Roasted turkey, crispy bacon, fresh sweet corn and fennel, tangy pickled onion, avocado, toasty sourdough, bright herbs and crisp greens with a thick & creamy homemade garlic parmesan miso Caesar dressing. An elevated, outrageously flavorful, extra crunchy, super satisfying take on the classic.
Another crunchy salad to add to the lineup. ASAP. Try it for a spring picnic, and you’ll be hooked all summer long. It has all the things you love in a classic Caesar, plus extra crunch, sweet juicy corn, creamy avocado, bright herbs, roasted turkey and smokey bacon, tangy pickled red onion, and the unique umami twang of miso. Fresh toasted sourdough and real Parmigiano-Reggiano also elevate the taste and quality.
Slightly more involved than a bottle of store-bought dressing, package of croutons, and bag of lettuce? Sure. But I promise this comes together really easily…
- Most of the ingredients are staples, which I recommend keeping on-hand anyway (like a batch of pickled red onion)
- The dressing is just a one-bowl, mix-it-together deal (no egg yolks)
- Freshly sliced deli turkey and pre-cooked turkey bacon come in really clutch if you’re not looking to heat up the stove.
- Finally, it just takes a couple minutes in the toaster oven (or oven broiler) to toast up fresh cubed sourdough, and you can slice the rest of the loaf for sandwiches or toast thick slices for saucy dinners.
All in all, the little extra pizzaz that goes into this Caesar is 1000% worth it. You’ll see.
Salad Breakdown
- Romaine or green leaf lettuce, chopped
- Fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- Ripe avocado, sliced
- Pickled red onions – Make a batch and use them on everything!
- Fresh sweet corn, sliced off the cob
- Sliced roasted deli turkey – May sub grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or your favorite protein.
- Crispy bacon – For convenience, try pre-cooked turkey or chicken bacon (nitrate-free), toasted in the toaster oven or on the stovetop until crispy.
- Fresh sourdough or other crusty loaf, sliced into small cubes and toasted
- Fresh chives, parsley, and/or tarragon
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely shredded from a block
Miso Caesar Dressing
This special adaptation of traditional Caesar dressing is tangy, nutty, salty, savory, creamy, bright, funky, and loaded with rich umami flavor. Plus, it comes together instantly and is easily adaptable. No egg yolks involved.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely shredded
- Garlic clove, minced
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Mayo
- Dijon
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh lemon juice
- White miso paste
- Anchovy paste – The salty-savory flavor really does contribute to the iconic taste of Caesar (without tasting fishy). However, if you must leave it out, the miso in this recipe can carry the umami element.
Pictured on the side are Late July chips, Mexican Street Corn flavor, and hunks of cantaloupe.
The Best Crunchy Miso Caesar Salad
Roasted turkey, crispy bacon, fresh sweet corn and fennel, tangy pickled onion, avocado, toasty sourdough, bright herbs and crisp greens with a thick & creamy homemade garlic parmesan miso Caesar dressing. An elevated, outrageously flavorful, extra crunchy, super satisfying take on the classic.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3-4 cups Romaine or green leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
- 3-4 Tbsp fennel bulb, sliced very thin
- 1-2 oz avocado, sliced
- 2 Tbsp pickled red onion
- ~1/2 ear sweet corn, sliced off the cob
- 3 oz sliced roasted deli turkey (Nitrate-free, freshly sliced from the deli for best quality. May also sub grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or your favorite protein.)
- 1-2 slices turkey bacon, cooked until crispy, then torn (For convenience, try pre-cooked turkey or chicken bacon, toasted in the toaster oven or on the stovetop until crispy.)
- 1-1.5 oz fresh sourdough or other crusty loaf, cut into small cubes
- ~1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, parsley, and/or tarragon
- Extra shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
For the miso Caesar dressing:
- 10g (~1.5 Tbsp) finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 garlic clove, finely minced
- 2 tsp plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp mayo
- 1/2 tsp Dijon
- 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp white miso paste
- 1/4 tsp anchovy paste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cut sourdough into small cubes. Spread them on a small baking sheet lined with foil. Toast in the toaster oven or in the oven on broil about 2 minutes, or until toasted and crispy. Watch closely so they don't burn. Remove and set aside.
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat on both sides until crispy. Set aside to cool, then tear into small pieces. If using pre-cooked bacon, toast it alongside the croutons until crispy.
- Add chopped lettuce, fennel, avocado, pickled onion, corn, turkey, and bacon pieces to a large serving bowl or 2 salad bowls. Top with toasted sourdough.
- In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Adjust olive oil as needed to thin. Drizzle over salads.
- Top with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano and herbs. Toss everything together until coated.