Caesar Salad with "Crusty" Croutons
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 419
- Total Fat
- 33
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Carbohydrates
- 21
- Dietary Fiber
- 4
- Sugar
- 2
- Protein
- 11
- Cholesterol
- 13
- Sodium
- 554
- Total: 20 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 10 min
Ingredients
1/2 cup garlic-flavored olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided, plus more as desired
4 ounces frozen pizza crust, thawed
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 medium head romaine, chopped, rinsed, and dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Put 1/4 cup of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1/4 cup of the cheese to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Brush a work surface with a little oil and press the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into thin strips, about 1/4-inch wide. When the oil is hot, using kitchen scissors, carefully hold the dough strips, 2 at a time, over the pan and snip off 1/4-inch pieces, letting them gently fall into the hot oil (this may take several batches). Shallow-fry the dough pieces, tossing frequently with a slotted spoon, Chinese strainer or tongs, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the croutons to the bowl with the cheese and toss to coat. Continue frying and dredging the dough in the cheese until all the dough is used.
- When ready to serve, add the romaine to a large bowl, drizzle with lemon juice and add the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and toss well to evenly coat the lettuce. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and the croutons and toss well until combined.
- Transfer to a serving platter and top with additional cheese, if desired.