A classic Caesar salad is perfectly delicious on its own, especially with homemade croutons. But every so often, I like to add seasonal fruits and vegetables.
This summer Caesar salad uses fresh tomatoes alongside croutons infused with garlic. The tomatoes add acidity, balancing out the fat in the cheese and dressing. The homemade dressing is also quick and easy, relying on store-bought mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce instead of anchovies.
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Recipe
Ingredients
Homemade croutons
- 2 cups bite-sized french or ciabatta bread cubes (¾") 6" of a baguette or 1.5 ciabatta rolls
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- salt & pepper to taste about ¼ teaspoon each
Caesar dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
- ½ ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated on microplane
- ⅛ teaspoon salt add more to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce (or 2 small heads)
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated on microplane
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
Prepare ingredients
- For croutons: Preheat oven to 400℉ (no need to preheat if using a toaster oven). Cut the bread into ¾" cubes.
- Microplane grater: Grate all of the garlic on a microplane to get it really fine. Set aside in two piles (one for the dressing and one for the croutons). Grate all of the Parmesan cheese on the microplane too and make two piles (½ ounce for dressing, 1 ounce for salad). (See note for volume measurements)
- Chop and wash the romaine lettuce. Squeeze the lemon juice.
Make the croutons
- Mix: Get out a large bowl (you can reuse it to mix the salad later, without washing). Mix together the olive oil & grated garlic in the large bowl. Swirl the mixture around the edges of the bowl to coat it, then toss in the bread cubes. (Swirling the oil around helps distribute the oil better, avoiding soaking into only a handful of the bread cubes). Toss the bread cubes until evenly coated in the garlic-oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper then transfer to a baking tray.
- Bake: In an oven, bake at 400℉ for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown. In a toaster oven, use the toast setting and keep an eye on them. They should be ready sooner, possibly in 5-7 minutes.
Make the Caesar dressing
- Stir to combine: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except the Parmesan cheese, until smooth. If too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or water. Add Parmesan cheese.
- Taste: taste dressing and adjust as needed. Add more salt or pepper as needed. For more acidity: add lemon juice or vinegar. For more umami, add Worchestershire or Parmesan cheese (both will add saltiness too). To thicken, add mayo.
Assemble the Caesar salad
- In your large bowl, add the lettuce and half of the dressing. Toss to coat, then add more dressing as needed.
- When ready to serve, top with homemade croutons and remaining Parmesan cheese. Finish with fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
Parmesan cheese
Volume is very difficult to standardize. It depends on the size it's grated into or if it is light & fluffy or packed for measuring. I'd say 1 ounce of freshly grated Parmesan on a microplane is about half a cup. If you don't own a scale, you can estimate weight. Look at the weight on the block of cheese you bought (likely 8 ounces), then cut off just under a quarter of that to get 1.5 ounces. Also, you can always have more or less cheese on the salad - it doesn't need to be perfect.No microplane?
If you don't own a microplane grater, mince the garlic really fine. Grate the Parmesan on the finest grater you have.Nutrition
Caesar salad nutrition
The calories in a Caesar salad can vary quite a bit based on 3 main ingredients: how much cheese you use, how much dressing, and how many croutons. This recipe is about 400 calories per side salad, which can be easily adjusted up or down.
Here's a breakdown of calories for each part of the salad.
| Ingredient | Amount used per serving | Calories per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Parmesan cheese (on salad) | 0.25 ounce | 28 calories |
| Homemade croutons | 12 croutons | 150 calories |
| Caesar dressing | 2 Tbsp | 200 calories |
A good portion of the calories comes from the fat in the dressing, cheese, and croutons. Fat from mayonnaise isn't the healthiest option, but the good news is that olive oil for the croutons is full of good monounsaturated fats.
If you're looking to reduce calories and fat, try this dressing recipe from Skinny Taste. It uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo and just a little bit of olive oil. It only has 60 calories for a serving of 2 tablespoons (or 90 calories for her suggested use of 3 tablespoons).
Homemade croutons
Store bought croutons can't hold a candle to homemade croutons. Since croutons are another key component of a Caesar salad, just like the cheese, it's worth the little bit of extra effort.
Making your own croutons is actually pretty quick and easy. Grab some sturdy bread, like a french loaf, and tear or cut it into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. The bake (or toast) until golden and crispy. That's it!
Tearing vs cutting the bread
There are two camps when it comes to making homemade croutons. One camp swears by tearing the bread, which results in scraggly edges and sizes. That leads to slight differences in texture for each crouton - some are bigger and chewier while others have crispier edges.
The other camp cuts the bread, which is what I do for convenience. They also cook more evenly. If you're new to making your own croutons, try both methods.
Quicker homemade croutons
If you want to save some time (and resist the convenience of store bought croutons), toss them with flavored olive oil. My 'cheater' version of these uses La Tourallange garlic oil and they are delicious. (While that is an affiliate link, I recommend it because it's easily my favorite oil - I go through at least one bottle a month).
La Tourangelle has a whole lot of other flavored oils that should work out really well on croutons. I haven't tried these yet, and I honestly don't know why - but they have truffle oil, basil oil, and pesto oil that I imagine are excellent.
You can also use regular olive oil and dried herbs. Try tossing them with Italian seasoning, truffle salt, za'atar or any other number of spices.
