Caesar Salad Recipe

Caesar salad is a classic Italian-American dish featuring crisp romaine lettuce tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing made with garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese, topped with crunchy croutons for the perfect combination of flavors and textures.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Servings: 4

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian-American

Calories: 421

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

3 large slices of thick-cut white bread crusts removed
¼ cup olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed
1 head romaine lettuce
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs peeled
1 oz 30g Parmesan cheese (coarsely grated)

Method

Begin by preparing the croutons, which provide the essential crispy texture that makes this salad special. Cut 3 large slices of thick-cut white bread (crusts removed) into small cubes.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add 1 crushed garlic clove, and cook for about 1 minute to infuse the oil with garlic flavor. Add the bread cubes and cook, stirring frequently, for 1–2 minutes until they turn golden and crisp.
Once ready, lift the croutons out with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
While the croutons cool, prepare the salad base by tearing 1 head of romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and placing them in a large salad bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then season the dressing with salt and black pepper to taste. Toss the lettuce with the dressing, ensuring all leaves are lightly coated.
To finish the salad, cut 2 peeled hard-boiled eggs into quarters and add them to the dressed lettuce.
Top with the cooled croutons and 1 ounce (30g) of coarsely grated Parmesan cheese. Toss everything together gently to combine all ingredients without crushing the croutons or eggs. Serve immediately while the croutons are still crispy and the salad is at its peak freshness.

Notes

What Are Common Caesar Salad Mistakes?

One of the most frequent Caesar salad mistakes is using pre-packaged croutons instead of making fresh ones, which results in stale, flavorless bites that lack the essential crunch. Another error is over-dressing the lettuce, creating a soggy, heavy salad rather than a light, well-coated one. Many people also make the dressing too thick or too thin by not balancing the oil and lemon juice properly. Using low-quality Parmesan or pre-grated cheese significantly diminishes the flavor compared to freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Additionally, not drying the romaine lettuce thoroughly after washing causes the dressing to slide off instead of clinging to the leaves. Finally, adding the dressing too early makes the lettuce wilt and lose its signature crispness. Toss just before serving for the best results.