A vegetarian caesar salad is a perfect salad to accompany almost any dish. You can serve it with brunch, with pasta or pizza, or for a light lunch. The key to success with this recipe is to start with the best ingredients and create the perfect dressing.
The capers add the umami that you would traditionally get from anchovies. The bright and briny flavor adds the perfect zip to the dressing. The lemon and garlic are fresh and pungent, but not too overpowering. The mayonnaise and Parmesan make the dressing creamy and rich.
I like to use baby romaine, which helps to avoid any bitterness. The croutons are fresh and crisp, too. A dusting of freshly grated Parmesan and a dash of lemon juice make this delicious. You can find more great salad recipes here and here!
Serving Size: Serves 2 for lunch salads or 4 for side salads
Ingredients:
For the croutons:
1 French baguette
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing:
Juice from one lemon
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire
1 tablespoon of capers, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
1 box of baby romaine
1 lemon for garnish
Fresh Parmesan to grate over the salad
Instructions:
For the croutons:
Set the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the baguette into slices and cut the slices diagonally, into strips.
In a large bowl, toss the baguette strips in olive oil.
Season the croutons with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence.
Pour the croutons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Toast the croutons until they are fragrant and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
For the dressing:
In a large bowl, add the garlic, capers, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and olive oil.
Whisk in the mayonnaise and dijon mustard.
Add in the Parmesan and mix well.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the salad:
Trim any extra from the bottom of the romaine leaves.
Arrange the baby romaine on your serving platter.
Arrange croutons evenly throughout the salad.
Add a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan over the salad.
Serve with dressing and lemon wedges.
Enjoy!
