Easy caesar salad recipe
A crunchy, creamy Caesar-style salad with mayo-based dressing, crisp bacon, and umami miso-garlic croutons that stay toasty even after tossing.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Skillet
- Baking tray
- Oven
- large bowl
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise (Hellman's or S&W Whole Egg)
- 1/2 tsp garlic finely minced (use garlic press, if you can)
- 2 anchovy fillets or 3/4 tsp Anchovy paste
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or 1/3 cup store bought grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp milk (to adjust consistency; 3 – 4 tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Garlic Croutons:
- 2 slices white bread 2 – 3 slices, 2/3" / 1.5cm thick
- 1 garlic cut in half
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
Salad:
- 150 g streaky bacon cooked and chopped (5oz)
- 10 cups cos / romaine lettuce chopped, wash & dried (1 large, 2 medium, 3 small)
- Freshly grated parmesan for garnish
Optional Extras – Chicken & Egg:
- 2 eggs 2 – 4 eggs, cooked to your taste, peeled and halved
- 500 g chicken breast fillets (2 pieces) / 1lb
- 1/2 tsp salt EACH salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp pepper EACH salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Make the creamy dressing, then let it bloom
- Add all dressing ingredients to a food processor and whizz until smooth, starting with 3 tbsp milk, until glossy and cohesive.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper; add milk to reach your ideal consistency. Set aside for 20 minutes or more so the flavors round out.
Render the bacon until crisp
- Lay the bacon in a cold skillet with no oil, then turn heat to medium high. Cook until golden, flip and cook until the other side is golden; drain on paper towels, cool, and chop.
Toast, garlic-rub, then bake the umami croutons
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Toast bread in the toaster for 1 minute, or in the oven for 2 minutes each side, until the surface feels dry but not browned.
- Rub both sides of each toast with the cut side of the garlic. Remove crust from bread (optional) and cut into cubes, around 1.5 cups.
- Whisk a teaspoon of white miso into the olive oil until smooth, then drizzle over the cubes and toss with salt. Bake until golden, shaking the tray once (around 7 minutes for sandwich bread; 12 to 15 minutes for sourdough and similar breads).
Toss, taste, and assemble for maximum crunch
- Put lettuce in a large bowl with half the dressing, then toss well until lightly coated. Taste, then add more dressing if you want.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, then top with chicken and egg if using. Scatter over bacon and croutons, finish with freshly grated parmesan, and serve right away.
Optional protein add-ons, egg and chicken
- For eggs, place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer over medium high. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 3 minutes for soft centers, 4 minutes for firm yolks, or 6 minutes for hard boiled.
- Move eggs to cold water, run under cold water for 15 seconds, then leave submerged in a bowl of cold tap water for 5 minutes. Peel and set aside.
- For chicken, pound to about 1.2cm/1/2" even thickness or slice each breast in half horizontally. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then use the bacon fat left in the skillet to cook 5 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second.
- Rest the chicken loosely covered with foil for 5 minutes, then slice.
Notes
For meal prep, store dressing, lettuce, and croutons separately and toss just before serving for the best crunch.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 14gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5200IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 260mgIron: 3.2mg
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