This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This classic Caesar salad recipe combines crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy homemade croutons, and plenty of Parmesan cheese with a rich and creamy homemade Caesar dressing. Ready in under 30 minutes, it is an easy restaurant-style side salad for pasta, chicken, steak, salmon, and more.
A truly great Caesar salad is all about contrast: cold, crisp romaine, crunchy homemade croutons, salty Parmesan cheese, and a creamy, lemon-garlic anchovy dressing with just enough tang. This homemade version delivers all of it, with every component made from scratch.
The dressing comes together quickly in one bowl while the buttery garlic croutons bake until golden and crisp. Serve it as a classic side salad, or add grilled chicken, shrimp skewers, baked salmon, or roasted chickpeas to turn it into a complete meal.
Why We’re Loving This Caesar Salad
- The dressing is made from scratch: Egg yolk and mayonnaise create a rich base, while anchovies, Parmesan, lemon, garlic, and mustard give it the bold, savory flavor you expect from a great Caesar salad.
- The croutons are buttery: The French bread cubes are baked with olive oil, garlic salt, and melted butter until crisp and golden.
- It’s ready in 30 minutes: The entire salad takes just 30 minutes to prepare.
- It can be made ahead: Prepare the dressing and croutons in advance, then toss everything together immediately before serving.
Caesar Salad Ingredients
This homemade Caesar salad has three main components: the creamy Caesar dressing, buttery garlic croutons, and crisp romaine salad. Find the complete ingredient list with measurements in the printable recipe card below.
For the Caesar Dressing
- Egg yolk: Gives the dressing extra richness and helps create a smooth, creamy consistency. Bring it to room temperature before mixing. Since the yolk remains uncooked, use a pasteurized egg for food safety.
- Mayonnaise: Creates a thick, creamy base and makes the dressing especially easy to prepare without slowly emulsifying oil by hand.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan adds saltiness and savory flavor. Grate it finely so it blends smoothly into the dressing.
- Anchovy fillets: Anchovies are a key ingredient in this dressing, adding salty, umami-rich flavor without making it taste overly fishy. Mince them as finely as possible so they disappear into the dressing.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds plenty of flavor. Two cloves create a noticeable garlicky bite without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the rich dressing and balances the mayonnaise, egg yolk, and Parmesan.
- Stone-ground mustard: Adds subtle tanginess and another layer of savory flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the other flavors. Keep in mind that the anchovies and Parmesan are already salty.
For the Homemade Croutons
- French bread: Cut half a loaf into approximately 1-inch cubes. Slightly stale bread works especially well because it absorbs the oil and butter without becoming too soft.
- Olive oil: Helps the bread cubes toast evenly and turn crisp in the oven.
- Garlic salt: Seasons the croutons and gives them a light garlic flavor.
- Butter: Melted butter is added during the final few minutes of baking for extra richness and flavor.
For the Salad
- Romaine lettuce: Use whole heads of fresh, crisp romaine rather than pre-chopped lettuce whenever possible. Wash the leaves thoroughly and dry them completely so the dressing coats the lettuce rather than becoming watery.
- Parmesan cheese: Finish the salad with shaved or freshly grated Parmesan. Shaved Parmesan gives the salad a classic restaurant-style appearance, while grated Parmesan distributes more evenly throughout.
- Freshly cracked black pepper: Although optional, black pepper adds a little bite and makes a delicious finishing touch.
How to Make Caesar Salad
This homemade Caesar salad comes together in three simple parts: prepare the creamy dressing, bake the homemade croutons, and toss everything together just before serving.
Step 1. Make the Caesar Dressing
Whisk the egg yolk in a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, minced anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, stone-ground mustard, and salt. Stir until the dressing is smooth and well combined. Cover and refrigerate the dressing while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Step 2. Start the Homemade Croutons
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes to begin drying and crisping the bread.
Step 3. Season and Finish Baking
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt, and toss until evenly coated. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Drizzle the melted butter over the croutons, toss gently, and bake for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the croutons from the oven and let them cool completely before adding them to the salad.
4. Assemble the Caesar Salad
Place the chopped romaine lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Add the prepared Caesar dressing and toss until the lettuce is evenly coated. Transfer the dressed lettuce to a serving bowl or platter. Top with the homemade croutons, shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.
Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp and the croutons are crunchy.
Tips For the Best Caesar Salad
- Start with cold, crisp romaine: Refrigerate the lettuce until you are ready to assemble the salad. Cold romaine gives Caesar salad its refreshing crunch.
- Dry the lettuce thoroughly: After washing the romaine, use a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Excess water can dilute the dressing and prevent it from coating the leaves evenly.
- Finely mince the anchovies and garlic: The smaller they are chopped, the more evenly their flavor will distribute throughout the dressing.
- Let the croutons cool completely: Warm croutons can wilt the lettuce and soften after being tossed with the dressing.
- Add the dressing gradually: Start with less dressing than you think you need, toss well, and add more as necessary. The lettuce should be evenly coated but not weighed down.
