Celery Caesar Salad Crunchy Croutons (Print Version)

Refreshing celery and romaine blend topped with crunchy croutons and shaved parmesan in creamy dressing.

# Components:

→ Salad

01 - 6 large celery stalks, thinly sliced diagonally
02 - 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
03 - 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
04 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Croutons

05 - 2 cups day-old rustic bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Caesar Dressing

08 - 1 large egg yolk
09 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
10 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1/2 cup olive oil
14 - 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss bread cubes with olive oil and sea salt, spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic. Gradually drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly until the mixture becomes thick and emulsified. Stir in grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - In a large bowl, combine sliced celery and chopped romaine lettuce. Pour half the dressing over the greens and toss to coat evenly. Add additional dressing as needed to achieve desired flavor intensity.
04 - Arrange the dressed salad on a serving platter or individual plates. Scatter cooled croutons over the top and sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The celery stays genuinely crunchy even after it's dressed, which feels like a small miracle compared to a regular Caesar.
  • Homemade dressing takes maybe five minutes and tastes so much brighter than anything bottled.
  • You can throw this together on a random Tuesday without any special ingredients hanging around your kitchen.
02 -
  • Whisk that dressing slowly and patiently, because rushing the oil into the egg yolk is how you end up with a broken mess instead of something silky.
  • Don't dress the salad more than 15 minutes before serving or even the celery will eventually start to wilt around the edges.
03 -
  • Keep your bowl and whisk cold before making the dressing, because cold equipment keeps everything stable while you're whisking in the oil.
  • If you're worried about raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs from the store, which gives you the creamy emulsion without the worry.
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