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A classic for a reason, this easy homemade Caesar Salad Recipe is crunchy, creamy and so delicious! Serve it as is, or with a protein to make for the best Caesar Salad ever.
Quick Caesar Salad Recipe
Don’t overlook this classic salad, because if it’s been a while since you’ve had a Caesar salad, you may have forgotten how very delicious it is! Plus, it’s easy to whip up and loved by all!
Caesar salads, when made right, have crisp, fresh bite-sized pieces of romaine, lightly dressed in a tangy and bright creamy dressing, punctuated with a crunchy crouton and pungent fresh parmesan cheese!
All of these elements come together to create a super delicious salad that is worth enough to stand on its own, or it could be made into a dinner-worthy salad by adding in some protein!
Ingredients Needed
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed to make a caesar salad. For the full recipe, scroll down!
The Dressing:
- Homemade Mayo (or store-bought)
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Dijon Mustard
- Salt + Pepper
- Anchovy Paste (optional)
Everything Else:
- Homemade Croutons
- Parmesan Cheese (see note below)
- Romaine Lettuce
How to Make Cheese Shavings
If you can’t find shaved parmesan cheese in the stores, it’s easy to make at home!
Simply use a vegetable peeler to peel away pieces of cheese from a whole block of parmesan! It’s my favorite way to do it!
How to Make The Caesar Salad Dressing
This recipe opts for a quick Ceasar dressing made from mayo. While it’s awesome if you can make your own homemade mayo, it also can be made with store-bought mayo too.
After you have your mayo, all you need to do is whisk together the ingredients! Traditionally Caesar Dressing is made with anchovy. It gives it that authentic umami flavor to it.
However, we realize most people don’t have anchovy already at home, so you can absolutely skip it if you want!
Do I Need to Make the Croutons at Home?
Of course you don’t need to! But can I say, we really recommend you make the croutons at home! They are so different than store-bought croutons. They’re much more flavorful and with a better texture. Plus, they’re quite simple.
We’ve written a post about making Homemade Croutons, so you can check that out. But in short, to make croutons you need to:
- Cut or tear the bread.
- Toss with olive oil and seasoning.
- Bake until lightly browned and toasted.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Optional Add-Ons
A homemade Caesar salad is delicious enough to serve on its own. But if you want to make it a full meal, you can add on a protein or fat such as:
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Seared Steak
- Air Fryer Salmon
- My Go-To 10-Minute Sautéed Shrimp
- Bacon
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Avocado
- Extra lemon
More Caesar Recipes To Try
- Baked Chicken Caesar Salad Burgers
- Gluten-Free Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Grilled Caesar Salad With Blackened Shrimp
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Salad
- Easy BBQ Chicken Salad
- Chicken Fajita Salad
- Cheeseburger Salad with Mustard Dressing
Easy Homemade Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For Caesar Dressing:
- ½ cup mayo homemade or store-bought
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste optional
- Pine sea salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
Everything Else:
- 1 large head of romaine about 6 cups, cleaned well, chopped
- ¾ cup shaved parmesan see notes
- 1-½ cup homemade croutons or store-bought
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A squeeze of fresh lemon optional
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar and whisk together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad: Add romaine, parmesan, croutons and half of the dressing into a large bowl. Toss together to combine. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as desired.
- Divide evenly onto four plates. Sprinkle a couple of extra croutons and parmesan cheese on top of the plates, as well as some fresh cracked black pepper.
- Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side!
Notes
- To make parmesan shavings, shave off pieces from a whole block of parmesan cheese.
- Optional Add-Ons
So great – best Caesar dressing recipe I have tried. I had never made one with apple cider vinegar and I feel this is the secret ingredient that makes this so tasty! Cannot wait to try it again tomorrow with a romaine and kale blend.