Sourdough Crouton Caesar Salad (Printable)

Crisp romaine, creamy dressing, and golden sourdough croutons combine for a fresh, flavorful salad.

# Components:

→ 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. In a large bowl, toss sourdough cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
02 - Spread coated sourdough cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced anchovies if using, and finely minced garlic until well combined.
04 - Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously to create a smooth, emulsified dressing. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the dressing. Add additional dressing to achieve desired coating, then top with shaved Parmesan and cooled sourdough croutons.
06 - Grind fresh black pepper over the salad and serve immediately while croutons remain crisp.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Homemade Caesar dressing tastes nothing like bottled, and once you make it this way, you'll wonder why you ever bought the jarred version.
  • Those croutons stay crisp for days if you keep them separate, so you can assemble salads throughout the week without the bread going soggy.
02 -
  • Dress the romaine no more than 5 minutes before eating or the leaves soften and the whole thing loses its appeal, so prep everything and do the final toss just before plating.
  • If your dressing breaks and turns grainy and separated, don't panic—start fresh with another egg yolk and slowly whisk in the broken dressing and it'll come back together.
03 -
  • Warming your salad bowl with hot water before adding greens keeps everything from getting cold too fast, which matters more than people realize.
  • If you're making this for guests, plate individual portions instead of family-style so the croutons stay on top where they should be instead of sinking into the dressing.
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