Frequently asked questions
If you’re serving eaters of multiple diets, you can serve with canned chickpeas or breaded tofu and vegan Caesar dressing as a plant-based alternative. A friend even suggested adding tortellini to this mix. There are endless riffs (chicken Caesar salad, salmon Caesar salad!), and it’s hard to find someone who will turn it down!
Medium shrimp: Deveined shrimp are best, either shelled or tail on. We prefer tail on for the look, but you’ll want to serve with a bowl for discarded tails. You can use any size, but we like medium, which are usually labeled 41 to 50 count. Use either fresh or frozen; we find fresh shrimp is slightly tastier—if you can, buy wild caught. Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cumin are the “secret blend” that makes this sauteed shrimp so flavorful. Croutons: Homemade croutons are best, using bread torn into pieces. But often when we make this as a dinner, we use store-bought croutons for efficiency. Romaine hearts: Romaine lettuce is the classic leafy green for Caesar salad: its crunch and sweet flavor are irreplaceable, in our opinion. (Of course, you could try kale Caesar, too.) Parmesan cheese: Either shreds or shavings work to provide a texture contrast to the other salad ingredients. Caesar dressing: You can use purchased or homemade dressing. We love our recipe for Caesar dressing recipe: it tastes incredible. We often use the Greek yogurt variation to keep it fresh and light.
Add cooked tortellini to the mix for a fun addition Add cherry tomatoes or avocado for a more filling salad For vegetarian or vegan, serve with canned chickpeas or breaded tofu and vegan Caesar dressing Use chicken for chicken Caesar salad Use cooked or canned salmon for salmon Caesar salad Serve in a wrap like this chicken Caesar wrap Go for the classic side of Caesar salad
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1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (tail on or peeled) ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or substitute standard paprika) ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon cumin 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 cups chopped romaine hearts (about 2 to 3) 1 recipe Homemade Croutons (or purchased) ½ cup Parmesan cheese shavings
For the Caesar dressing (makes 1 cup)
1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ lemon) ¾ cup high quality mayonnaise (or ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup Greek yogurt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil*) ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce (or omit) ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
