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Caesar Salad with Romaine and Parmesan

Toss crisp romaine with creamy lemon, mustard, and garlic dressing, then finish with croutons and Parmesan. Find tips for texture and preparing ahead.

Servings
1

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Instructions 👩‍🍳

Step-by-step:

Make the Caesar dressing: Whisk together the creamy dressing ingredients with lemon, mustard and garlic until smooth and savoury. Use the illustrated recipe for the exact quantities, timings and cooking settings.
Prepare the romaine: Wash and dry the romaine thoroughly, then cut or tear it into bite-sized pieces.
Add the crunchy elements: Add the croutons so they stay crisp and distribute evenly through the salad.
Toss the salad: Coat the romaine lightly with the Caesar dressing, then fold in Parmesan.
Finish and serve: Add the illustrated finishing touches and serve the Caesar Salad immediately while the lettuce and croutons are crisp.

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Caesar Salad with romaine, Parmesan and crisp croutons

Crisp romaine, a creamy lemon dressing and croutons worth chasing with your fork: Caesar Salad makes a lovely lunch. Parmesan adds a savory finish. Toss it just before sitting down, while the leaves and bread still have their crunch.

A creamy dressing with lemon and garlic

This version combines romaine, croutons and Parmesan with a dressing of mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Prepared mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs gives the sauce its body; no separate raw egg is added. Lemon brings acidity, and finely crushed garlic spreads its flavor through the dressing.

Dry the lettuce and toss close to serving

Wash your hands and use clean utensils and a clean board. Remove damaged romaine leaves, rinse the remaining leaves under running water and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner or with clean towels. Tear or cut into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the lemon before cutting and squeezing it.

Peel and finely crush the garlic, then stir it into the mayonnaise with lemon juice, mustard and pepper. Taste the dressing on a piece of lettuce. Add salt sparingly, remembering that Parmesan also brings saltiness.

Lift the romaine through the dressing in a roomy bowl until lightly coated. Add croutons and Parmesan, turn gently once more and serve right away. Keep prepared lettuce, dressing and cheese covered in the refrigerator until needed, and refrigerate dressed leftovers promptly.

Try whole-grain toast for the crunch

For a simple alternative to packaged croutons, make our whole-grain Toast. Let it cool uncovered, then cut it into small pieces and add them as the salad's bread topping. Their toasted flavor goes well with the creamy dressing. A small bowl of Caesar also works as a starter before pasta or beside grilled vegetables.

Make each forkful easier

Keep the cheese light. Finely grated cheese or thin shavings spread more easily than thick chunks.
Use two salad servers. Lift from the bottom instead of pressing down on the leaves.
Choose an easy size. Break large croutons into pieces that fit comfortably with a bite of lettuce.

An optional savory or bitter accent

If you like anchovies, mash a little into the dressing and taste before adding salt. Thin radicchio strips are another optional addition for a pleasantly bitter contrast. For a vegetarian adaptation, omit anchovy, choose a hard cheese labeled suitable for vegetarians and check the other packaged ingredients too.

Keep the crunch separate

Prepare lettuce, dressing and cheese in separate covered containers in the refrigerator. Keep fully cooled croutons dry in their own sealed container. If you only need part of the salad, dress that portion and leave the rest separate; the bread and leaves soften once mixed.

Frequently asked questions

Is this dressing egg-free?
No. This version uses mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs. For an egg-free adaptation, choose mayonnaise labeled egg-free and check the other packaged ingredients too.

Why do the croutons soften so quickly?
They absorb moisture from lettuce and dressing. Dry the leaves thoroughly and add croutons at the end, immediately before serving.

How should I keep the salad chilled?
Keep prepared salad components at 40°F (4°C) or below, using a cooler with ice packs for transport. Discard perishable salad left unrefrigerated for more than two hours in total, or one hour above 90°F (32°C), including preparation and serving time.

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