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A Homemade Caesar Salad with fresh romaine, crunchy homemade croutons, and a tangy, creamy Parmesan dressing.

Homemade Caesar Salad

A crisp Caesar salad with fresh romaine, crunchy homemade croutons, and a tangy, creamy Parmesan dressing.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup 105ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium cloves garlic minced
  • 3 cups hearty bread cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 ounces finely grated parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 to 6 anchovies
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce see note
  • 80 ml canola oil
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce washed and carefully dried

Instructions

  • Set your oven rack to the middle and preheat to 375°F (190°C). In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Crush the garlic with a press like this for quick flavour with less mess. Then, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer placed over a large bowl, and use the back of a spoon to press out as much of the garlic-infused oil as possible. Save the pressed garlic for later. Toss your bread cubes in this garlic oil until they’re nicely coated.
  • Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over the bread cubes, toss well, and season with salt and pepper. Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until they turn a pale golden brown and get crispy. Once baked, remove from the oven, toss with an extra 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, and let them cool.
  • While the croutons are baking, prepare the dressing. In a container or in a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, the reserved pressed garlic, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. You can whisk by hand, but a stick blender like this one helps create a perfectly creamy emulsion.
  • Slowly drizzle in canola oil until you get a smooth, emulsified sauce. Transfer this mixture to a medium bowl, then, while whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  • In a large bowl, gently toss your lettuce with a few tablespoons of the dressing, adding more if you like. Once evenly coated, mix in half of the remaining Parmesan and about three-quarters of the croutons.
  • Finally, transfer the salad to a serving bowl and finish it off by sprinkling the rest of the Parmesan cheese and croutons on top.
    Tip: Grate fresh Parmesan with a Microplane like this one to get perfectly fine parmesan.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy!