Forget everything you know about the classic salad. This My Unconventional Caesar Salad is a textural masterpiece, swapping croutons for crispy pancetta-panko breadcrumbs and adding creamy avocado for richness. After extensive testing, I’ve found this version delivers a perfect balance of savory, creamy, and crunchy in every bite, making it a standout dish for any occasion.

Untraditional Caesar Salad

Print Recipe

Author: Dorothy Miller

Ingredients

Scale

2 large heads of romaine lettuce
Finely grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Avocado thinly sliced
1 cup Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs – add 4 tablespoons butter to a skillet over low heat and then add a 3 ounce package pancetta cubes or finely chopped pancetta and let cook slowly until crispy. Add Panko and stir often until the breadcrumbs are toasty and brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make extra if you want to nibble. (Also, if you feel that you need more butter you can certainly add to the skillet)
Creamy Caesar Dressing – 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced, 1/8 cup mayonnaise, juice of 1 juicy lemon, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons very finely grated Parmesan cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk all ingredients until smooth.

Instructions

Wash and slice your lettuce
Add desired amount of dressing
Top with as much grated Parmesan cheese as you like – about a cup or so
Add breadcrumbs and avocado and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings adding more salt and pepper as desired!

Enjoy!

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Untraditional Caesar Salad Recipe