Romain Caesar Bowl

My neighbor stopped by one afternoon with a bag of impossibly crisp romaine from her garden, and I found myself assembling this bowl almost by accident. She stayed while I whisked together a dressing, and halfway through she said, "This tastes like every good lunch I've ever had." That stuck with me, the way simple ingredients become something people actually want to eat again and again.

I made this for a lunch gathering last spring, and people kept coming back for seconds of the croutons alone. Someone asked for the dressing recipe before they'd even finished eating, which is when I knew this one was keeper material. There's something about a fresh salad that makes everyone feel like they're eating something intentional, even if you threw it together quickly.

Ingredients

• Romaine Lettuce: The foundation here matters more than you'd think; crisp, fresh heads hold up to the creamy dressing without wilting into mush.
• Cherry Tomatoes: These are optional but worth including for pops of sweetness and acidity that balance the rich dressing.
• Shaved Parmesan Cheese: Use a vegetable peeler on a block of cheese for delicate curls that taste fresher than pre-grated.
• Day-Old Bread: Slightly stale bread holds crunch better when toasted; fresh bread turns soggy inside.
• Olive Oil: For the croutons, don't be shy; it's what makes them taste like something worth eating.
• Garlic Powder, Salt, Black Pepper: Season the croutons generously before baking so every bite has flavor.
• Mayonnaise: Full-fat mayo makes the dressing silky; lighter versions tend to feel thin and disappointing.
• Greek Yogurt: This cuts the heaviness while keeping everything creamy, a small trick that makes a real difference.
• Lemon Juice: Squeeze it fresh; bottled just tastes hollow by comparison.
• Dijon Mustard: Adds sharpness and helps emulsify the dressing into something smooth.
• Worcestershire Sauce: That umami depth you can't quite identify but definitely notice when it's missing.
• Garlic Clove: Mince it finely and let it sit in the dressing for a minute; raw garlic mellows slightly and distributes better.
• Anchovy Fillets: Optional but authentic; they dissolve into the dressing and add complexity, not fishiness, if minced properly.
• Protein Choice: Grilled chicken, roasted chickpeas, or shrimp all work beautifully; pick what sounds right for your mood.

Instructions

Toast Your Croutons:

Heat the oven to 375°F and toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until everything's evenly coated. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until they're golden and crisp at the edges, then let them cool completely so they don't steam the salad.

Build the Dressing:

In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, minced anchovies if using, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Taste it and adjust seasoning; this is where you make it yours.

Cook Your Protein:

Choose your path: grill chicken breasts and slice them, or roast drained chickpeas tossed with olive oil and seasoning at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or grill shrimp until just cooked through. Each takes about 10 to 15 minutes and can happen while the croutons cool.

Assemble the Salad:

In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the dressing, then add cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan and toss again. Top with croutons, your cooked protein, and drizzle the remaining dressing over everything just before serving.

Merken

My kid actually ate an entire bowl without complaint once I let them choose the protein, which felt like winning the parenting lottery. There's something powerful about a salad that doesn't feel like a punishment, that tastes good enough to want seconds.

Making Croutons Worth Eating

Homemade croutons transform a salad from forgettable to something people notice. The trick is using bread that's already a day old, which has lost enough moisture to crisp up properly instead of turning hard and stale. You could buy croutons ready-made if you're short on time, but the five extra minutes of oven time pays back tenfold in flavor.

The Caesar Dressing Secret

This dressing walks a fine line between creamy and bright, which is why Greek yogurt matters here. It keeps the richness without the heaviness of all mayonnaise, and the lemon juice punches through everything with life. If you're nervous about anchovies, know that they don't taste fishy when minced into dressing; they just add a savory depth that makes people say, "What's in this?" without being able to name it.

Flexibility Built In

This salad adapts to whatever you have on hand, which is partly why it's become a regular rotation in my kitchen. Make it vegetarian by skipping anchovies and using vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, or add crispy bacon if you want it richer. You could toss in soft-boiled eggs, caramelized onions, or roasted red peppers without disrupting the balance.

• Keep day-old bread in the freezer so you always have croutons ready to toast.
• Make the dressing in a mason jar and shake it before each use; it keeps well for three days.
• Wash and dry your romaine the night before if you want to move faster on salad day.

Merken

This is the kind of salad that reminds you why eating well doesn't have to feel complicated. Make it, taste it, and understand why people keep asking for seconds.

Antworten auf Rezeptfragen

→ Kann ich die Caeser-Dressing im Voraus zubereiten?

Ja, die Dressing hält sich verschlossen im Kühlschrank bis zu einer Woche. Die Aromen entwickeln sich noch besser, wenn sie einige Stunden ziehen können.

→ Wie mache ich dieses Gericht vegetarisch?

Lassen Sie die Anchovis und Worcestershire-Sauce weg, verwenden Sie stattdessen vegetarische Worcestershire-Sauce und wählen Sie Kichererbsen oder additionalen Käse als Proteinquelle.

→ Welche Proteine passen am besten zu diesem Salat?

Gegrilltes Hähnchen ist die klassische Wahl, aber Garnelen, gegrillter Lachs oder geröstete Kichererbsen funktionieren hervorragend. Wählen Sie nach Vorliebe und Ernährungspräferenzen.

→ Kann ich fertig gekaufte Croutons verwenden?

Ja, fertig gekaufte Croutons sparen Zeit. Hausgemachte Croutons sind jedoch knuspriger und können mit verschiedenen Gewürzen wie italienischen Kräutern oder Paprika verfeinert werden.

→ Wie bewahre ich Reste auf?

Salat und Dressing getrennt aufbewahren. Die Croutons in einem luftdichten Behälter halten sich bis zu 3 Tage. Das Salatgemüse sollte innerhalb von 2 Tagen verzehrt werden.