The Tastiest Caesar Salad Recipe (Salad Flavors Made Easy!)

There's nothing like finding the perfect Caesar Salad Recipe and getting that authentic flavor of this mega-popular salad at home! And that's exactly what this recipe will give you.

Here I'll share with you a caesar salad recipe that combines crisp romaine lettuce, grated cheese, homemade caesar salad dressing, and bacon and chicken on top to make it filling and even more satisfying! 

The touch of fresh vegetables, homemade dressing, and natural bacon make this homemade salad recipe incredibly irresistible and absolutely delicious!

If you find yourself reaching for this salad at restaurants every time, you'll be happy to know that making this recipe at home means it's lower in calories than restaurant-bought salad, and that means in terms of nutrition and health benefits it's lower in cholesterol, sodium, and packed with good ingredients!

Kids usually aren't big salad lovers, but this salad will have them asking for more every single time. The creamy dressing along with the crispy flavors of romaine, the perfectly cooked bacon, and the grated cheese on top is absolutely irresistible to just about everyone, and kids are definitely no exception! Try this recipe once and I'm sure you'll want to make it again and again!

Want to learn how to make this Caesar Salad Recipe? Then keep on reading!

What is a Caesar Salad?

Caesar Salad is a classic salad dish that's commonly made with ingredients such as romaine lettuce, croutons, grated cheese, with a creamy Caesar Salad Dressing that adds all the flavor! 

When we think of 'caesar' salad, we somehow assume this recipe was invented somewhere in Europe (probably Italy), but you'd be surprised to know that it was actually invented in 1924 by an Italian immigrant named Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico! Yep, it was invented in Mexico and then found its way to restaurants in LA from where it took over the whole country! 

This recipe was created by Caesar when after a fourth of July weekend he was out of many ingredients and decided to mix what we had in a tableside salad recipe. Now that's definitely innovation right there! 

The flavor of this delicious salad comes all from the dressing, and that's where you're going to absolutely fall in love with my recipe. Want to learn why it's so special? Then read the next section! 

What Makes This Caesar Salad Recipe Special?

The magic in this recipe all lies in the incredibly fresh, crisp ingredients, the creamy homemade  Salad dressing, and the perfect addition of bacon and chicken strips to make it deliciously filling and satisfying. 

The flavor in this recipe comes primarily from the Caesar Salad dressing and it tastes absolutely incredible! Many people like to add anchovies with coddled or raw egg yolks to their dressing, but that wasn't in the original version and not what I've included in my recipe either. This makes it easier for everyone to make it at home. 

Instead, I use homemade mayonnaise in my dressing that gives it a perfect emulsified base that coats the lettuce perfectly, along with classic ingredients such as parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, a teaspoon Dijon mustard, a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, along with salt and black pepper all whisked together!

Using a mayo-based dressing makes it way better since it coats every leaf! Otherwise, an extra-virgin olive oil based one drips to the bottom and doesn't coat the salad ingredients perfectly.

This entire recipe is incredibly easy to make, even for first-time cooks and you don't need a blender or food processor for it either! You can whisk by hand or use a hand blender to make things easier for you. 

Trust me, I'm sure you're going to not only love my recipe but also enjoy making it every step of the way!

What You Need to Make Caesar Salad at Home

All you need are some simple, pantry-staple ingredients to easily make this delicious Caesar Salad recipe at home. Here's everything you'll need;

• Romaine lettuce: First of all, you'll need some fresh romaine lettuce for this recipe! I've used one head romaine lettuce but you can easily double or triple this recipe according to how many people you're serving.
• Green onions: We'll some green onions that add a sharp and delicious flavor to the salad that cuts through the creaminess and balances out the flavor beautifully.
• Red onions: To make it even tastier, I've also used some red onions that are crunchy and delicious to have in this salad so they enhance the texture and flavor while going beautifully with the chicken and bacon!
• Tomatoes: You'll also need some grape tomatoes to add that beautiful acidity to the salad that works perfectly with the lemon flavor that comes through in the dressing.
• Bacon: We'll also be adding some cooked bacon strips to our delicious Caesar Salad! I've broiled them and you can check out my easy broiled bacon recipe to learn exactly how to broil bacon.
• Chicken: You'll also need some cooked chicken strips to make this salad more filling and satisfying. It truly elevates the salad to the next level!
• Cheese: For an added layer of flavor and deliciousness, we'll also be using some grated Romano cheese in our caesar salad recipe.

