Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons

Caesar salad is easy and classic, and the ingredients are simple. But it’s time to kick this salad up by topping it with polenta croutons.

Caesar salad: you can’t go wrong with a crowd-pleasing salad of crisp romaine leaves, crunchy croutons, creamy parmesan, and zesty lemon juice. 

Caesar salad is easy and classic, and the ingredients are simple. But it’s time to kick this salad up by topping it with polenta croutons.

Easy polenta croutons are the perfect gluten-free substitution for bread croutons. Use them on this Caesar salad, on top of soups, or with your other favorite side dishes. They’re so easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients are all it takes, and you’ll have flavorful croutons fresh from the oven or air-fryer.

Ingredients

Croutons:
1 tube San Gennaro Traditional Polenta
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
Olive oil spray

Caesar Salad:
2 egg yolks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
½ cup parmesan, grated
4 romaine hearts, chopped 1” thick

Instructions

Make the croutons: Preheat the Air-fryer to 400F.

Cut the polenta log into uniform-shaped cubes - aiming for about ¾” square. Place the polenta cubes on a large cookie sheet. 

Spray the polenta with the olive oil spray or a drizzle of olive oil, and coat them evenly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. 

Place the polenta cubes in the air fryer basket in a single layer making sure no pieces are touching. Bake in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes. Shake the air fryer basket halfway through to cook the polenta croutons evenly.

Alternative oven directions. Preheat oven to 350F. Follow the directions above, placing the polenta cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through to cook the polenta croutons evenly. 

Allow the polenta croutons to cool as you prepare the Caesar Salad. 

Make the Caesar Salad:
For the dressing, combine in a bowl: egg yolks, minced garlic, lemon zested & juiced, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper, and ¼ cup parmesan. Slowly add in a steady stream of olive oil and vigorously mix until well combined. 

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the dressing and give a good toss to make sure everything is well-coated.

Just before serving, add the polenta croutons and the final ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!