- Toss just before serving: Once dressed, the romaine and croutons will gradually lose their crunch. Assemble the salad immediately before serving for the best texture.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The dressing and homemade croutons can both be prepared in advance, but keep all the components separate until you are ready to serve.
- Caesar dressing: Prepare the dressing up to 3 days in advance. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it refrigerated. Stir well before using.
- Homemade croutons: Bake the croutons up to 5 days in advance. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If they begin to soften, place them in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to crisp them again.
- Romaine lettuce: Wash, dry, and chop the romaine up to 1 day ahead. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container or resealable bag lined with a dry paper towel.
- Parmesan cheese: Grate or shave the Parmesan in advance and refrigerate it in a separate airtight container.
When ready to serve, toss the cold romaine with the dressing, then add the croutons, Parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper.
What to Serve with Caesar Salad
Caesar salad is a versatile side dish that pairs especially well with pasta, chicken, steak, seafood, and soup. You can also add a protein directly to the salad to turn it into a complete meal.
- Pasta: Serve it alongside rich and comforting pasta dishes like chicken Alfredo or baked ravioli. The cold, crisp lettuce and tangy dressing help balance creamy or cheesy sauces.
- Chicken and steak: Pair it with baked chicken breasts, air fryer chicken legs, or quick garlic butter steak bites for an easy, satisfying dinner.
- Seafood: The lemony Parmesan dressing is especially delicious with fish and seafood. Try it with baked cod for a simple weeknight meal.
- Soup: For an easy soup-and-salad dinner, serve this Caesar salad with a warm bowl of chicken gnocchi soup, Instant Pot minestrone, or homemade chicken soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many Caesar dressing recipes include anchovies because they add salty, savory flavor and plenty of umami. This recipe uses three finely minced anchovy fillets. Once mixed into the dressing, they provide depth without making the finished salad taste overly fishy.
You can omit the anchovies, but the dressing will not have the same deep, savory flavor. Alternatives include Worcestershire Sauce, capers, and miso paste, but I have not texted there personally so I can’t speak for the results. For the best classic Caesar dressing, I recommend preparing the recipe as written.
This Caesar dressing contains one uncooked egg yolk, which makes it especially rich and creamy. Use a pasteurized egg when preparing dressings or other recipes in which the egg will remain raw.
Caesar salad may become soggy if the lettuce is still wet, too much dressing is added, warm croutons are used, or the salad is assembled too early. Dry the romaine thoroughly, allow the croutons to cool completely, add the dressing gradually, and toss everything together immediately before serving.
Caesar salad is best served immediately after it is assembled. Leftover dressed salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day, but the lettuce will wilt and the croutons will soften. Do not leave the dressing or assembled salad at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
And if you try making this classic Caesar salad recipe, I would love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below. Your feedback helps other readers discover and enjoy this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Caesar Dressing
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 anchovy fillets, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Homemade Croutons
- ½ loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, about 4 cups once cut
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Salad
- 2 heads Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- ½ cup shaved or grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Caesar Dressing
- Place the egg yolk in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.1 large egg yolk
- Add the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, minced anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, stone-ground mustard, and salt. Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the dressing is smooth and creamy.½ cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, 3 anchovy fillets, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dressing while preparing the croutons and lettuce.
Make the Homemade Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.½ loaf French bread
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toss until evenly coated.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- Return the bread cubes to the oven and bake for 5 additional minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle the melted butter evenly over the croutons. Toss gently to coat.2 tablespoons butter
- Bake for 3 more minutes, or until the croutons are crisp and lightly golden.
- Remove the croutons from the oven and let them cool completely.
Assemble the Caesar Salad
- Place the chopped romaine lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Add the prepared Caesar dressing and toss until the lettuce is evenly coated.2 heads Romaine lettuce
- Transfer the dressed lettuce to a large serving bowl or platter. Top with the cooled homemade croutons, shaved or grated Parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.½ cup shaved or grated parmesan cheese, Freshly cracked black pepper
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a pasteurized egg: The egg yolk in the dressing remains uncooked. Use a pasteurized shell egg or pasteurized egg product for food safety.
- Dry the romaine thoroughly: Excess water can dilute the dressing and prevent it from coating the lettuce evenly.
- Cool the croutons: Allow the croutons to cool completely before adding them to the salad so they remain crisp and do not wilt the lettuce.
- Dress just before serving: Once assembled, the lettuce will gradually wilt and the croutons will soften.
- Dressing storage: Store the Caesar dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir well before using.
- Crouton storage: Store completely cooled croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Lettuce storage: Washed, dried, and chopped romaine may be refrigerated in an airtight container lined with a dry paper towel for up to 1 day.
- Leftover salad: Refrigerate leftover assembled salad in an airtight container for up to 1 day. The texture will be softer after storage.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is calculated per serving and includes the Caesar dressing, homemade croutons, romaine, and Parmesan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
looks like a great recipe. Thanks heaps. I will let you know when I have had a chance to make it up.