Little Gem Caesar Salad with Panko Breadcrumbs
on Oct 20, 2020, Updated May 06, 2024
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Little gem caesar salad, homemade panko breadcrumbs & a calabrian dressing, just. EPIC. This is another one of my salads always rotating and is super impressive, with minimal effort. Crispy gems, shredded parm, loads of pepper and homemade dressing, not sure there’s anything better? This salad is inspired by Jon & Vinny’s gem salad in LA that is also the BEST. PS. Make extra panko breadcrumbs and save in a container for easy use for loads of other things like pasta’s and any quick salad.
If you love this salad, be sure to check out our classic caesar salad, horseradish kale version and our brussel sprouts caesar salad. (YES! I’m a caesar fanatic).
What is little gem lettuce?
Little gem lettuce looks like a mini size romaine. It has vibrant green leaves (sometimes with some darker purple). I find it to be a little bit less pungent than the full size romaine.
Why I love this salad
I hold caesar salad near and dear to my heart. Growing up, I wasn’t a huge fan of salads and vegetables (go figure, things are totally different now!), but the one salad I would eat was caesar. This is my spin on that, with inspiration from Italian restaurant, Jon & Vinny’s in Los Angeles.
There is something about the bread/croutons/breadcrumbs, loads of parm, creamy zingy dressing tossed in greens. A DREAM.
What ingredients do you need for this little gem caesar?
Homemade panko breadcrumbs: Super easy either toasted in a skillet or in the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Calabrian Chili Caesar dressing: Made with garlic, mayo, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, Calabrian Chili, lemon juice, black pepper, kosher salt and extra-virgin olive oil.
We are opting out of anchovies for this recipe, but you can check out our classic caesar salad which has anchovies and raw egg yolks for a more traditional take on caesar!
Little gem lettuce: made with lemon juice, black pepper, kosher salt, extra-virgin olive oil
Finish with parmesan cheese. YUM!
Instructions to make this recipe
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a sheet pan with parchment, add on your panko breadcrumbs and toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- In the meantime, wash and slice your gems (for little gems, I like to cut off the ends, and tear off with my hands and keep them whole). And shred some parmesan for topping.
- Then, make your dressing. In a mixing bowl or blender, add garlic, mayo, lemon, dijon, Worcestershire, parmesan, calabrian chile paste and salt and pepper. Mix well and then slowly start adding in your oil to emulsify – make sure it’s all mixed together.
- Next, remove your breadcrumbs and let cool.
- In a large bowl, add your greens in, then cooled breadcrumbs (top with your desired amount), top with shredded parmesan, freshly cracked pepper and drizzle on your dressing!
Love salads? Check out the below for more inspiration!
- Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Yogurt Ranch
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Loaded Tuna Salad
- Green Goddess Salad
- Cobb Salad Platter
If you do make this Little Gem Caesar Salad recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
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Little Gem Caesar Salad with Panko Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
For The Breadcrumbs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, save rest for later!
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For The Salad
- 3 to 4 little gems, or 1 large head of romaine
- top with shredded parmesan, around 1/4th cup
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, on a microplane or finely minced
- 1/4 cup mayo
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon shredded parmesan
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chile paste, optional, for a little bit of heat
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a sheet pan with parchment, add on your panko breadcrumbs and toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- In the meantime, wash and slice your gems (for little gems, I like to cut off the ends, and tear off with my hands and keep them whole). And shred some parmesan for topping.
- Then, make your dressing. In a mixing bowl or blender, add garlic, mayo, lemon, dijon, Worcestershire, parmesan, calabrian chile paste and salt and pepper. Mix well and then slowly start adding in your oil to emulsify – make sure it’s all mixed together.
- Next, remove your breadcrumbs and let cool.
- In a large bowl, add your greens in, then cooled breadcrumbs (top with your desired amount), top with shredded parmesan, freshly cracked pepper and drizzle on your dressing!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was so delicious!!
Thank you so much for your review, Michelle! So glad you enjoyed!
Made your salad last nite! It was delicious!! I’m definitely putting it in my permanent recipes. I couldn’t get Calabrian chili paste so I used shiracha- it was still great!
So glad you enjoyed!
Great recipe! How should I store any leftover breadcrumbs and how long will they stay good for?
You can store in an airtight container, deli container, or plastic bag at room temp! I would say they will stay good for a few weeks!
Can I make the dressing in advance ?
Definitely! Can be stored ahead of time in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
This is a great salad recipe. Dressing isn’t too heavy and the panko bread crumbs are an awesome addition. Have already made a few times!
So happy to hear it! Thanks so much for your review, Kristin!