The Absolute Best Salad Greens To Pair With Caesar Dressing

Caesar salads pop up everywhere these days, from airport grab-and-go kiosk packaged salads with their tiny plastic dressing containers to fine dining temples where waiters craft each salad tableside. Sometimes the only ingredient these Caesars have in common is the romaine lettuce, and rightly so according to Chef Megan McCarthy. McCarthy knows her veggies; she's the founder of the Healthy Eating 101 website, and Have A Plant Ambassador for The Foundation for Fresh Produce. She says romaine's "crisp texture and mild flavor provide the perfect contrast to Caesar's creamy, savory, and tangy profile."

That's great for Caesar salad lovers, because romaine lettuce is so easy to find almost everywhere, and will hold up for quite a while when stored properly. You can choose bagged, washed, and pre-cut romaine for the easiest salad, but don't be intimidated by the beautiful whole heads of romaine you see at the market — learning to cut your own romaine salad is a snap.

Of course, it's that umami-packed dressing McCarthy is referring to that turns a head of romaine into a Caesar salad. The savory combination has traveled far and wide from its origin in Mexico, and the ingredients may have changed slightly, but one taste of the cheesy, garlic-scented sauce is instantly identifiable. The strong flavor profile the dressing brings to the salad bowl is what makes romaine McCarthy's go-to lettuce. With only the faintest trace of bitterness, the otherwise sweet and mild head of lettuce is the perfect backdrop to showcase the flavorful dressing.

No one said you always need to have chilled and chopped romaine exclusively for your Caesar, either. If you're looking to serve your salad with an updated twist, you'll find romaine's crisp texture also holds up nicely to being lightly grilled. Grilling adds a smoky dimension to mild romaine lettuce that turns an old familiar salad into a new experience.