If you’ve ever made my garlic confit mashed potatoes, you already know the real bonus isn’t just the potatoes — it’s the jar of jammy garlic cloves and golden, fragrant garlic oil left behind. When I’m lucky enough to have some hanging out in my pantry, it ends up on everything: swiped onto toast, spooned over vegetables, folded into pasta. But my favorite use to date? Rubbing those soft, caramelized garlic cloves and oil directly into chunks of baguette to make the most outrageously delicious garlicky croutons.
I love them so much that I’ve genuinely started making garlic confit just so I can make the croutons.
Naturally, those croutons needed a proper home, and that’s where this Caesar salad comes in. I’ve been making Molly Baz’s iconic Caesar dressing for years, and one day it clicked: what if garlic confit made its way into the dressing and the croutons? The result is this garlic confit Caesar salad — deeply savory, creamy, punchy in all the right ways, and honestly a little luxurious. It’s the kind of dish that feels like self care, whether you’re serving it alongside a roast for a special occasion, or eating it straight out of a big bowl at the kitchen counter.
This isn’t your standard Caesar salad. Instead of raw garlic, we’re using garlic confit, which brings a softer, sweeter, more rounded garlic flavor. It melts seamlessly into the dressing, making it rich without being harsh, and the garlic oil adds another layer of depth.
And then there are the croutons. These aren’t just crispy bread cubes — they’re rubbed by hand with garlic confit and oil so every nook and cranny is coated. Crisp on the outside, slightly chewy in the center, and wildly flavorful, they’re the kind of croutons you’ll find yourself snacking on before they ever hit the salad.
Tips & Storage
- Make it ahead: The garlic confit, croutons, and dressing can both be made a few days in advance. Store the garlic confit covered at room temperature, the dressing in the refrigerator, and the croutons in an airtight plastic bag at room temperature. Making the garlic confit ahead of time is preferred to give the oil enough time to cool before using.
- If you’ve never made homemade croutons before, now is your sign to start. They are so quick to make, either in the oven or air fryer, and the reward is so much better than what you can buy in store.
Tips & Storage
If you’ve never made homemade croutons before, now is your sign to start. They are so quick to make, either in the oven or air fryer, and the reward is so much better than what you can buy in store.
Make it ahead:
The garlic confit, croutons, and dressing can both be made a few days in advance. Store the garlic confit covered at room temperature, the dressing in the refrigerator, and the croutons in an airtight plastic bag at room temperature. Making the garlic confit ahead of time is preferred to give the oil enough time to cool before using.
Garlic Confit Caesar Salad
- Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
A rich and savory garlic confit Caesar salad with jammy garlic rubbed croutons and a creamy, addicting caesar dressing to make the perfect side to a holiday spread or weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
For the Garlic Confit:
- 20 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt to taste
For the Garlic Breadcrumbs:
- 1 demi-baguette (or ½ baguette)
- 2 tbsps of the garlic oil
- 8–10 cloves garlic confit
- Salt to taste
For the Garlic Confit Caesar Salad:
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 whole anchovies, drained
- 8–10 confit garlic cloves
- Juice from 1 lemon + lemon wedges for serving
- 2 tsps dijon mustard
- 2 tsps worcestershire
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
- ½ cup neutral oil, vegetable or canola
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12oz baby gem lettuce or romaine
- Grated parmesan for serving
Instructions
For the Garlic Confit Caesar Salad:
- Start by making your garlic confit. Add garlic to a small ramekin or baking dish and cover with olive oil. Depending on your dish, you will likely need about ½ cup oil. You can either air fry at 275F uncovered for 1 hour or bake at 250 for 2 hours uncovered or until soft. Set aside to cool completely. Once cool, strain the garlic oil mixture into a measuring cup and set aside.
- Make the garlicky croutons next. Preheat the oven to 350F. Tear the baguette into 1” irregular chunks and add to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsps of the garlic oil from the confit and add about 8-10 soft garlic cloves. Season with salt and rub the oil and garlic into the bread with your hands until completely coated. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes, or air fry at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, tossing halfway through. Remove and set aside.
- To the measuring cup with the remaining confit garlic oil, add neutral oil until you reach ½ cup.
- Now make your caesar dressing. To a blender, add the egg yolks, anchovies, confit garlic cloves, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Blend on high until well combined, then with the motor on low, slowly stream in the ½ cup oil, adding a little at a time until you’ve used all the oil and the dressing is emulsified and thick. Pour dressing into a bowl or jar and add the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- When ready to serve, assemble your salad. Wash and thoroughly dry your greens, then add to a bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of the dressing to the salad and toss until each leaf is coated in dressing. You will likely not use all the dressing. Taste and season with salt as needed.
- Top the salad with croutons, more parmesan cheese, and fresh cracked black pepper and serve.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Side Dish