Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons and Creamy Dressing
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Garlic and anchovy mashed to a paste, lemon, plenty of Parmesan, and romaine so cold it squeaks. The croutons come out of the oven smelling of garlic, and a handful never makes it to the bowl.
The short version
Whisk a dressing of mayo, anchovy, garlic, lemon and Parmesan. Bake garlic croutons at 350°F until crisp, about 15 minutes. Toss cold, dry romaine with the dressing, cheese and croutons and serve at once.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Use mayonnaise for the emulsion. Mayo already holds oil and egg together, so the dressing comes out creamy with no raw egg and no slow drizzling.
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Mash the garlic and anchovy to a paste. A paste dissolves into the dressing. Chunks of anchovy and raw garlic taste harsh; a paste tastes savory and rounded.
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Bake your own croutons in garlic oil. Store-bought croutons taste like dust. Oven-toasted cubes stay crunchy in the dressing and take 15 minutes with almost no attention.
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Dry the lettuce well. Dressing slides off wet leaves and pools in the bowl. A salad spinner or a towel makes every leaf cling.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Crusty bread4 ounces
- Olive oil3 tablespoons
- Garlic1 clove
- Anchovy4 fillet
- Mayonnaise⅓ cup
- Dijon mustard1 teaspoon
- Finely grated Parmesan½ cup
Croutons
Dressing
Salad
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Heat the oven
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350°F.
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Season and bake croutons
Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, grated garlic and salt on a rimmed baking sheet until every cube is coated. Spread them out and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden and dry all the way through. Cool on the pan.
Pull them when they're a shade lighter than you want. They keep browning on the hot pan.
About 14 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Make the paste
On a cutting board, mince the anchovies and garlic together, sprinkle with the salt, and mash with the flat of the knife, dragging and pressing until it looks like a smooth paste.
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Whisk the dressing
Scrape the paste into a medium bowl. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, Dijon, ¼ cup of the Parmesan and the pepper. Taste and add more lemon or pepper if you like. It should be thick but pourable; add a teaspoon of water if it's too stiff.
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Dress the romaine
Put the dry romaine in a large bowl and pour on about three-quarters of the dressing. Toss with your hands or tongs until every leaf has a thin coat. Add more dressing only if needed.
Dress it just before serving. Romaine wilts quickly once it's coated.
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Finish and serve
Add the croutons and the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, toss once, and serve right away on chilled plates, with extra pepper at the table.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Add sliced grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into dinner.
- Anchovies melt into the dressing and taste savory, not fishy. If you'd rather skip them, add another teaspoon of Worcestershire.
- Make the dressing up to 3 days ahead and the croutons up to 3 days ahead. Keep the croutons in a sealed container at room temperature.
- Storage. Dressing, covered in the refrigerator, 4 days. Croutons, sealed at room temperature, 3 days. Dressed salad doesn't keep.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Is there raw egg in Caesar dressing?
Traditional versions use a raw or coddled egg yolk. This one uses mayonnaise, which is already an emulsion of egg yolk and oil, so you get the same creamy body without whisking raw egg.
Can I make Caesar salad without anchovies?
Yes. Leave them out and add an extra teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, which has anchovy in it, plus a pinch more salt. You'll lose some of the depth but it still tastes like Caesar.
How do I keep romaine crisp?
Wash it, spin or pat it fully dry, and chill it. Dry leaves hold the dressing and stay crunchy; wet leaves go limp.
Can I make Caesar dressing ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator and tastes better after a few hours, once the garlic and anchovy settle in. Whisk it again before using.
Can I make the croutons in a skillet?
Yes. Toast the oiled cubes in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until golden. The oven is more even and hands-off.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.