If you're a fan of Caesar salad, you owe it to yourself to try Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons. Cornbread croutons take your Caesar salad to the next level, with the combination of sweet cornbread and tangy Caesar dressing. Plus, cornbread croutons are a great way to use up leftover cornbread!
Caesar salad is usually a combination of romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. By replacing traditional homemade croutons with cornbread croutons, you add a creative twist to this beloved classic salad.
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make cornbread croutons. They require only 3 ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes!
When I make my cornbread crouton Caesar salad, I always top it with my rich and creamy Caesar Salad Dressing (without anchovies). My Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast, Blackened Cod, and Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs are all perfect proteins to pair with Caesar Salad.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Equipment needed
- How to make Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons
- Expert tips
- Substitutions and variations
- What to serve with Caesar salad
- How to store Caesar salad
- Frequently asked questions
- Salad recipes you might also like
- Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons
- Hungry for more?
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love this recipe
- Texture - Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons is a satisfying combination of textures. In one bite, you can have crisp romaine lettuce leaves, creamy Caesar dressing, and crunchy cornbread croutons.
- Versatile - You can keep your salad vegetarian or add different proteins like chicken, fish, or shrimp.
- Sweet and savory flavors - When you add cornbread croutons to Caesar salad, you take an otherwise savory dish and add a hint of sweetness to it!
- Healthy comfort food - Caesar salad is what I would call healthy comfort food! It’s a nostalgic, classic salad that will easily fill your belly without weighing you down. The cornbread croutons add a Southern food twist.
- Great way to use up leftovers - Cornbread croutons are a fantastic way to use up leftover cornbread.
Ingredients
Cornbread: It's best to use cornbread that is a day or two old. However, I regularly make cornbread croutons with freshly made cornbread. The key is letting the cornbread fully cool down and dry out a bit.
Romaine lettuce: Aside from the croutons, romaine lettuce is the main ingredient in Caesar salad. Choose fresh, crisp, bright romaine.
Parmesan cheese: I recommend shredding your parmesan cheese yourself using a cheese grater or a box grater.
Caesar salad dressing: I have an amazing recipe for homemade, creamy Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies. My recipe only calls for a few ingredients and a quick whisk, but store-bought Caesar dressing is totally fine, too!
Additional ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil and kosher salt are needed to make the cornbread crouton recipe.
Equipment needed
After you've baked your cornbread, you'll need a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a large mixing bowl, a cutting board, and a chopping knife.
How to make Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons
Recipe rundown
- Cut your cornbread into cubes and bake them until they are fully toasted.
- Toss the romaine, parmesan cheese, and salad dressing together in a large mixing bowl.
- Transfer the Caesar salad to a serving bowl and top with slightly warm croutons.
Step-by-step-instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Use a sharp chopping knife to carefully cut cooled-down and dried-out cornbread into bite-sized cubes. The cornbread crumbles easily, so it needs to be handled carefully.
Step 2: Transfer the cornbread to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the cornbread out into an even layer. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the cornbread pieces and sprinkle with kosher salt.
Step 3: Place the tray of cornbread in your preheated oven. Bake the croutons for 15-20 minutes until they're golden brown and no longer soft and spongy. You want crisp, lightly browned croutons.
Tip: While the croutons are baking, prep the rest of your salad ingredients. Chop the romaine lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces, shred your parmesan cheese, and mix up some homemade Caesar salad dressing.
Step 4: Transfer your chopped romaine lettuce, shredded parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing to a large mixing bowl. Toss the lettuce, cheese, and dressing together until the creamy dressing is coating all of the romaine lettuce pieces.
Step 5: Add the warm cornbread croutons to the Caesar salad. I like to toss some into the salad and leave some on top. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Expert tips
- Bake a square or rectangular tray of cornbread. This will be easier to cut into cubes than cornbread baked in a round baking pan.
- Leftover cornbread that is one to two days old is best, but fresh cornbread will also work perfectly! Just let the cornbread fully cool down before chopping it into 1-inch cubes.
- Be very gentle when handling the cornbread. It tends to crumble as you chop it and transfer it to the baking sheet.
- Use box mix or homemade cornbread. I often use box mix when making cornbread, but homemade cornbread works well, too!
Substitutions and variations
Cornbread: My favorite cornbread box mix is Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Cornbread. This homemade cornbread recipe sounds delicious as well!
Cornbread croutons: Melted butter, canola oil, or avocado oil can be used in place of the extra virgin olive oil. In addition to the kosher salt, you could add ground black pepper, cinnamon, maple sugar, red pepper flakes, or any dried herbs that you love.
Caesar dressing: Use whatever Caesar dressing that you prefer. I love creamy dressings, but if you love the oil-based version of Caesar dressing, use that instead.
What to serve with Caesar salad
Caesar Salad pairs well with just about any soup, sandwich, or wrap. It can be served with practically all dinner recipes, and it's also a nice addition to Sunday brunch.
