Easy Caesar Salad Recipe

My version includes fresh homemade croutons and a rich and tangy homemade dressing. The simplicity of a Caesar salad is unmatched. It’s simple enough to make during the week and pairs well with lots of main dishes.

It’s always my go-to whenever I’m eating out at a nice restaurant, but the truth is…this easy salad recipe is wayyy better than any restaurant version. Let me show you just how easy it is to make! All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

“So good!! This dressing is incredible.

So easy, and a guaranteed show stopper. This one is headed straight to my permanent recipe repertoire.”

Easy Caesar Salad Recipe

This simple Caesar salad is all about bold, craveable flavors, and it starts with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing. It’s rich, tangy, super flavorful, and really easy to whip up thanks to one shortcut: mayo instead of fussing with raw eggs and oil.

I mix in lemon, garlic, anchovy filets, Dijon, Parmesan, and a good amount of black pepper for that classic Caesar punch. And while the dressing is the star, the real key to any great Caesar salad, imo, is homemade croutons!

Ok, second to the dressing, of course 😉 They’re crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-flavorful! And the best part is…they’re SO quick to make. Together with the creamy dressing, you’ve got the perfect finishing touch to pull the whole salad together.

Budget Saving Tip

Since this salad is relatively simple to make with simple ingredients, I spent extra using fresh Parmesan from a Parmesan cheese wedge. But to save some cash, you can absolutely use pre-shredded Parmesan cheese instead.

How to Make A Caesar Salad Step-by-Step Photos

Make the dressing: Zest and juice 1 lemon (you’ll need about 3 Tbsp juice and 1 tsp lemon zest for this recipe).

Then, finely mince 3 cloves of garlic and 3 anchovy filets. Be sure to reserve about ½ tsp of the oil from the anchovy container.

In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon juice, zest, minced garlic, minced anchovies, anchovy oil, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the bowl and whisk well to combine.

Have a little taste of the dressing and adjust the ingredients to your liking. Set the dressing aside for now. Prep the salad: Next, chop, wash, and thoroughly dry 8 cups of Romaine lettuce.

You can add the lettuce to a salad spinner or use paper towels (or a lint-free kitchen cloth) to dry the lettuce. Add the lettuce to a separate large bowl.

Assemble the salad: Top the lettuce with 2 cups croutons, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, and half of the Caesar salad dressing (I like to start with half the dressing and then add more as needed). Toss the salad until everything is coated in the dressing.

Serve: Top with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper when serving (both optional). Enjoy! What To Serve with Caesar Salad?

One of the best ways to enjoy this salad is by adding some grilled chicken. I also think our pan seared chicken or air fryer chicken would be delicious on top for a quick and easy chicken Caesar salad. Salmon and shrimp also taste great with this salad!

Or simply add this salad as a side dish alongside your favorite dinner recipes like homemade lasagna (my kid’s favorite) or creamy garlic chicken.

Storage Instructions

This salad will keep for about 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge, though that can vary depending on how fresh your ingredients were to begin with. If you can, store the components separately—especially the croutons.

They’ll go soggy fast if they’re sitting in the salad. Keep them in their own airtight container at room temperature, and if they lose their crunch, just reheat them in a skillet or pop them in an air fryer for a minute or two to crisp them back up.