Tuna Caesar Salad

A hand drizzles yellow dressing from a spoon over a bowl of salad with romaine lettuce, croutons, chunks of tuna, and shaved parmesan cheese.

5 from 1 vote

Tuna Caesar Salad with creamy homemade dressing, crispy croutons, and flaky tuna. A high-protein, restaurant-quality meal ready in just 20 minutes!

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: dinner, lunch, Salad, side

Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword: easy, high-protein

Servings:

Calories: 375kcal

Equipment

Salad spinner

Ingredients

For the croutons:

½ French baguette or other crusty bread about 2 cups cubed *see notes
1-2 tablespoons Olive oil
½ teaspoon Garlic powder
Pinch Salt
Pinch Black pepper freshly ground

For the dressing:

4 Anchovy fillets
2 Garlic coves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Lemon juice fresh
2 Egg yolks *see notes
⅓ cup Extra virgin olive oil *see notes
¼ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

For the salad:

1 Romaine lettuce one large or two small
2 cups Homemade croutons *see notes
Parmesan cheese shavings or finely grated Parmesan
1 can Tuna 5 oz, drained

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Croutons: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the bread into bite-size cubes. In a bowl, toss with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown and crisp. Let cool completely.
Make the Dressing: On a cutting board, finely chop the anchovy fillets and garlic together. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt, then use the flat side of your knife to mash and scrape the mixture into a smooth paste.
Transfer the anchovy-garlic paste to a medium bowl. Add the egg yolks (or mayonnaise), Dijon mustard, and lemon juice, and whisk until smooth.
While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste, but add the salt gradually and taste as you go, since the anchovies and Parmesan are already quite salty. If the dressing is too thick, thin it with 1–2 extra tablespoons of olive oil or a splash of cold water.
Prepare the Salad: Wash and dry the romaine thoroughly. Tear or chop into large bite-size pieces. Drain the tuna and break it into large flakes.
Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, toss the romaine with most of the dressing until evenly coated. Add the tuna, Parmesan, and croutons. Toss gently to combine.
Serve: Top with extra Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.

Video

Notes

Tuna: Use tuna packed in water for a lighter salad or tuna packed in olive oil for a richer flavor. Choose a brand you enjoy, since the flavor of the tuna is noticeable in this recipe. You can also use fresh seared tuna if you want a more elevated version.
Croutons: I almost always make my own croutons for Caesar salad. They take just a few minutes to prepare, and the flavor and texture are so much better than store-bought. That said, if you're short on time, good-quality store-bought croutons work perfectly well.
Bread for the croutons: My favorite breads for homemade croutons are French baguette, sourdough, ciabatta, challah, country bread, or even day-old sandwich bread. Use any bread you enjoy eating.
Egg yolks: Traditional Caesar dressing is made with raw egg yolks, which give the dressing its rich, creamy texture. If you prefer not to use raw eggs, substitute with 2–3 tablespoons mayonnaise.
Oil: ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil creates a balanced dressing. For a milder flavor, use half olive oil and half neutral oil such as avocado oil. For a thinner dressing, add 1–2 extra tablespoons of oil or a splash of cold water.
Make a Lighter Caesar Dressing: For a lighter version, replace the 2 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt or 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and reduce the olive oil from ⅓ cup (80 ml) to 2–3 tablespoons. The dressing will still be creamy and flavorful, but noticeably lighter.
Add more veggies: Feel free to bulk up the salad with ingredients like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, radishes, or even a little red onion for extra color and crunch.
Add more protein: If you want to make the salad even more filling, add hard-boiled eggs, extra tuna, grilled chicken, or a handful of Chickpeas.
Make it low carb (keto): Skip the croutons or replace them with Parmesan crisps.
Make ahead: The croutons can be made up to 3-4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Wash and dry the romaine ahead of time if you'd like, but wait to assemble the salad until just before serving so everything stays crisp.
Storage: Once assembled, this salad is best enjoyed immediately. If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator and eat within 1 day, keeping in mind that the lettuce and croutons will soften. Leftover dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days because it contains raw egg yolks.

Nutrition