The crispy Parmesan edge alone sold me.
Some viral recipe videos have you heading for the kitchen before you’ve even finished watching.
That was my reaction to Instagram creator Josh Elkin’s Caesar salad croissants, which caught my attention because they looked exactly like what I would order for lunch without even consulting the rest of the menu. Caesar salad already has a lot working in its favor: crisp romaine, sharp Parmesan, creamy dressing, just enough salt to keep you coming back for another bite. And cheese-crisped croissant could only make things better.
I’ve also been in a bit of a croissant chapter lately. After falling hard for the smashed croissant trend, I was already primed to believe that a grocery-store croissant is destined for more.
What are Caesar salad croissants?
Caesar salad croissants are, to put it simply, croissants filled with Caesar salad. But Josh Elkin’s version has more to it than lettuce tucked into pastry. In his video, he makes chicken Caesar salad croissants with crispy Parmesan edges and homemade croissant croutons. (I skipped the chicken in mine and kept the focus on the Caesar salad itself). The croutons are made from chopped croissants, while the croissant cups are dipped, cut-side down, into Caesar dressing, then pressed into Parmesan and baked until the cheese crisps around the edges.
How to Make Caesar Salad Croissants
Ingredients
For the croissant croutons
- Croissants, diced into cubes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the croissants
- Croissants, halved crosswise
- Caesar dressing
- Grated Parmesan cheese
For the filling
- Romaine lettuce, chopped
- Caesar dressing
- Parmesan cheese
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- Croissant croutons
- Cooked chicken, sliced or chopped (optional)
Step 1: Make the croissant croutons
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut your desired number of croissants into a large dice, then toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them on a parchment-lined sheet and bake them until they’re golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Assemble the croissant cones
Slice the croissants in half crosswise. Dip the cut sides into the Caesar dressing, then press them into grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 3: Bake the cheese-dipped croissants
Place the croissants, cheese-side down, on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake them for about 10 minutes until the Parmesan is crisp and golden around the edges.
Step 4: Make the Caesar salad
While the croissants are baking, toss chopped romaine with Caesar dressing, Parmesan, croutons, coarsely ground black pepper and chicken, if you’re using it. Add enough dressing to coat the lettuce without weighing it down.
Step 5: Assemble the croissants
Let the croissants cool slightly, then gently open them and fill them with the Caesar salad.
How do they taste?
This was yet another exceptional upgrade to store-bought croissants. Mine were smaller than the ones in Josh’s video, but they still worked beautifully.
The best part is the edge. The Parmesan crisps into a salty, delicate crust that makes the croissant taste more toasted and savory without being heavy. The croissant croutons are smart too; they add crunch, but because they’re made from the same pastry, they don’t feel like a random salad topping that wandered into the sandwich by mistake.
I also loved that you could take them in so many directions. The original chicken Caesar version makes obvious sense, but the same Parmesan-crusted croissant method would be excellent with classic chicken salad, Buffalo chicken salad, tuna salad, BLT turkey salad or Italian chopped salad. For a breakfast vibe, you could even fill the croissants with egg salad and chopped bacon.
For me, the Caesar version worked because it kept things simple: cold and crisp romaine, creamy dressing, salty cheese, buttery pastry, and crunch all in the right places. It’s not a complicated idea. It’s just a very, very good one.
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