Cucumber Caesar Salad (Printable)
Crisp cucumbers meet creamy homemade dressing and golden croutons in this refreshing 20-minute salad perfect for light meals.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large English cucumbers, sliced into half-moons
02 - 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
03 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
→ Croutons
04 - 2 cups bread cubes (preferably day-old baguette or sourdough)
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Dressing
08 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
09 - 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (use vegetarian version if needed)
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
15 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
→ Garnish
16 - 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
17 - Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss bread cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 5–7 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, chopped romaine, and red onion if using.
04 - Drizzle dressing over vegetables and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Add cooled croutons and toss again lightly. Top with shaved Parmesan and extra black pepper before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The croutons stay impossibly crisp even after tossing because we bake them until theyre like little golden croutons from heaven
- That homemade dressing comes together in two minutes flat and makes anything taste like a restaurant quality salad
02 -
- The dressing gets even better after sitting for 10 minutes, so make it first while you prep everything else
- Wait until the very last second to add croutons or they will start absorbing dressing and lose their crunch
03 -
- If you want traditional Caesar flavor, whisk in a couple of anchovy fillets with the dressing
- Use a vegetable peeler to create those beautiful Parmesan ribbons for the top