• Homemade Caesar Dressing: We'll also need 1 cup of homemade caesar salad dressing! My recipe is not only simple,  but it combines classic caesar salad flavors to give you the recipe of your dreams! 

How to Make Caesar Salad (Step-by-Step)

Making this delicious salad is incredibly easy. Here's what you'll need to do to make it at home:

Start by separating, rinsing, and patting dry with a paper towel for each Romaine lettuce leaf. I recommend removing the outer leaves to get to the crispier ones and then separating the leaves by cutting off the bottom inch of the base. Make sure to wash them completely before patting them dry to remove any grit and dirt.

Next, cut Romaine lettuce and place it into a large glass bowl. Then cut in half rinsed (and dried) grape tomatoes and add to the bowl. Now add chopped green onions, sliced red onion, cooked, cooled and chopped bacon, and chicken strips.

Tip: After I broil and remove bacon from the pan, I use the same pan with bacon oil to broil chicken strips for a few minutes. It tastes so much better! Next, add freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese to the salad.

Finally, drizzle with Homemade Caesar dressing and toss the salad. Serve immediately!

Recipe Variation Ideas for Caesar Salad

This Caesar Salad recipe is absolutely perfect as is, but here are a couple of ideas you can try to change things up:

Vegetarian: I've added bacon and chicken strips to the salad, but it's not necessary if you're looking for a vegetarian option. 

Croutons: Add some croutons on top for more flavor. I recommend cutting bite-sized pieces of baguette to get bread cubes. Then bake in the oven on a baking sheet with some garlic-infused oil and sprinkle them on top before serving.

How to Store Leftover Caesar Salad

This salad is best served fresh once you mix in the dressing. But if you're not ready to serve it but want to prep a few hours in advance, you can prep all the ingredients and toss the dressing into the salad right before serving. 

To do this, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to preserve its freshness. This makes it the perfect make-ahead salad to prep for a dinner party the same morning!

I won't recommend freezing this salad since the romaine lettuce won't stay crisp and it will greatly alter the texture of the rest of the ingredients too. 

More Salad Recipes You'll Love

• Quick and Easy Romaine Salad
• The Tastiest Red Cabbage Salad Recipe
• Simple Tossed Salad Recipe
• Cabbage and Cucumber Salad

See all salad recipes.

Recipe Card

The Tastiest Caesar Salad Recipe (Salad Flavors Made Easy!)

Valya's Taste of Home

There's nothing like trying a tasty Caesar Salad Recipe and getting that authentic flavor salad at home! And that's exactly what this recipe will give you.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

.5x1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 – romaine lettuce
• ▢ 1 bunch - green onion
• ▢ ½ small – purple onion
• ▢ 12 oz. – grape or cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 6 strips – cooked bacon (see my easy broiled bacon recipe)
• ▢ 4 oz. – fully cooked chicken strips
• ▢ ½ cup – freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• ▢ 1 cup – Homemade Caesar Dressing

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Instructions

 

How to Make Caesar Salad

• ▢
  Start by separating, rinsing, and patting dry with a paper towel for each Romaine lettuce leaf. I recommend removing the outer leaves to get to the crispier ones and then separating the leaves by cutting off the bottom inch of the base. Make sure to wash them completely before patting them dry to remove any grit and dirt.
• ▢
  Next, cut Romaine lettuce and place it into a large glass bowl. Then cut in half rinsed (and dried) grape tomatoes and add to the bowl. Now add chopped green onions, sliced red onion, cooked, cooled and chopped bacon, and chicken strips.
• ▢
  Tip: After I broil and remove bacon from the pan, I use the same pan with bacon oil to broil chicken strips for a few minutes. It tastes so much better! Next, add freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese to the salad.
• ▢
  Finally, drizzle with Homemade Caesar dressing and toss the salad. Serve immediately!

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This recipe was originally posted on July 21, 2017 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.