Sourdough Crouton Caesar Salad (Printable Version)

Fresh Caesar salad with garlicky sourdough croutons, creamy dressing, and crisp romaine lettuce.

# What You'll 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. In a large bowl, toss sourdough cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
02 - Bake croutons for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool completely.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies if using, and minced garlic until well combined.
04 - Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously to create a smooth, creamy emulsion. Stir in grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the dressing. Add more dressing to taste. Top with shaved Parmesan and cooled sourdough croutons.
06 - Finish with a grind of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately while croutons are still crisp.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade dressing comes together in minutes and tastes restaurant-quality, with a richness that bottled versions can't touch.
  • Sourdough croutons stay crisp for days when stored properly, so you can prep ahead without sacrificing texture.
  • The whole thing feels fancy enough to serve guests but easy enough to throw together on a random Tuesday night.
02 -
  • If your dressing breaks and turns oily and separated looking, start over with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken dressing; it almost always comes back together.
  • Don't dress the salad more than 10 minutes before serving unless you want wilted lettuce, but the croutons and dressing keep perfectly separately for hours.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients emulsify better, so take your egg yolk out 15 minutes before making dressing and let your olive oil sit on the counter.
  • If you're nervous about raw eggs, use 2 tablespoons of good mayonnaise instead; it's already emulsified and tastes nearly identical.
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