Add Extra Crunch To Caesar Salad With One Flavorful Upgrade

The classic Caesar salad is enjoying a bit of a renaissance as of late. Users all over TikTok have posted loving homages to the dish, especially when their Caesar salad is paired with a Martini and French fries. The fact it's so beloved isn't that surprising considering a Caesar salad is both simple and sophisticated, consisting of a chopped romaine lettuce base, topped with parmesan cheese, croutons or bread crumbs, and briny, zingy Caesar dressing that always tastes better at a restaurant than it does when it's store-bought. It might seem impossible to improve on a dish this iconic. But what if you added pickles?

After all, they have a way of perking up almost any food. From fried chicken brined in pickle juice, to pickle topped pizza, these briny, crunchy, tangy preserved cucumbers are culinary magic. Now, there are many ways to give your Caesar salad a crunch of pickle deliciousness but it you want an intensely crunchy pickle flavor, adding chopped dill pickle spears is the way to go. 

This way, you get the full texture of a pickle that fits well into the optimum "bite" of your salad. Chopped pickle spears also boast the added benefit of a good amount of snappy peel as compared to pickle chips, which tend to be a bit softer. Still, there are plenty of other ways to add a pickle-y twist to your Caesar salad that you might want to explore if you're looking to mix things up. 

But what if you're a certified pickle spear hater? Not to worry, there are plenty of other ways to add pickles to your Caesar salad! If you want a more evenly dispersed crunch while also infusing it with that delicious pickle taste, you can add finely chopped pickles or mix pickle relish into your dressing. Regardless of what shape of pickle you use, dill pickles are arguably the best choice, as their fresh, herbal taste pairs well with the flavor profile of a Caesar salad. 

Other pickles, such as sweet or bread and butter pickles, simply won't be able to stand up against this mighty, super savory salad. In fact, you could even follow TikToker Chasekitchen's lead by frying up some pickles to add extra flavor and crunch to your salad. Otherwise, if you want a tangy flavor without using pickled cucumbers, you can reach for any number of pickled veggies instead. 

One savory (and spicy) pickle that would be the perfect addition for your next Caesar salad is banana pepper. Neon yellow, and ever so tasty, it goes incredibly well with the umami taste of a Caesar dressing. A quick pickled red onion, or pickled capers, would also work well.