This Caesar Salad with Balsamic Dressing recipe is definitely a delicious twist on the classic caesar!
I know I’m going to hear from the caesar purists on this one. There are no anchovies in this caesar salad, and it’s not made with caesar dressing. It’s a bit of a stretch to call this a caesar salad, but I love that it’s greatly twisted. Liberties have been taken to turn this into something completely non-classic and fabulous.
Ingredients needed:
- balsamic vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- fresh basil
- minced garlic
- Italian bread cubes
- Parmesan cheese
- Romaine and Iceberg lettuce
- red onion
- black olives
- hard-boiled eggs
- salt and pepper
How to make Caesar Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
PREPARE THE DRESSING:
MAKE THE CROUTONS:
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
Toss the salad, and serve on individual plates. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top, if you’d like– just to make it all looking pretty.
I hope you’ll give this caesar salad with balsamic dressing a chance. If you really want to use caesar dressing, you can certainly sub that for the balsamic. And you can leave out any ingredients that you don’t care for. Add some grilled chicken or salmon to make it a main dish salad. But I love it the way it’s written. It’s delicious. Enjoy!
The Best Salad Recipes:
- Chopped Vegetable Salad with Feta and Olives
- Waldorf Salad
- Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad
- Autumn Apple and Spinach Salad
- Strawberry Avocado Salad with Balsamic Chicken
Caesar Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Parmesan Croutons
Recipe Details
Ingredients
BALSAMIC DRESSING:
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
CROUTONS:
- 2 cups seasoned Italian bread cubes (focaccia works great)
- 3 tablespoons balsamic Italian dressing (above)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
SALAD:
- 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce chunks
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup pitted black olives
- 2 large hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
PREPARE THE DRESSING:
- Combine the vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, basil and garlic in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until mixed well.
MAKE THE CROUTONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the bread cubes in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic dressing and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat.
- Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir occasionally while baking.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
- In a large bowl, combine all the lettuce, onion, olives and eggs. Add about ½ cup of the balsamic dressing (or to taste), salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese and croutons and toss gently.
Notes
- Green olives are also good in this salad.
I made this last night, the hottest summer day so far in the Northeast! A dear friend from work came over and absolutely loved the dressing so I sent it home with her! This recipe is so delicious utilizing most of things I had around the house and even some fresh basil from the Farmer’s Market that we have at the hospital once a week for employees and visitors. Thank you for sharing this it made our night a special rememberence of friendship sharing good food together.
So nice to hear!