Using tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are perfect for this salad. They are both tangy and sweet with minimal liquid, whereas larger tomatoes can be more watery. Farmers markets should have cherry tomatoes all summer long throughout the US.
For a pretty presentation, buy tomatoes of various colors. The different colors often taste slightly unique as well. Yellow tomatoes are usually a bit sweeter and citrusy. Brown tomatoes, also called purple or black tomatoes, taste more complex and earthy with some more umami flavors.
Of course, these are generalities and seem more noticeable when you grow them yourself, letting them completely ripen for full flavor development.
Tomatoes are in season throughout summer and often are best from the farmers market (when the farmers let them vine-ripen longer).
Cheese selection & proportions
If you want to make an outstanding Caesar salad, buy a block of aged cheese and shred it yourself. Since cheese is a defining characteristic of a Caesar salad, it's best to give it the respect it deserves.
Any block of Parmesan, Asiago, or Pecorino will work well and are pretty interchangeable for the salad and the dressing. This is not the time to reach for the convenience of pre-shredded Parmesan cheese.
Amount of cheese
It might seem like this recipe is light on the cheese portions, but it actually works out. I want to give you some context because as a fellow cheese-lover, I know I'd be suspicious of the amount listed. I am a chronic over-cheeser on most things.
For this Caesar side salad, a mere quarter-ounce of Parmesan is enough when it is finely grated. The picture above shows a quarter ounce of grated cheese.
A microplane tool is most often used for zesting citrus, but it works really well for grating hard cheeses into a light and fluffy consistency. A tiny amount of cheese easily looks like a lot more than it is.
Because the finely grated bits of Parmesan are so small, they easily distribute throughout the salad, clinging to the thick dressing. Every bite has that sharp, aged-cheese flavor.
On the flip side, compare the amount of cheese in a Caesar salad to the amount in something like a Cobb salad. The cheese for Cobb salads is usually cut into cubes, which don't distribute easily. That's why a Cobb salad (and most other salads) use double, triple, or quadruple the amount of cheese.
However, if you want to add extra cheese, you should!
Get a Microplane for $10-$20 (or replace your dull one!)
I admit, my microplane was old and it could barely grate tougher things like ginger. I should have replaced it a long time ago, but better late than never.
I used to have a Microplane like this, which has almost 10,000 reviews on Amazon for 5 stars. It zested great, but I don't like the bottom. The metal bottom doesn't balance well on a plate when grating things. When I zested over a wood cutting board, the bottom would dig in, leaving noticeable dents.
Instead, I've replaced it with one that has a rubber foot for stability and it's great. It has over 40,000 reviews on Amazon for 5 stars, and I purchased mine in summer of 2024 for $11.
You can also find them at Target and other similar stores. The links I provided from Amazon are affiliate links and I only share advice or recommendations on things I've actually used. However, I encourage you to browse the entire list of Microplane graters on Amazon.
What defines a Caesar salad
A typical Caesar salad uses romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, a creamy dressing flavored with Worcestershire sauce (or anchovies), and lots of croutons. The origin dates back to 1924 when Caesar Cardini ran out of ingredients at his restaurant during a fourth of July rush and created this salad from what he had on hand.
The original salad dressing used lemon juice, olive oil, eggs, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce - and actually did not use anchovies. But any creamy dressing that's flavored with Worcestershire sauce and mustard can classify as a Caesar dressing.
Caesar salad variations
I like to take classic salads and make them more seasonal. It keeps the salads interesting throughout the year while using up some seasonal produce.
In order to put a unique spin on a Caesar salad but still keep with the spirit, it should include 4 things:
- Crunchy greens
- Croutons
- A bold, hard cheese
- A Caeser-ish dressing
Romaine is the standard lettuce for Caesar salads, but this can easily be expanded on. Kale is a popular option as well as shredded brussels sprouts in the fall. You can also use iceberg, endive, or radicchio. Whatever you use, make sure it is on the sturdier side to hold up to the dressing. Greens like arugula and spinach will wilt under the weight.
Croutons can be made from any type of bread and be flavored with any type of herb. However, don't overlook creative crouton stand-ins like fried halloumi, breaded butternut squash cubes, or toasted chickpeas.
Parmesan is the gold-standard cheese of choice, with asiago and pecorino making very good substitutes. For a Mexican spin, try shredding Cotija cheese.
The dressing should be creamy, which can come from mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or even avocados. Flavor it with Worcestershire sauce (vegan options are available as stores), mustard, and black pepper.
Once you've settled on the basics, choose some seasonal fruits or vegetables to add to the salad.
- For fall: Kale Caesar salad with Parmesan-roasted butternut squash by Brooklyn Supper
- For winter: Shaved brussel sprout and chickpea Caesar salad by The Foul-Mouth Gourmet
- For spring: Grilled asparagus Caesar by How Sweet Eats
More recipes & resources
- King Arthur Baking has an article dedicated to making homemade croutons. It covers everything from the type of bread to the type of fat to use.
- A Reddit thread about measuring grated Parmesan by volume vs weight
- Lower calorie Caesar dressing using Greek yogurt by Skinnytaste.
If you have some time, browse through other seasonal guides that use fruits & vegetables while they are in season.
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