Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
Published June 10, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
There’s nothing like a delicious, easy-to-make, fresh Caesar salad recipe that is served with homemade dressing and croutons. Once you start making this at home, no restaurant will compare.
I need a couple of salads a week to make sure I’m getting some greens in me. Some of my absolutely favorite salads are my Nicoise and my Chopped Chicken.
Caesar Salad
Caesar salad originated in Tijuana, Mexico, by an Italian named Caesar Cardini. Cardini moved to California in the early 20th century, and, like many others, during prohibition, he would often head to Tijuana for a drink. He quickly opened a restaurant and, a few years later, created the Caesar Salad. Who got that story right?
It’s a simple salad that is massively popular worldwide in homes and on restaurant menus. It is easy to make and, when homemade, is far better than anything you’ll get anywhere else.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lettuce – Romain lettuce is the classic lettuce to use. If there is a romaine lettuce shortage, green or red leaf lettuce as a substitute will work. Kale is also sometimes used as a substitute or as the main green in this recipe
- Cheese – Large shaved Parmigiano Reggiano pieces are traditionally used when making this. You can do it yourself or buy it pre-shaved. Pecorino Romano would be a good substitute.
- Dressing — Caesar Dressing is the classic dressing to use. It is a 6-ingredient recipe consisting of anchovies, lemon juice, eggs, parmesan, and olive oil. It will take you no more than 5 minutes to make and hands down makes the best Caesar salad.
- Croutons – I prefer my homemade croutons recipe, but you can use premade store-bought.
How to Make a Caesar Salad
Cut the fresh romaine lettuce into roughly 1 ½” pieces.
Rinse the lettuce removing and dirt or unwanted particles on the lettuce leaves and dry thoroughly.
Add the lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons, salt, and pepper to a bowl and pour the dressing around the bowl on the inside.
Mix the salad thoroughly making sure every leaf has brushed the dressing and is coated and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is mixed with the dressing. However, it can be made the day before if the lettuce, dressing, cheese, and croutons are kept separate and covered in the refrigerator.
How to Store: Place each ingredient in its own plastic container or bag and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This recipe will not freeze.
chef notes + tips
- Feel free to add more dressing, croutons, or Parmesan cheese as you see fit.
- Be sure to serve the salad immediately after tossing in the dressing.
- Some additional Caesar salad toppings are anchovy fillets, chicken, steak, tuna, salmon, shrimp, or hard-boiled eggs.
More Salad Recipes
Video
Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 heads of cored romaine lettuce cut into 1 ½” pieces
- ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
- 1 croutons recipe
- 1 Caesar dressing recipe, there will be some leftover
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the lettuce, cheese, croutons salt, and pepper.
- Using a spoon add the desired amount of dressing to the inside of the bowl around the lettuce touching the bowl (see video).
- Thoroughly toss the greens using tongs until the lettuce, cheese, and croutons are coated in the dressing and serve.
Never had made a Caesar Salad but with your video it is now a go to salad.
Thank you for your tips in its creation!
My pleasure!
My favorite salad ever
Exactly how I like it
Winner
Appreciate you giving it a shot!
Awesome recipe definitely a 5 star one
Thanks for giving it a shot!
The technique of putting the dressing around the bowl——EXCELLENT
Game changer! Thanks for trying it!
this is the best Caesar salad recipe I’ve ever used. Love it, The only one I ever make.
Excellent!
The home made croutons took this to the next level. It. Was. So. Good.
xI have been making your salads for a long time now. I live in the “hot spot” of California and this week it will be in the 106 to 108 except for today. I love your nicoise salad and make this a lot in The Summer. This is truly a meal in its self.
Thank you Chef for the Beautiful and Delicious Salads.
Delicious as always. Thank you
Nice and simple. Thanks for sharing
Love this recipe and so do our grandchildren❤️
This is a go to regular dinner meal for us and we love the crouton recipe as well!
Favourite tasty salad thank you Chef Billy
Superb salad. Tasty and a great crowd pleaser.
my pleasure!
Super easy, delish, and can be held in the fridge for a few days. A keeper!
Thank you!
LOVE this Caesar dressing recipe. I use a few less anchovie filets (and serve them on the side), and add a bit more lemon juice. Billy has GREAT recipies! Thanks!
Awesome recipe-Chris in Va
Followed the recipe to the letter (even did the peppercorns on the stove, as shown in your salad dressing video). I love that the depth and complexity of flavors come from simple techniques. The finished salad is restaurant quality. As someone who appreciates a great caesar salad, thank you!
perfect!!
Perfecto, delicious, made it for my sister whilst visiting her in the USA, I flew 14 hrs across the Pacific from Australia just to share your Caesar salad with her. xx
thank you so kindly!!
The best!
many thanks!
Thanks for the lessons! I learn a lot from you almost every day. Even though I have been cooking well for many years, your help has made my cooking so much more imaginative, We have tastier food, more easily made. I find your recipe easy to make and most are quite simple ingredient wise, still they are better using your methods. Thank you so much for your help, Chef Billy!!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
These are the best recipes for Caesar Salad I have seen in a long time! Perfect classic recipes and also easy to make. Who could ask for more. I now saved these recipes for future use, even though I have used the same methods for many years. I never really recorded what I did to make this marvelous recipe. Thanks for posting this, Chef. Billy!
Amazing!
This recipe is perfect! Everything from the croutons and the salad to the wonderful dressing!
Excellent
this was so good. no leftovers. Thank you
perfection!
Made this yesterday with the egg 🙂 Delicious! My husband asked for more….all gone.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Awesome
I’ve made Caesar salad using other recipes and this is by far the best!! Don’t leave out the homemade croutons. They are quick and so worth it.
Awesome
Absolutely delicious!!
many thanks
Love
Love
LOVE this Caesar dressing.
Thank you for you continued dedication to grrrreat food
Shauna
perfect
Best salad ever!
Excellent!
Outstanding!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Easy to make and delicious…not many recipes I don’t enjoy from Chef!!!
Glad to hear it!
My husband and I absolutely love Caesar salad. However, we have never made it ourselves till now. Some restaurant Caesar salads have been very disappointing. I followed your recipe and it was a hit. I put too much salt onto croutons, but it evened out since then I decided not to add any salt into the dressing. Saltiness of anchovies was enough. The salad was delicious, No more restaurant Cesar salads for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I appreciate all you videos. They are logical, easy to understand and you explain well why something needs to be done the way you do it. However, being a dinosaur, I would like to have actual cook books. Are there any available.or is it all through the web only?
I made this last night and it was AH-mazing! I have lots of dressing left over- round two tonight?! 🤩 Just have to make more croutons- those got gobbled up, quick!
Nice! thank you chef Billy for sharing!