The Ultimate Keto Caesar Salad
What makes it the ultimate keto Caesar salad?
DIY bacon bits, crispy pepitas, or fried black beans in place of croutons, and a homemade mason jar creamy keto Caesar dressing.
Need I say more? Ok, it’s got less than 4g of net carbs per serving!
Be sure to try my two minute mason jar keto Caesar dressing recipe!
Either as a low carb side salad or part of your main like a chicken Caesar salad. I know you will love with the ultimate keto Caesar salad, with easy low carb toppings to help you take your low carb salad game to the next level.
Chopped romaine lettuce, red onions, homemade bacon bits, and a whole heap of fresh chopped herbs drizzled with my two minute mason jar keto Caesar salad dressing.
As if that isn’t enough, this salad is topped with either crispy pan fried black beans, or toasted garlic Parmesan peptias for a crunchy crouton like finish.
..or both. I mean, hey. It’s the ultimate keto Caesar salad for a reason right?
Did You Know?..
That Caesar salad was created in Mexico?
Credited to Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini, the owner and operator of Hotel Caesars in Tijuana Mexico, is said to have whipped together the first Caesar salad out of desperation due to lack of ingredients on a busy 4th of July in 1924.
Using what he had on hand he whipped together the now famous Caesar salad table side.
Using common on hand ingredients to make something new a delicious, sounds like my kinda guy!
A Very Low Carb Salad
Admittedly, it’s not that difficult to make a normal Caesar salad keto friendly, just remove the croutons, and voila, a low carb caesar salad.
But guess what? Then you’re the chump sitting there eating a croutonless bowl of lettuce. Where’s the crunch, where’s the texture? There is nothing ultimate about a bowl of croutonless lettuce..
Well my Ultimate Keto Caesar Salad has only 4g of net carbs, and, it’s not a croutonless bowl of lettuce.
No Crouton's Needed
There are a few must haves in a good Caesar salad, a creamy garlicky dressing, salty crispy bacon bits, and something to add crunch and texture.
Traditionally that would be croutons. In the interest of keeping both the carb count and the gluten low, we won’t be using croutons.
Instead, oven toasted garlic Parmesan pepitas or crispy pan fried black beans will be providing the much needed crunch in our keto Caesar salad.
How To Make Crunchy Low Carb Salad Toppings
Crispy Pan Fried Black Beans
This crunchy salad topping is not only dead simple, its a real show stopper.
Low carb black beans such as black soy beans or black turtle beans are salted liberally, and shallow fried in a hot pan for a few minutes with some oil until the outside becomes crispy.
If you like nothing else in this salad, you will love these crisp black beans. This is something we have come to use anywhere we want to add a low carb crunch like tacos, salads, coleslaw, or just as a quick crunchy snack.
Just 1.7g of net carbs per tablespoon!
To find a low carb carb black bean, check the nutritional information on the various canned or dried beans available at most grocers to find one you are comfortable with.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
These oven roasted pumpkin seeds are so flavourful and delicious, you won’t be able to resist snacking on them will you cook!
Drizzled with oil, or in this case, leftover fat from cooking the bacon bits, (so yummy, 11/10 would recommend), and sprinkled with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese before being toasted in a 350-375°F [175-190°C] oven until golden brown.
An easy low carb crouton replacement that has a wonderfully nutty flavour and combined with the garlic and Parmesan, these are a natural choice to elevate any low carb salad.
Less than 1g of net carbs per tablespoon.
Have You Joined The Gang Yet?
Well why the heck not?!
Herby Fully Loaded
Anyone familiar with my cooking knows I make use of fresh herbs whenever possible. They are a simple and effective way of adding fresh, bright flavours to any dish.
Loading up your Caesar salad with a variety of chopped herbs is a sure way to take it to the next level.
I used chopped parsley, green onions, and celery greens to add a unique flavour. But any freshly chopped herbs will add a wonderful taste and texture to your low carb salad.
What are celery greens and where do I get them?
You may already have celery greens waiting in your fridge, but you have never considered using them in your food before.
Celery greens are the leaves you sometimes left on stalks of celery from the store, and they have a very slight, albeit plesant, celery-like taste. Most people throw them away, but they are both an edible and delicious herb.
Celery is an amazingly versatile, and underrated low carb vegetable.
Celery root (celeriac), used in my Indian Celeriac Bhaji recipe, is hands down the best low carb potato substitute around.
The stalks can be eaten as a snack with peanut butter, chopped into a salad, or cooked into dishes like stuffings and soups.
And the less commonly used celery greens can be used as a herb, like in my herby summer scramble, or as a part of a salad.
Next time you buy celery, lookout of a bunch that still has plenty of leaves left on it, because you won’t be sorry.
How To Make The Ultimate Keto Caesar Salad
Ultimate Keto Caesar Salad
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Equipment
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Baking sheets
- salad bowl
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups romaine lettuce chopped or shredded
- 1 small red onion sliced
- ½ cup fresh chopped herbs parsley, green onion, celery greens
- 6 slices cooked bacon crumbled
- ½ cup Homemade Keto Caesar Dressing or favourite store bought dressing
- ½ cup Toasted gar-par pepitas or crispy fried black beans see notes
Crispy Fried Black Beans
- 3 tablespoons oil for cooking
- ½ cup low carb black beans see notes
- salt and pepper
Toasted Garlic Parmesan Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
- ½ cup pumpkin or squash seeds raw, shelled
- 1 tablespoon olive
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese dry, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Ultimate Keto Caesar Salad
- Finely chop chosen fresh herbs, chop or shred romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces, and slice red onion into spears or half circles.
- Add chopped produce, crispy low carb crouton replacement of choice (pepitas, black beans or both), homemade bacon bits, and desired amount of Caesar dressing.
- Toss to coat and combine before serving as a low carb side salad, or as part of your main course.
Homemade Bacon Bits
- Simply cook strips of bacon in the oven or in a pan until sufficiently crispy. 12-15 minutes on a baking sheet in a 375°F [190°C] oven or 8-10 minutes in a hot frying pan. Drain the grease once cooked and save for use as a cooking oil. Once cooled crumble or chop bacon into bacon bit sized pieces.
Toasted Garlic-Parmesan Pepitas
- Toss shelled, pumpkin or squash seeds in salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil (or leftover bacon fat). Layout on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast in a 375°F [190°C] oven for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown and toasted. Allow to cool and use as a crunchy crouton like salad topping.
Crispy Pan Fried Black Beans
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Liberally salt softened low carb black beans and fry in hot oil for 5-8 minutes, rotating and tossing as necessary to crisp all sides evenly. Once crispy, transfer to a paper towel to drain and use to top low carb salads, tacos, coleslaw, and anywhere you want a low carb crispy topping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated using the recipe calculator and verified database available from Cronometer. Although every reasonable effort is made to provide accurate information this estimate is provided as courteously and convenience only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Try the free recipe calculator at CronometerTime To Dive In!
I hope this simple yet delicious recipe for the Ultimate Keto Caesar Salad hit the spot and elevates your dinner plate!
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