Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
Few salads have stood the test of time quite like the Classic Caesar Salad. Invented in the 1920s by restaurateur Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico, this iconic dish has become one of the most ordered salads in the world and for very good reason. When made properly from scratch — with a real, boldly flavored dressing rather than a bottle from a supermarket shelf — it is genuinely one of the most delicious things you can put on a plate.
This recipe is sized perfectly for two generous portions, making it ideal for a romantic dinner, a quick and satisfying lunch for two, or a luxurious solo meal with leftovers. If you love fresh and vibrant salads, also explore our beautiful Greek Salad Recipe, our quick and healthy Tuna Salad and our full Salad collection.
What Makes a Caesar Salad Truly Classic?
The original Caesar salad that Caesar Cardini created was remarkably simple — romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons and a dressing made tableside with raw egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Over the decades the recipe has evolved and been adapted countless times but the soul of the dish remains the same: crisp cold lettuce, crunchy croutons and a bold, savory, creamy dressing that coats every leaf perfectly.
What separates a great Caesar salad from a mediocre one is almost always the dressing. Bottled Caesar dressing, while convenient, simply cannot replicate the depth, freshness and complexity of a homemade version. This recipe shows you exactly how to make it from scratch and it takes less than five minutes.
The Homemade Caesar Dressing
The dressing is the heart and soul of this entire recipe and it is far simpler to make at home than most people expect. The key ingredients and what each one contributes are:
- Mayonnaise — Forms the creamy base that gives the dressing its rich, glossy texture and helps it cling to every leaf of romaine.
- Parmesan cheese — Finely grated parmesan adds a deep, salty, nutty umami flavor that is the defining taste note of a great Caesar dressing.
- Lemon juice — Provides essential brightness and acidity that cuts through the richness of the mayonnaise and keeps the dressing from feeling heavy.
- Garlic — Freshly minced garlic gives the dressing its unmistakable bold, pungent backbone. Never use garlic powder here.
- Worcestershire sauce — A small amount adds extraordinary depth and a savory complexity that is very difficult to replicate with any substitute.
- Dijon mustard — Acts as both a flavor enhancer and an emulsifier, helping the dressing stay creamy and smooth rather than splitting.
- Black pepper — Freshly cracked black pepper is essential. It needs to be noticeable in the finished dressing.
How to Make Classic Caesar Salad — Overview
This recipe has three components that come together beautifully: the homemade croutons, the Caesar dressing and the final salad assembly. Start with the croutons as they need a few minutes in the oven. While they bake, whisk together the dressing in a small bowl. Once the croutons are golden and cooled slightly, toss the romaine lettuce with the dressing until every leaf is coated, then pile into bowls and finish with the croutons, extra parmesan and a generous crack of black pepper.
The full step by step instructions with exact quantities are in the recipe card below. For more fresh and delicious meal ideas, browse our full recipe collection.
How to Serve Caesar Salad
A classic Caesar salad is wonderfully flexible. Here are our favorite ways to enjoy it:
- As a standalone lunch — On its own as a deeply satisfying, light yet filling meal for two. Serve with extra warm croutons on the side.
- With grilled chicken — Slice grilled chicken breast over the top for a complete, high protein meal. This is the most popular Caesar salad variation worldwide.
- With grilled shrimp — Our Garlic Butter Shrimp placed on top of a Caesar salad is an extraordinary combination.
- As a dinner side — Serve alongside our Classic American Fried Chicken or any grilled or roasted meat for a complete and balanced meal.
- With garlic bread — Pair with our Garlic Bread Bites on the side for a truly indulgent and satisfying combination.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
The Caesar dressing is the most make ahead friendly component of this recipe. It can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir or shake before using as it may separate slightly.
The croutons can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. If they soften slightly, spread them on a baking tray and warm in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 3 to 4 minutes to restore their crunch before serving.
Once dressed, the salad should be served and eaten immediately. The dressing will cause the romaine to wilt within 20 to 30 minutes so never dress the salad ahead of time. Keep all the components separate and only toss together right before serving.
Kale Caesar — Replace the romaine with lacinato kale. Massage the leaves with a little olive oil first to soften them before tossing with the dressing.
Anchovy Caesar — Add 2 to 3 finely minced anchovy fillets to the dressing for the deeply savory, umami rich flavor found in many traditional restaurant versions.
Caesar Pasta Salad — Toss the dressing with cooked and cooled pasta, romaine, parmesan and croutons for a hearty and filling pasta salad version.
Vegan Caesar — Use vegan mayonnaise, omit the Worcestershire sauce or use a vegan version, and replace the parmesan with nutritional yeast for a fully plant based Caesar.
Whether you are cooking an intimate dinner for two or treating yourself to a restaurant worthy lunch at home, this Classic Caesar Salad Recipe is guaranteed to impress. Simple, bold, timeless and deeply satisfying. Explore more of our fresh salad recipes and let us know how it turned out in the comments!
Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
Crisp romaine, golden homemade croutons, shaved parmesan and a bold scratch made Caesar dressing. Perfectly portioned for two.
Ingredients
- The Salad
- 1 largeRomaine lettuce head, washed and torn into piecesKeep the leaves cold in the refrigerator right up until serving for maximum crispness
- 40 gParmesan cheese, freshly shaved or gratedAlways use a block of real parmesan and grate it fresh. Pre grated parmesan is too dry and lacks flavor
- Freshly crackedBlack pepper, generously to taste
- The Croutons
- 2 thick slicesDay old bread, cut into 2 cm cubesSourdough or a rustic country loaf makes the most flavorful croutons
- 2 tbspOlive oilToss the bread cubes thoroughly for even coating and crispiness
- 1 small cloveGarlic, finely mincedMixed into the olive oil before tossing for subtly garlic infused croutons
- PinchSalt and dried oregano
- The Caesar Dressing
- 3 tbspMayonnaiseFull fat mayonnaise gives the richest, creamiest dressing
- 2 tbspParmesan cheese, very finely gratedGrated finely so it dissolves smoothly into the dressing
- 1 tbspFresh lemon juiceAlways fresh, never bottled, for the brightest cleanest flavor
- 1 cloveGarlic, very finely minced or gratedGrate it on a microplane if possible for the smoothest, most evenly distributed garlic flavor
- 1 tspWorcestershire sauceEssential for depth and savory complexity — do not skip this ingredient
- ½ tspDijon mustardActs as both a flavor enhancer and an emulsifier to keep the dressing creamy and smooth
- ¼ tspBlack pepper, freshly cracked
- PinchSalt, to taste
Equipment
Method
- 1 Make the croutons: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with the minced garlic, a pinch of salt and a pinch of dried oregano. Add the bread cubes and toss thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until deeply golden and crispy, turning once halfway through. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before using.
- 2 Make the Caesar dressing: In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, very finely grated parmesan, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Whisk everything together until completely smooth and well combined. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and a small pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the lemon juice or seasoning as needed. The dressing should be bold, tangy and creamy.
- 3 Prepare the romaine: Wash the romaine lettuce leaves thoroughly in cold water and dry them completely using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towel. Any water left on the leaves will dilute the dressing and make it slide off. Tear or chop the leaves into large, generous pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Keep everything as cold as possible for the crispest result.
- 4 Dress the salad: Spoon approximately two thirds of the Caesar dressing over the romaine leaves. Using salad tongs or clean hands, toss the leaves gently but thoroughly until every single leaf is coated in a thin, even layer of dressing. Add more dressing a little at a time if needed — you want every leaf glossy and coated but not drowning in dressing.
- 5 Assemble and serve: Divide the dressed romaine between two chilled serving bowls or plates. Scatter the golden croutons generously over the top. Shave or grate a generous layer of fresh parmesan over everything. Finish with a very generous crack of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately while the croutons are still warm and the romaine is perfectly crisp and cold.
Nutrition (Per Serving — 1 of 2 portions, salad only without added protein)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving based on 2 portions. Adding grilled chicken breast adds approximately 165 kcal and 30g of protein per serving.
Notes
- The romaine lettuce must be completely dry before tossing with the dressing. Any residual water on the leaves prevents the dressing from adhering properly and results in a watery, diluted salad.
- The Caesar dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. It thickens slightly when chilled so give it a good stir before using and thin with a few drops of lemon juice if needed.
- Croutons can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Refresh them in a warm oven for 3 to 4 minutes before serving to restore their crunch.
- This recipe is perfectly scaled for 2 generous servings. To serve 4 simply double all ingredients. The dressing scales very easily and the quantities can be multiplied without any changes to the method.
- For an anchovy version — which is closer to the original historic recipe — add 2 to 3 finely minced anchovy fillets to the dressing when whisking. They dissolve completely and add an extraordinary depth of savory umami flavor.
Tips for Best Results
- Keep your romaine lettuce refrigerated right until the moment you are ready to toss the salad. Cold crisp romaine is essential. Warm or wilted lettuce makes a disappointing Caesar salad.
- Always grate your parmesan fresh from a block rather than using pre grated parmesan from a packet. Freshly grated parmesan has a far superior flavor and melts smoothly into the dressing whereas pre grated tends to clump.
- Do not overdress the salad. Add the dressing gradually and toss after each addition. Every leaf should be lightly coated and glistening. Too much dressing makes the salad heavy and soggy rather than fresh and vibrant.
- Serve the salad immediately after tossing. Caesar salad begins to wilt within 20 to 30 minutes of being dressed so always toss right before you are ready to eat.
- Use a well toasted, dry crouton rather than a soft one. The crouton must hold its crunch even after making contact with the dressing for a few minutes. If your croutons are browning too quickly in the oven reduce the temperature slightly and extend the baking time.
- For the most visually impressive presentation, leave some of the romaine leaves whole or in very large pieces rather than cutting everything into small pieces. Large leaves with visible croutons and shaved parmesan look stunning in the bowl.