Greek Yogurt Caesar Salad With Parmesan Panko Crunch

This Greek Yogurt Caesar Salad with Parmesan Panko Crunch is easy to make and a lot lighter than traditional Caesar. The dressing is creamy, lemony, garlicky and absolutely delicious! The parmesan panko crunch is seriously better than croutons because you can get that crunch in every single bite.

I LOVE Caesar dressing but it’s not exactly the healthiest option. Bottled dressings as they are often loaded up with extra fat, calories, preservatives and all other kinds of stuff I can’t even pronounce. This lighter, healthier Greek yogurt version comes together in about 5 minutes with just a few simple ingredients. I’m telling you – it’s restaurant quality. It has all the traditional flavors of Caesar – lemon, garlic, anchovy (NO you can’t skip the anchovy!) tied together with Greek yogurt for a rich and creamy finish. Trust me, you’ll love it.

I always keep a few cups of 7oz single serve plain Greek yogurt in my fridge for homemade dressings, dips and sauces. It’s such a versatile ingredient! Now, about that anchovy paste. This is a pantry staple that you should be keeping around at all times. You can find it in the grocery store right by the tuna. It adds so much flavor to homemade salad dressings and will keep for a long time in your fridge. This Caesar will definitely be heavy in the rotation. For another delicious dressing using anchovy paste, check out these Green Goddess Bowls.

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Now, if you’re like me, you absolutely cannot have Caesar salad without croutons. They are a must! If you’re like me, you will also add an unapologetic amount of croutons. While delicious, not the healthiest choice. This parmesan panko crunch is what you need in your life. Mix up some toasted panko breadcrumbs and a little bit of parm and you’ve got yourself a super flavorful, crunchy topping that adds that necessary crouton touch to every bite of your salad. It seriously doesn’t get any better.

Check out this demo me making the Greek Yogurt Caesar dressing on my YouTube Channel.

Greek Yogurt Caesar Salad With Parmesan Panko Crunch

Jessica

A lightened up take on classic Caesar salad made with Greek yogurt and parmesan panko crunch.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 minutes mins

Total Time 13 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 2 -4 Servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 heads Romaine lettuce
• ▢ ¾ cup plain greek yogurt
• ▢ 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• ▢ Juice of 1 lemon
• ▢ 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste
• ▢ ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ fresh cracked black pepper
• ▢ ½ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• ▢ 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

 

• Wash and prepare romaine lettuce.

For the Greek yogurt Caesar dressing:

• Whisk together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, anchovy paste, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
• Stir in ⅓ cup parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the parmesan panko crunch topping:

• Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a skillet. Add panko bread crumbs and toast until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to let cool. Stir in 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese.

Notes

I like things garlicky so I usually use 2 cloves of garlic. Start with one and then add more if you want more garlic punch!

I prefer a thick and creamy dressing but if you would like it a little thinner, you could add a bit of water 1 tbsp at a time for desired consistency.

This recipe is enough for 2 people as a main salad and 4 people as a small appetizer. There will be dressing left over and it will store well in the fridge in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!