Romaine Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
A classic Caesar salad with crunchy garlic croutons and a creamy, anchovy-spiked dressing built on mayonnaise rather than raw egg, for a safe and reliably thick result.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Bake the croutons. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, grated garlic and a pinch of salt, spread on a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crisp all the way through. Cool on the tray so they stay crunchy rather than going soft in their own steam.
- 2
Whisk the dressing. Whisk the lemon juice, mashed anchovy, garlic and mustard powder together in a bowl, then whisk in the mayonnaise, grated cheese, olive oil and pepper until smooth and pourable. Building the dressing on mayonnaise rather than a raw egg yolk gives the same thick, clinging body safely, with no risk from uncooked egg. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if you'd like it sharper.
- 3
Wash and dry leaves. Wash the romaine hearts and dry them very thoroughly in a salad spinner or tea towel, then cut into 2cm strips. Any water left clinging to the leaves stops the thick dressing from coating them evenly, so it's worth taking this step slowly.
- 4
Toss and serve. Just before serving, toss the romaine with the dressing in the large bowl until every piece is coated, then add the croutons and toss once more. Scatter over the cheese shavings and a final grind of pepper, and serve immediately so the croutons stay crisp.
Storage
Keep the undressed leaves, dressing and croutons in separate containers. The dressing keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, the croutons stay crisp in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and the washed leaves keep in the fridge for a day or two. Combine only just before serving. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- baking tray
- 2 bowls
- whisk or fork
- salad spinner or clean tea towels
- large salad bowl
- fine grater
- vegetable peeler for shavings
- chopping board and knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 476 kcal |
| Protein | 11.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 25.4 g |
| of which sugars | 3.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 2.1 g |
| Fat | 37.2 g |
| of which saturates | 7.2 g |
| Fibre | 3.6 g |
| Salt | 1.95 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
