Classic Caesar Salad
Cold, crisp romaine. Craggy garlic croutons. Parmesan in every fold. A proper Caesar is focused, savory and dressed at the very last moment.
Jump to recipe
- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Total
- 35 minutes
- Serves
- 4
- Role
- Starter
Why this recipe works
Dry, chilled leaves hold the emulsion. Water dilutes the dressing; warmth softens the romaine before it reaches the table.
Garlic belongs in the croutons as well as the dressing. The aroma arrives in crisp, uneven bursts rather than one blunt note.
Parmesan goes in before the final toss. Fine cheese catches the dressing and helps it cling to the romaine’s ridges.
Make the salad
Prepare the romaine
Separate the romaine leaves, wash them in plenty of cold water, and dry them completely. Tear the leaves into generous bite-size pieces, wrap them loosely in a clean towel, and chill while you make the croutons.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Season the bread
Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, grated garlic, and sea salt until the oil is evenly absorbed. Spread the cubes in one layer on the prepared sheet.
Bake the croutons
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden at the edges and crisp through the center. Cool for 5 minutes.
Dress the leaves
Put the cold, dry romaine in a wide bowl. Add half of the Caesar dressing and toss from the bottom with clean hands or broad salad servers. Add more dressing a spoonful at a time until every leaf glistens without dressing pooling in the bowl.
Finish and serve
Add the croutons, 45 g of the Parmesan, and the black pepper. Toss briefly, then finish with the remaining 15 g Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Six small moves that change the bowl
Wash
Separate the leaves so cold water can reach the sandy base and inner ribs.
Dry
Spin in batches, then spread on a towel. The surface should feel dry, not merely drained.
Chill
Give clean leaves 20 minutes in the refrigerator for a firmer, colder crunch.
Tear
Tear across the ribs into generous pieces; tiny fragments wilt and disappear under dressing.
Dress
Begin with half the dressing. You can add more, but you cannot rescue a flooded bowl.
Toss
Lift from the bottom and turn the bowl. Stop as soon as every leaf has a thin gloss.
Croutons with character
Day-old bread is ideal because it accepts oil without collapsing. Cut it by hand rather than chasing perfect cubes: exposed, ragged edges become the crunchiest parts. Bake until the centers are crisp, not just the corners, and let the croutons cool before they touch the leaves. Warm bread creates steam and softens romaine.
Variations—not the classic
Grilled chicken, crisp bacon, soft-boiled eggs and roasted chickpeas can all turn Caesar into a substantial meal. Kale can replace part of the romaine; grilled little gems add smoke. These are excellent directions, but they are modern variations. The focused version above is romaine, dressing, Parmesan and croutons.
Make ahead and storage
Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine up to two days ahead; refrigerate it wrapped in a clean towel inside a loose container. Keep the dressing chilled and the croutons airtight at room temperature. Once dressed, Caesar waits badly: serve it immediately rather than storing a tossed bowl.
A Tijuana original, with a debated history
Caesar Salad is widely credited to restaurateur Caesar Cardini in Tijuana during the 1920s, although relatives and colleagues later offered competing accounts. Descriptions of the early tableside salad commonly feature whole romaine leaves, egg, citrus, olive oil, Parmesan, garlic croutons and Worcestershire sauce. Cardini’s daughter maintained that anchovies were not added directly; many modern dressings, including ours, use them for a more explicit savory depth.
Historical context: Smithsonian Magazine.