How to make an Easy Caesar Salad

This recipe for Caesar Salad is a family favorite. The crunchy lettuce, crisp croutons, and lemon-based dressing create a pop of flavors in your mouth. It makes a wonderful side dish with so many meals. Try it with grilled meats or pasta!

Caesar salads are on our weekly menu rotation because they are one of my family’s favorite salads and it goes with so many different types of meals.   The Caesar dressing in this recipe is not a typical dressing because it is made without anchovies and raw eggs. I modified the dressing for people who do not like the taste of anchovies, and who prefer a vinaigrette style dressing over a creamy one.  However, if you like a creamy Caesar dressing, put the dressing in a blender and blend it for 30 seconds and it will be smooth and creamy.

Even though traditional Caesar salads do not have tomatoes, I add a few for color and extra nutrition.

Ingredients

Romaine lettuce- Romaine lettuce hearts, which is where the outer leaves have been removed from the lettuce, or heads of romaine can be used in this recipe.  This lettuce is crisp and adds a nice crunch to the salad.

Tomatoes- Normally I use grape or cherry tomatoes.  However, you can also use a whole tomato and cut it into wedges or chunks.  If you do not like tomatoes, leave them out of the salad.

Parmesan cheese- This is an important ingredient because the cheese provides flavor and saltiness which makes the salad unique. 

Croutons- Make homemade croutons however if you do not have bread or want to save time, purchased croutons work well too!  Especially in the summer when you might not want to turn on your oven!

Caesar Dressing- This homemade Caesar dressing is quick and easy to make however, feel free to use your favorite Caesar dressing. 

How to make a Caesar Salad

• Cut and rinse the lettuce under cold running water as shown above. Be sure to use a salad spinner (affiliate link) to remove all the water from the lettuce so that the dressing will stick to the lettuce.

• Slice tomatoes in half.
• Grate the Parmesan cheese to your desired texture using any of the methods above.

• Just before serving, toss the salad with dressing and top with croutons!

Tips for success

1. Be sure the lettuce leaves are dry.  Otherwise the dressing will not stick to the leaves. A salad spinner (affiliate link) works best to remove water. However, if you do not have a salad spinner (affiliate link), place the lettuce in a colander and rinse the lettuce under cold running water. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. Spread the rinsed lettuce and on a clean towel or paper towel and pat it dry.
2. Be careful not to use too much dressing.  Start with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing and add additional dressing 1 tablespoon at a time.  Salads drenched in dressing are soggy and do not taste good.
3. The ingredients can be prepared early in the day. Store them covered in the refrigerator. Do not cut the lettuce the day before you plan to use it. Otherwise the cut edges of the lettuce may turn a pinkish color which is not appetizing.   

Leftovers

Once the dressing has been added to the salad, leftovers do no hold up well even when refrigerated.

Additions

There are a number of foods you can that are not in a typical Caesar salad but are tasty:

• Hard-boiled egg-Either dice or cut the egg into wedges. Place them on top of the salad after you have added the dressing.
• Bacon-A a couple of tablespoons of cooked crumbled bacon would be delicious.
• Chickpeas-Add a handful of chickpeas for added protein.
• Carrots-Sliced or shredded raw carrots would add nutrition and color to the salad.
• Corn-I love to add about ½ cup of fresh or thawed sweet corn to the salad. Another option is to cook the corn in a skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil and saute it until the kernels of corn brown. The caramelization adds another layer of flavor!

How to serve Caesar Salad

As a side dish

A Caesar salad is the perfect side dish for many meals. It pairs well with grilled meats like beef and pork. Try serving a Caesar salad with pasta like lasagna, spaghetti, or ravioli. I love to serve it with Fast Roast Chicken or Turkey Spaghetti Sauce on Roasted Spaghetti Squash. There are so many options!

As a main dish

To make a one-bowl meal added any kind of chicken; sliced chicken breast, or shredded Rotisserie chicken. Baked or grilled salmon is also a delicious and healthy option. How about grilled or sauteed shrimp? If you prefer to have a meatless meal, add a boiled egg or some chickpeas. To round out the salad serve it with a slice of garlic bread or flatbread There are so many options! It will be a hit with your family.

Easy Caesar Salad Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Gitta
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Salad, Side
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

This salad is packed with flavor and crunch.  It is the perfect side dish with many meals, especially with grilled meats and pasta.   Make it a one-bowl meal by adding chicken or salmon.  

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 head (1.5#)  Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 8-10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup croutons
• 1 oz  Parmesan cheese, grated (this should be about ¼ cup grated cheese)
• 3 Tbsp Caesar salad dressing

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Instructions

1. Remove the bottom stem of the lettuce by cutting it about 3" above the stem.   If there are damaged leaves, remove them. 
2. Cut the lettuce lengthwise then slice the lettuce into 2-3 inch ribbons.  
3. Place the cut lettuce into a colander or the basket of a salad spinner (affiliate link).  Rinse the lettuce under running water.  Shake the basket from side to side to be sure all the lettuce is washed. 
4. If you are using a salad spinner (affiliate link), spin to remove the water from the lettuce.  If you use a colander, place the lettuce on a clean towel or paper towel and blot dry.  Place dried lettuce in a salad bowl. 
5. Wash the cherry tomatoes under running water.  Cut the tomatoes in half.  I prefer to cut them lengthwise because I think it looks more appetizing.   You could also leave them whole.  Place the tomatoes on the lettuce. 
6. Grate the Parmesan cheese.  For shredded cheese use a box grater (affiliate link), for thin strips of cheese slice the cheese with a vegetable peeler, and for finely grated cheese use a microplane (affiliate link).  
7.  Toss the salad with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing.  Add more if desired. 
8. Top the salad with croutons and grated Parmesan cheese. 

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Equipment

Microplane

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Salad spinner

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Box Grater

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Chef's knife

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Cutting Board

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Notes

1.   1 (1.5#) head Romaine lettuce should yield about 7 cups sliced lettuce. 
2.   Be sure the lettuce leaves are dry.  Otherwise, the dressing will not stick to the leaves. A salad spinner (affiliate link) works best. If you do not have a salad spinner (affiliate link), place the lettuce in a colander and rinse the lettuce under running. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. Take the rinsed lettuce and spread it on a clean towel or paper towel and pat it dry.
3.   Be careful not to use too much dressing.  Start with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing and add additional dressing 1 tablespoon at a time.  Salads drenched in dressing are soggy and do not taste good.
4.   The ingredients can be prepared early in the day. Store them covered in the refrigerator. Do not cut the lettuce the day before you plan to use it. Otherwise, the cut edges of the lettuce will turn a pinkish color which is not appetizing.   

Keywords: salad, health, Caesar Salad, Romaine lettuce

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavored to be as accurate as possible.

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