Celery Caesar Salad Crunchy (Printable)

Crisp celery and romaine tossed with creamy tangy dressing, crunchy croutons, and shaved Parmesan.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad Base

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 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 evenly on a baking sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and let 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 cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - In a large bowl, combine sliced celery and chopped romaine lettuce. Add half of the prepared dressing 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 cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crunch of fresh celery cuts through the richness of Caesar dressing in a way that feels lighter and more alive than traditional versions.
  • Homemade croutons that you've toasted yourself taste nothing like the stale store-bought kind, and you'll wonder why you ever settled for less.
  • This salad comes together in about thirty minutes and actually tastes better when you make the dressing from scratch rather than opening a jar.
02 -
  • If you add the oil too quickly to your dressing, it can break and separate into a greasy puddle, so slow down and trust the process even though it feels tedious.
  • Never dress a salad more than a few minutes before serving unless you want it to wilt and get soggy, which I learned the hard way at a dinner party and still think about.
03 -
  • Make your dressing a few hours ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge, because the flavors actually deepen and meld together beautifully.
  • If you don't have day-old bread, toast fresh bread cubes a little longer in the oven to evaporate extra moisture, which is a secret that saves many a batch of croutons.
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