Our Keto Caesar salad delivers the classic taste you love while cutting down on carbs. With just two net carbs, this version includes fresh romaine lettuce dressed in a classic Caesar dressing. Instead of croutons, we top it with gluten-free and high-protein options like crispy prosciutto, steak, toasted nuts, or roasted veggies.
Jump to:
- Why I Love This So Much
- How Many Carbs Are in Caesar Salad?
- About Olive Oil
- Why Are Anchovies in Caesar Salad?
- Ingredients
- Low Carb Caesar Dressing
- How to Cut Romaine Lettuce
- Assembly of The Caesar Salad
- Can I Make the Salad Ahead of Time?
- Low-Carb Alternatives to Croutons
- More Low Carb Salad Recipes
- Takeaway
- FAQ
- Keto Caesar Salad
If you're cutting carbs, you don't have to give up Caesar salad. Skip the croutons and keep the dressing clean, and you get the same classic flavor with far fewer carbs.
Why I Love This So Much
Caesar salad is rich and classic. Croutons are usually the finishing touch, but I like making Caesar with different toppings to skip the starch and extra carbs.
Think of a Caesar as a blank slate. Add your favorite toppings and turn this simple salad into a favorite meal.
I can usually find leftovers in the fridge without cooking anything extra, which makes this salad easy to throw together anytime.
The variations are endless. Leftover cooked vegetables, steak, rotisserie chicken, or a few hard-boiled eggs are often all you need to make it a full meal.
How Many Carbs Are in Caesar Salad?
There are 2 carbs in this Keto Caesar salad. In a Caesar salad with croutons you are looking at about 40 carbs per serving.
About Olive Oil
A good olive oil makes all the difference in a Caesar salad. Some of the best come from the Mediterranean, and if you see monovarietal on the label, it means the oil is made from a single type of olive which the sign of better quality.
In the grocery store, the top-shelf oils are usually the best quality, while the inexpensive options sit at eye level. It's worth picking a good one!
Why Are Anchovies in Caesar Salad?
Anchovies give Caesar dressing its signature savory, umami flavor. Some recipes leave them out or use anchovy paste, but I love the bold taste they add and always use them in my dressing.
According to The Spruce Eats, Caesar salad, the traditional recipe created by Caesar Cardini, the salad's creator, includes anchovies as a primary ingredient.
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce hearts
- Anchovies
- Salt
- Garlic
- Egg yolks
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
Low Carb Caesar Dressing
- Drop anchovies, salt, and garlic into a food processor. Pulse on low for a few seconds until the garlic is finely minced. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Add egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until combined. Scrape down the sides again.
- With the machine running on low, slowly add in the olive oil through the feeding tube. Continue processing until the mixture is emulsified.
- Pour into a bowl and stir in grated cheese and grind freshly ground black pepper over the top.
- Refrigerate in a covered jar until ready to use. The dressing can be made a day ahead of serving.
How to Cut Romaine Lettuce
Cutting romaine lettuce is easy when you slice it instead of tearing the leaves one by one.
Start with either two heads of romaine with the dark outer leaves removed, or three heads of romaine hearts. Place the lettuce on a cutting board and cut off the stem end. Discard it.
Lay the lettuce flat and slice it horizontally into 1-inch pieces. This cut is perfect for Caesar salad and helps the dressing coat the leaves evenly.
Transfer the chopped lettuce to a salad spinner. Lift out the inner basket, rinse the lettuce under cold running water, then place the basket back in the spinner. Spin until most of the water is removed.
No salad spinner? Swish the lettuce in a large bowl of cold water, lift it out so the grit stays behind, then spread it on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry.
Assembly of The Caesar Salad
- Gently toss the romaine with half of the dressing in a large bowl using tongs or a rubber spatula. Add more dressing, a little at a time, until the lettuce is evenly coated and as creamy as you like.
- Serve extra dressing at the table along with a pepper mill.
Can I Make the Salad Ahead of Time?
Caesar dressing can be made one day ahead of time. Pour it into a small covered glass jar and refrigerate until needed.
For the lettuce, it's best to prep it when you are assembling your meal. If you're preparing the salad a few hours ahead, wash the lettuce, spin it, and place a few wet paper towels over it in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Low-Carb Alternatives to Croutons
Low-carb alternatives to croutons add extra crunch without weighing down the salad. Here are some ideas to change things up and keep your Caesar interesting.
- Leftover NY Strip steak or Standing Rib Roast.
- Grilled Chicken Breast or Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
- Prosciutto or ham. Crisp thin slices in a skillet to add salty crunch. Leftover ham works great too!
- Crispy bacon. Cook until done, then crumble for a crunchy topping.
- Boiled shrimp with Old Bay. A delicious topping that adds protein without extra carbs.
- Pork rinds. Crush into small pieces for a zero-carb crunch that mimics croutons.
- Roasted Broccoli or Cauliflower with Garlic. Roast small pieces with olive oil to add fiber to your salad.
- Steamed Broccoli and Carrots takes only 10 minutes.
- Diced cooked beets. I use Love Beets. They're fully cooked and can be found in the produce section.
- Kale chips. Light, crisp, and easy to break into bite-sized pieces.
- Toasted nuts and seeds. Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds add texture and flavor.
- Diced Avocado
- Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs
More Low Carb Salad Recipes
Disclaimer: CONTAINS RAW EGGS: Take caution when consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs because of the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness.
Takeaway
A good Caesar salad doesn't need croutons to be an amazing meal.
Start with crisp romaine, make our classic dressing, and add one or more toppings are crunchy and full of protein.
This salad is an easy way to stick to a keto diet while still a salad full of great flavor.
FAQ
Traditional Caesar dressing contains ingredients like anchovies, garlic, mustard, egg yolk, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice, which are generally gluten-free. When purchasing bottled Caesar dressing, be sure to check for any fillers that may contain gluten.
Yes, Caesar dressing contains fewer than three carbs per serving. While homemade Caesar salad dressing is naturally low in carbs, adding croutons increases the carb content significantly so consider alternatives if you want to keep the overall carb count low.
Freshly grated Parmesan should be refrigerated, and it is at its best when consumed within a week or two. Storing it in an airtight container or sealed bag in the refrigerator will help maintain its quality for a short period. Always be sure to check for any signs of spoilage, such as an off smell or mold, and discard if spoiled.
Parmesan crisps, frizzled prosciutto, toasted nuts, pork rinds, and crispy bacon all add crunch without the carbs. They give you the texture croutons usually bring, while keeping the salad low carb and filling.
Keto Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 3 heads Romaine lettuce hearts or 2 heads of Romaine lettuce. Remove dark outer leaves.
- 6 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
- 2 raw egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove and discard the stem end of the romaine. Lay the leaves flat and slice horizontally into 1-inch pieces. Wash in a salad spinner and spin dry. No spinner? Swish the lettuce in a bowl of cold water, lift out, then pat dry with a clean towel.
- Drop anchovies, salt, and garlic into a food processor. Pulse on low for a few seconds until the garlic is finely minced. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Add egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until combined. Scrape down the sides again.
- With the machine running on low, slowly add in the olive oil through the feeding tube. Continue processing until the mixture is emulsified.
- Pour into a bowl and stir in grated cheese and grind freshly ground black pepper over the top. Refrigerate in a covered jar until ready to use.
- Add the romaine to a large bowl. Toss with half of the dressing using tongs or a rubber spatula. Add more dressing, a little at a time, until coated to your liking.
- Serve extra dressing and a pepper mill at the table.
Joy Freeman says
Perfect! Used frizzled prosciutto on top. Salty and crispy My husband loved it!