Sourdough Crouton Caesar Salad (Print Version)

Crisp romaine tossed with creamy dressing and golden garlic sourdough croutons for a fresh, crunchy dish.

# What You 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

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and cut day-old sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes.
02 - 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 and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies if using, and minced garlic until combined.
04 - Slowly drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil while whisking continuously to emulsify. Stir in grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the dressing. Add additional dressing to taste, then top with shaved Parmesan and cooled sourdough croutons.
06 - Finish with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough croutons have this tangy, crispy edge that regular bread croutons could never achieve, and they stay crunchy even after the dressing hits them.
  • Making your own dressing means you control the saltiness and creaminess, which honestly tastes nothing like those bottled versions lurking in the back of your fridge.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, but feels fancy enough to serve when people actually show up expecting you've put in effort.
02 -
  • If your dressing breaks and turns grainy instead of creamy, whisk a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken dressing; it'll save itself.
  • Add the croutons to the salad just before serving or they'll absorb moisture and turn soggy within minutes, which defeats the entire purpose of having crunch.
03 -
  • Keep your croutons in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and if they start to soften, you can re-toast them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to restore their crunch.
  • Make the dressing up to 24 hours ahead and store it in a jar in the fridge; the flavors actually meld and deepen overnight, and you can shake it to re-emulsify right before serving.
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