Food Recipes Better-for-You Caesar Salad With Lemon-Parmesan Croutons 4.0 (6) 2 Reviews A Caesar salad doesn’t have to be indulgent, it just needs that familiar zing and irresistible flavor, and it's possible that it can have healthful properties. This creamy dressing is made with good-for-your-gut yogurt. Look for yogurt that contains live and active cultures (it should say so on the label). These are the probiotics—read, friendly bacteria—that may improve gut health. You’ll get some protein from the yogurt as well, but this salad will go great alongside or topped with seared tofu, grilled chicken or salmon. By Ananda Eidelstein Ananda Eidelstein Instagram Website Ananda Eidelstein is a vegetable-loving food writer, recipe developer, and editor. She is the former Senior Food Editor at REAL SIMPLE magazine. Prior to writing and editing feature stories, having her own monthly vegetarian column, and developing over 300 recipes during her time at RS, she was the Assistant Food Editor at Rachael Ray Every Day. She has also gained experience in the test kitchens of Martha Stewart's Living, and Saveur magazines, in catering, TV, and a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City. Ananda is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, now known as the International Culinary Center, with nearly a decade of culinary and food media experience. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 8, 2018 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Hands On Time: 15 mins Total Time: 15 mins Yield: 4 (serving size: 1½ cups) Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 (8-oz.) baguette, torn into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups) 1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest, plus 2½ Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon), divided 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 ounces (about ½ cup), plus 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided, plus more for serving ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 small garlic clove, grated (about ¼ tsp.) Freshly ground black pepper 1 large (about 1 lb.) head romaine lettuce, trimmed and chopped (about 7 packed cups) Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss baguette pieces with lemon zest, 1 tablespoon each of the oil and Parmesan, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven until golden and crispy, 14 to 16 minutes, tossing halfway through. Whisk together yogurt, Dijon, garlic, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil and ½ cup Parmesan in a large bowl. Season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds black pepper. Toss lettuce with ½ cup of the dressing, adding more to taste. Divide among 4 plates, and top with croutons and more Parmesan. Reserve any remaining dressing as a dip for crudités or chips. This Caesar salad’s dressing is made with yogurt, which packs probiotics for a healthy gut. It’s cheesy, delicious, and doubles as a dip for cut up veggies or chips. Get the recipe:Caesar Salad With Yogurt-Parmesan Dressing. Alison Miksch Chef's Notes Stock your pantry with the ingredients you need for easy Better-For-You meals. We gathered everything for you in one place on Amazon to make it even easier. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 312 Calories 13g Fat 37g Carbs 12g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Calories 312 % Daily Value * Total Fat 13g 17% Saturated Fat 4g 22% Cholesterol 18mg 6% Sodium 1184mg 51% Total Carbohydrate 37g 13% Total Sugars 5g Protein 12g *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.