Description
Tired of the same old Caesar Salad? This tried-and-true recipe is our absolute favorite way to enjoy this classic salad! Made with an irresistibly creamy dairy-free Caesar dressing, chopped romaine, optional parmesan, and (the best part!!) ultra crispy gluten-free homemade garlicky toasted breadcrumbs that are a million percent worth the effort to make. It’s the perfect side salad for any night of the week, and can just as easily be made into an entree by topping it with chicken, salmon, or shrimp!
Ingredients
For toasted garlicky breadcrumbs (Makes about 1 cup of breadcrumbs – you may have a little extra)
- 3 slices of Canyon House Gluten Free bread (110 grams)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, or 2 small heads, OR 2-3 romaine lettuce hearts, cut into any size piece you like, washed and dried*
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional – a dairy free parmesan can be used here!)
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- About 1/3 cup Caesar Salad Dressing, more or less as desired
For the Dairy Free Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 large clove of garlic, grated using a microplane or very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos or tamari (or 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the breadcrumbs. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut or tear bread into 2-inch pieces and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until crumbly – less time for more coarse breadcrumbs or a little longer for fine. I like to keep them somewhere in the middle for more crispy textured bits. Dump the breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper, and use your hands or a spoon to toss to combine. Spread out in a thin and even layer and bake for 10-13 minutes, removing after 6 minutes to stir – this ensures they brown evenly. They’re done when they appear golden brown and are dry to the touch. Taste and sprinkle with a little more kosher salt if desired after removing from the oven. Set aside to cool while you assemble the rest of the salad.
- While the breadcrumbs are baking, you should have the perfect amount of time to whisk together the dressing and wash and dry the lettuce. To make the dressing, add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together to combine. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste if desired.
- Assemble the salad. Add cut romaine to a large bowl (ideally large enough that it’s only about 1/2 – 3/4 of the way full to make it easy to toss the salad). Drizzle with Caesar dressing and add about 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (if using), reserving the rest to garnish the salad. Toss to combine until lettuce is evenly coated. Stash any leftover dressing in the refrigerator to use for another meal!
- Serve and enjoy! Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and top the salad with desired amount of toasted breadcrumbs, fresh cracked black pepper, and remaining parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Romaine lettuce heads and romaine hearts can vary pretty significantly in size. I’ve tried to give options for smaller and larger heads of lettuce, but use your best judgement when shopping for that ingredient!
Feel free to cut your romaine as small or large as you prefer! Sometimes we cut it a little bigger (as is pictured in this blog post), and other times prefer smaller pieces.
You may have some extra breadcrumbs, and will almost certainly have a little leftover salad dressing. Both can be saved for another use! The breadcrumbs can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for 5-6 days. The dressing should keep in the refrigerator for upwards of 1 week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian