Sourdough Crouton Caesar Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Fresh romaine with creamy lemon-Dijon dressing and crispy golden sourdough croutons topped with shaved Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ Sourdough Croutons

01 - 3 cups day-old sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large garlic clove, minced
04 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Caesar Dressing

06 - 1 large egg yolk or 2 tablespoons mayonnaise for egg-free option
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - 2 anchovy fillets, minced, optional
11 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Salad

15 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, chopped
16 - 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
17 - Freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - In a large bowl, toss sourdough cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Spread coated sourdough cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies if using, and minced garlic until blended.
05 - Slowly drizzle olive oil into the dressing mixture while whisking continuously to create an emulsion. Stir in grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the dressing. Add additional dressing to taste. Top with shaved Parmesan and cooled sourdough croutons.
07 - Finish with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You get to make your own dressing and taste exactly how vibrant fresh lemon and real anchovies can be.
  • Those sourdough croutons stay crispy for hours and actually improve the salad if it sits for a bit.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners that feel special.
02 -
  • The egg yolk must be whisked slowly with the oil or your dressing will break—I learned this by rushing once and ending up with a separated, grainy mess that no amount of whisking could fix.
  • Cooling the croutons before adding them to the salad keeps them crispy instead of becoming soggy from the warm olive oil and lemony dressing.
  • Don't dress the entire salad at once if you're not serving it immediately, as the romaine will wilt and the croutons will soften faster than you'd want.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about raw egg yolks, use two tablespoons of good mayonnaise instead and whisk it in the same way—the dressing will be just as creamy and complex.
  • Toast your Parmesan shavings lightly in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to the salad for an extra layer of nutty, toasted flavor that catches people off guard in the best way.
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