I love to serve Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons with Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, BLT Bagel Sandwiches, Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese, and Dutch Oven Ham.
Cornbread croutons are also a nice addition to just about any salad. I think they would taste wonderful on fall salads, like my Butternut and Beetroot Salad.
How to store Caesar salad
Leftover Caesar salad should be stored in a glass, airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The longer it's stored, the soggier the romaine lettuce leaves will become.
Leftover cornbread croutons can be stored in a plastic, zip-top bag on the counter at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Frequently asked questions
Cornbread croutons are gluten-free if the cornbread used to make the croutons do not include any gluten-containing ingredients. Some cornbread recipes call for wheat flour, so it's best to double-check your ingredients list before assuming cornbread croutons are gluten-free.
Cornbread croutons for stuffing (or dressing) are made the exact same way that I make them in this recipe. Follow my recipe steps above to learn how to make cornbread croutons for stuffing.
Yes, Caesar salad will get soggy if it's tossed with dressing and then stored in the refrigerator for more than 1-2 days. If you do not want your Caesar salad to get soggy, then it is best to add Caesar dressing when you will be serving it.
Whether or not Caesar salad is healthy depends on your individual health goals. If you are trying to eat more vegetables, then yes, Caesar salad would be healthy for you. Some Caesar salad dressings are high in calories though. So if you are on a low-calorie diet, then it would be best to look for a lighter Caesar dressing.
Salad recipes you might also like
Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons
If you're a fan of Caesar salad, you owe it to yourself to try Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons. Cornbread croutons take your Caesar salad to the next level, with the combination of sweet cornbread and tangy Caesar dressing. Plus, cornbread croutons are a great way to use up leftover cornbread!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- Cooked cornbread made in a square or rectangular baking dish
- up to ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-3 heads of romaine lettuce
- ½ cup parmesan cheese - shredded
- Caesar dressing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°. Make sure your cornbread is fully cooled off. Day-old, leftover cornbread is best. Place the cornbread on a cutting board and carefully cut the cornbread into bite-sized cubes. The cornbread will crumble easily so it needs to be handled gently.
- Transfer the cornbread pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle up to ¼ cup of olive oil over the top of the croutons and then sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake the cornbread croutons in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until they're golden brown and crispy. You don't want them to be soft and spongy anymore.
- While the cornbread croutons are baking, prep your Caesar salad ingredients. Chop the romaine lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces, shred the parmesan cheese, and make homemade Caesar dressing (if needed). Store-bought Caesar dressing is fine too!
- Transfer the lettuce, parmesan, and dressing to a large mixing bowl. Add dressing to your taste. Toss the salad ingredients together, until the Caesar dressing is thoroughly coating the romaine lettuce leaves.
- Toss the cooked cornbread croutons into your Caesar salad, transfer to serving bowls, serve immediately, and enjoy!
Notes
- The prep time for this recipe does not include the time it takes to make a tray of cornbread.
- Bake a square or rectangular tray of cornbread. This will be easier to cut into cubes, as opposed to cornbread that has been baked in a round baking pan.
- One to two day old leftover cornbread is best, but fresh cornbread will also work perfectly fine! Just let the cornbread fully cool down before chopping it into 1-inch cubes.
- The nutrition information shown below does not include nutrition facts for the Caesar dressing.
- The nutrition information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 493
- Sugar: 5.7 g
- Sodium: 1167.2 mg
- Fat: 25.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.7 g
- Fiber: 13.8 g
- Protein: 13.8 g
- Cholesterol: 8.4 mg
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed some of these with my salad for lunch today and it was the perfect touch to my meal! Easy, crunchy, and the perfect amount of flavor!
Anjali says
Love this twist on a typical caesar salad! The cornbread croutons were such a great idea - I don't know that I'll go back to regular croutons after tasting them! 🙂
Lima Ekram says
The cornbread croutons were excellent - I never thought of making croutons with cornbread - I had mine with tomato soup - it was amazing!
Erin says
These homemade cornbread croutons are the thing that makes this salad specatular. So delicious!
Freya says
Caesar Salad is one of my favourites but I loved the cornbread croutons, they were soooo good!
Agnieszka | Wholly Tasteful says
Cornbread croutons were delicious. Really took the salad to the next level!
maryanne says
I loved the sweet and salty combination, thanks to the cornbread croutons! Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Audrey says
I can't wait to make the croutons!
Addie says
I absolutely love Caesar salad! This is great for the summer too!
Oscar says
The crunchy cornbread croutons were so amazing. It was a hit with my family. Love this salad.
Jeri says
I made this salad for lunch and it was delicious! The dressing is so much better than bottled, and the cornbread croutons were 10X better than anything I've ever had! Thanks for this recipe, I will definitely be making it again!
Kristina says
I’m always looking for ways to spruce up a classic caesar salad and this sounds simple enough! I’ve never had cornbread croutons so I’m excited to try it.