Bagged salads can’t compete with Better-Than-The-Bag Caesar Salad; it’s even in the name! The croutons aren’t just crunchy but infused with garlic and parmesan. The romaine isn’t just fresh but crisp and refreshing. The dressing isn’t just creamy but deeply umami, with notes of bright citrus, tang, and sharp parmesan cheese. Yes, Better-Than-The-Bag Caesar Salad takes every element of this deceptively simple salad and makes it better… and the best part, it takes less than 20 minutes to make. Skip those bagged salads from now on!
Ingredients
For the croutons:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 cups baguette, cubed
- 1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup large capers, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
- 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 anchovy filets
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 2 ounces grated, 2 ounces shaved, divided
- 2 romaine lettuce hearts, leaves separated
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1/2 cup of the olive oil and 6 cloves of the garlic and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the saucepan away from the heat and discard the garlic cloves.
Step 4 –In a medium bowl, add the baguette cubes and drizzle with the garlic-infused oil and toss to coat.
Step 5 –Sprinkle the bread mixture with parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and toss to coat.
Step 6 –Arrange the coated bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 7 –Bake until the croutons are toasted, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
Step 8 –In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil until it reaches 375 degrees F.
Step 9 –Fry the capers in the oil, in batches, until they are golden, about 30 seconds per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried capers to paper towels to drain.
Step 10 –In a blender, combine the red wine vinegar, the lemon juice, the water, the Dijon mustard, the remaining salt, the anchovy filets, the remaining garlic, and the egg yolk and process until it is smooth.
Step 11 –With the blender running, slowly add the remaining olive oil and process until it has thickened.
Step 12 –Transfer the dressing to a bowl and stir in the remaining pepper and 1 ounce of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Step 13 –In a large bowl, combine the romaine hearts, the toasted croutons, and 1 ounce of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Step 14 –Drizzle the lettuce mixture with 3/4 cup of the dressing and gently toss to coat.
Step 15 –Divide the lettuce mixture among four plates and sprinkle with the fried capers and the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Step 16 –Serve the salad with the remaining dressing.