egg yolk. If you don’t like using raw eggs, look at this eggless dressing.
- Croutons: Buy your favorite croutons or make your own. We have two easy recipes for homemade croutons. I love both. In our video, I make these herby croutons, but you can also try these garlic croutons.
How to Make the Best Caesar Salad
The best homemade Caesar salad starts with a great dressing. The one I go to most calls for classic ingredients, which means we’ll be whisking together raw egg yolk, anchovies, garlic, lemon, and oil. You can watch me make it in the video. It’s easy and tastes much better than what you can buy from the store (promise)!
To make this salad truly homemade, I love making my croutons. You’ll toss day-old bread cubes with olive oil and herbs, then bake until crisp. I love them!
To put your salad together, toss fresh lettuce with the dressing, more parmesan cheese, and the croutons. You can always add chicken on top for a chicken Caesar (try this poached chicken) or try my lemon dill baked salmon for a salmon Caesar.
Perfect Caesar Salad Recipe
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
My favorite Caesar salad recipe starts with our classic homemade Caesar dressing. Homemade Caesar dressing is simple to make. You can make it by hand, in a blender, in a food processor, or by using an immersion blender. All methods are simple and quick. I love doing this by hand and enjoy seeing little bits of garlic and anchovy in the dressing. I have shared how to make it by hand below. For tips for making it in a blender, food processor, or immersion blender, see our more detailed Caesar dressing recipe.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
For the Salad2 hearts romaine lettuce, rinsed and chopped or torn into small pieces
Parmesan cheese shavings
Caesar dressing, recipe below
Croutons, recipe below
Caesar Dressing2 medium garlic cloves
3 to 5 anchovies packed in oil, depending on taste, see notes
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup (80ml) oil, like fruity olive oil, avocado oil, or safflower oil, plus more as needed
1/4 cup (15g) grated parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Homemade Croutons4 cups torn or cubed day old bread, about 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs like rosemary thyme, oregano and Italian seasoning, optional
Directions
- Make the Dressing
1Use a chef’s knife to mince the garlic and anchovies finely. Using the side of the knife, mash them into a paste by pushing and pulling the mound of anchovies and garlic across the cutting board (see video). Set aside.
2Whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard in a medium bowl until frothy. Placing a dishcloth underneath the bowl helps to steady it as you whisk.
3Get into a comfortable whisking position, and while you whisk with one hand, slowly stream the oil into the bowl with the other hand. You are looking to add the oil in tiny drips and will notice that as you whisk in the oil, the mixture in the bowl will start to lighten in color and thicken.
4When all of the oil is added, check the consistency. If it’s too thick, whisk in a teaspoon or so of water. If it’s too thin, continue to whisk and stream in a bit more oil.
5Finish by whisking in the mashed anchovies, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Then, taste and generously season with salt and pepper.
- Make Croutons
1Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2Toss the bread with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Add dried herbs, if using, and toss well.
3Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake, stirring once, until crisp and lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool and then store in an airtight bag for 2 to 3 days.
- Make Caesar Salad
1Toss lettuce with a few generous spoonfuls of the dressing. If the salad looks dry, add a bit more dressing. Scatter over a few handfuls of the croutons and finish with parmesan cheese shavings.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Anchovy paste: 1 anchovy fillet equals 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (anchovy fillets and anchovy pastes do taste slightly different so add based on your own tastes)
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Unbelievably good! I never thought I would be able to make a Caesar salad as good as the ones I had eaten in high end restaurants. I was SO WRONG!! This turned out so great, I had to share it with my friend. She said her husband couldn’t stop eating it, and he hates salad!! Gonna keep making it and making it, and making it…..
Easy, easy, easy. First time I ever made Caesar dressing, and it turned out so perfect. I couldn’t stop eating it. Just the right balance of flavors!!!
Hi there – any ideas for replacing the bread with something low carb for us diabetics?
Hi there, You could try a roasted veggie (like cauliflower) or simply leave the bread out completely.
Easy to make and very delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the salad! 🙂
Made this, along with your Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe, for dinner, and it was amazing! I will be eating my leftover salad tonight with your Three Ingredient Tomato Soup.
Yay! Good combo 🙂
Wonderful and delicious! I especially enjoy your videos which de-mystify new techniques or show what to expect
We love adding videos and we are so glad help 🙂
Husband and son devoured this dish! Will definitely be making this dish again. Thank you so much,no more dried out pork! Lol.
I have “never” (nor guest or hubby) been disappointed using any of your recipes. I adore ? and love ? watching you guys cook “together. Before hubby broke his ankle (in 2/places and is now in a wheelchair & boot recovering) we use to cook together like you guys. Once, again love you guys- your the best?