The Simplest Ceasar
I’ve purchased more bottles of premade caesar dressing than I’d care to admit in my lifetime. I had a serious insatiable craving for the crunchy, savory, tangy salad that was never quite satisfied by the lackluster bottled dressing. Once I started looking more closely at ingredient lists, I was shocked to discover that my favorite “healthy” dinner was far from healthy. It was full of preservatives and seed oil! Which meant it was time to research how to make homemade caesar dressing. I might as well tackle homemade croutons while I was at it. Fifteen years on, I can confidently say I’ve perfected a 30 second caesar dressing that tastes every bit as vibrant and tangy as a gourmet restaurant without all the yucky additives. The bonus? It costs pennies on the dollar to make it!
Ingredients:
Makes 4 servings
Caesar Dressing:
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon capers
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons high quality mayonnaise or greek yogurt
Herbed Croutons:
4 thick slices of sourdough bread, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and italian seasoning to taste
Salad Assembly:
Romaine lettuce
grated parmesan
Directions:
In a jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Give it a good shake and set it aside. See I told you that was easy! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil and seasoning and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until just golden but not too crispy. They will continue to harden as they cool. While the croutons cool, toss the torn lettuce leaves with some of the dressing and shower with grated parmesan. Add the croutons and give it another good toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!
