Low Sodium Caesar Salad With Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs Recipe
This low sodium Caesar salad recipe is creamy, tangy, refreshing, and topped with crispy toasted panko breadcrumbs for amazing flavor and crunch in each bite. This simple recipe is a wonderful low sodium version that has all the same flavor of classic Caesar salad.
Start by toasting plain panko breadcrumbs in oil and spices, mixing up quick 5-minute dressing, and tossing it all together with freshly chopped romaine lettuce. This is a fantastic holiday appetizer or side salad that everyone will love. See our step-by-step photos below and make this delicious salad today!
Want more low sodium salad recipes? Try our low sodium tomato salad, low sodium creamy cucumber salad, and our favorite low sodium macaroni salad.
I had a fantastic low sodium Caesar salad recently at one of our favorite restaurants (The Black Whale in New Bedford, MA!) and their salad had breadcrumbs on top which I had to try at home. It was the perfect replacement for high-sodium croutons, but still had all the same flavor.
Start by toasting up some breadcrumbs with spices, mixing together a quick 5-minute Caesar dressing, and mixing it all together with crisp romaine lettuce leaves. A perfect holiday salad recipe, delicious any time of year!
Notes from Our Kitchen
- This recipe is crisp, refreshing, light, and SO delicious.
- Full of crunchy breadcrumbs in each bite.
- The dressing is simple to make, and has some great lower-sodium swaps (like Worcestershire sauce instead of anchovies).
- A great appetizer for any holiday – Caesar salads are perfect from summer to winter!
- Cooks of any skill level can successfully make this salad by following our step-by-step photos and directions below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
I use romaine lettuce for the base of this salad, which is traditional in Caesar salads. You can also use gem lettuce, which is a light and crisp green that tastes great.
The breadcrumbs are a super simple mix of unseasoned panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper.
And the dressing is made with Greek yogurt as the base, a little bit of low sodium mayonnaise, garlic, low sodium Worcestershire sauce, and fresh lemon juice for tang.
And I like to top the salad with a little bit of parmesan cheese – just a tablespoon or two does wonders and keeps that true classic flavor. You can find some.
Additions and Substitutions
You could use regular croutons instead of the toasted breadcrumbs, or in addition to them.
Add protein to this salad – our low sodium grilled chicken or low sodium steak would be great additions.
If you don’t have low sodium mayonnaise, you can use sour cream or more Greek yogurt in the dressing.
You can omit the parmesan cheese if desired to keep the sodium down – it’s not necessary (just a ‘nice to have’).
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a shallow baking dish, add the Panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well to coat the breadcrumbs in the spices and oil.
Step 2: Under your oven’s broiler, broil the breadcrumbs for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Always keep an eye on the broiler to be sure they don’t burn! Remove from oven once browned.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, and the low sodium Worcestershire sauce.
Step 4: In a large serving bowl, add the chopped romaine hearts.
Step 5: Top the lettuce with the Caesar dressing and the toasted breadcrumbs.
Step 6: Top with the Parmesan cheese, and serve.
Recipe FAQs
This salad is made with chopped romaine lettuce hearts topped with panko breadcrumbs toasted with spices, and mixed with a creamy low sodium Caesar dressing made with Greek yogurt and some great spices.
Yes, this recipe is great for a crowd, and you can make multiple servings at once. Just be sure to have a big enough bowl for the dressing and salad. And toast the breadcrumbs in an even layer on a sheetpan.
This salad is best fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Expert Tips
- When chopping the romaine lettuce, make the pieces roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent throughout the salad.
- For an extra tangy salad, you can drizzle a little extra lemon juice over the salad before serving.
- To make this recipe ahead of time, you can mix the dressing beforehand and toast the breadcrumbs up to a day before. Chop the lettuce and assemble the salad right before serving.
More Easy Low Sodium Holiday Sides
- Low Sodium Focaccia Bread
- Low Sodium Burrata Salad Recipe
- The best Low Sodium Baked Potato Recipe
- Low Sodium Honey Baked Carrots Recipe
- Low Sodium Roasted Asparagus Recipe
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Low Sodium Caesar Salad with Panko Breadcrumbs
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons low sodium mayonnaise
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon juiced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese optional for serving
Instructions
- In a shallow baking dish, add the Panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well to coat the breadcrumbs in the spices and oil.
- Under your oven’s broiler, broil the breadcrumbs for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Always keep an eye on the broiler to be sure they don’t burn! Remove from oven once browned.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, and the low sodium Worcestershire sauce.
- In a large serving bowl, add the chopped romaine hearts.
- Top the lettuce with the Caesar dressing and the toasted breadcrumbs. Top with the Parmesan cheese, and serve.
Notes
- When chopping the romaine lettuce, make the pieces roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent throughout the salad.
- For an extra tangy salad, you can drizzle a little extra lemon juice over the salad before serving.
- To make this recipe ahead of time, you can mix the dressing beforehand and toast the breadcrumbs up to a day before. Chop the lettuce and assemble the salad right before serving.
Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used in our kitchen. It will vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify your nutrition content and sodium amounts.
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