Classic Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing

Classic Caesar Salad is made with crisp romaine lettuce, bold and savory Parmesan cheese, and a delicious homemade caesar dressing. It’s a classic side dish that you can make any time!

Impress your guests with this easy recipe that comes together in less than 10 minutes. Once you try the homemade version, you will never go back to buying bagged salad.

The base recipe doesn’t include croutons, but you can definitely add them to make it your own. Serve this nostalgic salad with the creamy homemade caesar dressing for a dinner party or with any weeknight meal.

Serve this salad with Pan Seared Ribeye Steak for a quick and easy dinner!

Caesar Salad Highlights 🍋

Everyone loves caesar salad because it combines the perfect texture and flavor while also being satisfying. It’s one of the quickest and easiest salads to pull together at home.

A few simple steps and only a few ingredients creates a salad that feels luxurious without being too heavy.

• Made with fresh ingredients: Homemade caesar salad is made with the freshest ingredients like crispy lettuce, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh salad ingredients. The combination creates epic flavor!
• Ready in 10 minutes or less: This recipe is completely homemade but it’s so easy make. Whisk together a few fresh ingredients for the dressing, then toss it with crunchy romaine lettuce and salty Parmesan cheese.
• Versatile dish for any meal: You can serve the salad as a classic starter or side dish with any meal, or pair it with a protein for a complete meal. Caesar salad works great for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients You Need

Caesar salad comes together quickly and easily. You will just need the ingredients for the homemade dressing plus lettuce and cheese. You can find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store, but you probably already have most of them in your kitchen.

NOTE: The full list of ingredients with measurements is provided in the recipe card below.

• Romaine Lettuce: Choose fresh, crisp romaine hearts.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese is best. Buy a block of Parmesan cheese and grate of shave it just before serving.

Homemade Caesar Dressing Ingredients

• Mayo: Serves as the base of the dressing.
• Oil: Use your favorite neutral oil. Grapeseed oil or light olive oil work best here.
• Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright, fresh flavor with acid to balance the dressing.
• Garlic: Always use fresh garlic.
• Dijon Mustard: Adds a subtle sharpness and tang to the dressing.
• Worcestershire Sauce: A must for caesar salad as it adds a deep umami flavor.
• Egg Yolk: Classic homemade salad dressing always includes egg yolks.
• Anchovy Paste: You can substitute the paste with whole anchovies, but you will need a food processor immersion blender to puree the anchovies in the dressing. If you don’t like the taste of anchovy, just start with a little as the flavors blends into the other ingredients well.
• Salt and Pepper: Use freshly ground black pepper and salt to season the creamy dressing.

How to Make Caesar Salad Dressing

Don’t be intimidated by making dressing at home. It’s so easy! This homemade caesar salad dressing comes together by whisking just a few ingredients in a bowl. You can even make it up to 3 days in advance of serving.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, lemon juice, egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
   
   TIP: If using anchovy fillets, you will need to use an immersion blender to puree the dressing here. If you want the dressing super smooth, you can also puree using an immersion blender.

2. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust the lemon juice or salt, if needed.

How to Make Caesar Salad

1. In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped romaine with the dressing to coat all over.
2. Add a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. You can add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.
3. Serve the salad cold, ideally with a ribeye steak.

Recipe Tips

• Use fresh ingredients: The key to homemade dressing tasting fresh is to use fresh ingredients. This helps ensure the best flavor.
• Keep lettuce crisp: Choose romaine with tight green leaves. There should be no brown edges on the outer leaves. Wrap unwashed lettuce in a damp paper towel and place in a plastic bag. Keep the lettuce cold in the fridge.
• Freshly grate or shave the Parmesan cheese: Use a microplane to grate the cheese fine for mixing into the dressing. You can use a vegetable peeler / potato peeler to shave the Parmesan.
• Don’t skip the anchovies: They add bold, savory flavor. You can start with one anchovy filet, if desired. The flavor is subtly once it’s blended together. You can use a small food processor or immersion blender to blend everything together until smooth. Anchovy paste works great too if you don’t want to use a whole anchovy fillet.
• Add crunchy croutons: Cut up old sourdough or a baguette. Toss the bread with the olive oil, salt, and either fresh garlic or garlic powder. Then bake the croutons until crispy.
• Keep the salad cold: I like to use a cold mixing bowl to toss the salad together, but you can also chill the salad before serving. Caesar salad is meant to be served cold and tastes the best when cold and fresh. Serve the salad immediately for the best texture and flavor.
• Add protein: If you want to make a full meal out of the salad, you can top it with grilled chicken breast, shrimp, salmon, or bacon. Or add other toppings like boiled egg or avocado.

Make Ahead and Storage

Store the lettuce separate from the creamy caesar dressing to keep the salad crisp and fresh.

• Lettuce: Chop, rinse and use a salad spinner to dry the lettuce. Store in a paper towel lined airtight container or large zipped top bag for up to 3 days.
• Dressing: Make the dressing up to 3 days in advance. Store it in a sealed airtight jar or container. Shake the container or whisk the dressing again before serving.
• Parmesan cheese: Wait to grate or shave the Parmesan cheese right before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Caesar Salad is a versatile dish that pairs well with any meal. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to serve with this classic caesar salad.

• Pan Seared Ribeye Steak
• Baked Ziti
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Stuffed Shells with Meat

Save this Classic Caesar salad recipe for anytime you are craving a delicious filling salad!