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Filed Under: Food Tagged With: recipe, salad

Summer Caesar Balsamic Salad Recipe

July 8, 2025 By Lucy Mercer Leave a Comment

Probably the best thing about working from home in the summertime is stepping outside at 11:45 am and picking cherry tomatoes off the vine and using them in a lunch salad. I like salads with a little bit of sweet, a little bit of salty, a little bit of crunch and a tangy dressing. Often, I’ll make my own vinaigrette, but I also keep bottled salad dressings on hand, too.

A salad recipe with a novel dressing idea came across my Instagram feed recently. Amy of Bellyful Blog zhuzhes up a standard side salad with a dressing made from Caesar and balsamic dressings. Whoa. That’s creamy and salty Caesar plus tart and tangy balsamic, topping a green salad that’s enhanced with cherry tomatoes (check), cucumbers (check), diced fruit (I used an apple), dried cranberries and a something crunchy like nuts. I used homemade croutons from a leftover baguette and added cooked quinoa for protein and heft.

This salad is tasty and fresh and just right for summer days. Caesar + balsamic. Try it.

Bottles of Balsamic dressing and Caesar dressing on a kitchen counter
Two great tastes that taste great together: Balsamic dressing and Caesar dressing top a fresh green salad from my kitchen. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Summer Salad with Caesar Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Caesar dressing
2 tablespoons creamy balsamic dressing or balsamic vinaigrette
1 (9-oz.) bag chopped Romaine lettuce, about 6 cups
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup cucumber, diced 1/2-inch
1 small apple, peeled and diced 1/2-inch
1/3 cup dried cranberries (like Craisins)
1/2 cup croutons
1/2 cup cooked quinoa

Instructions:

  • In a small bowl, stir together Caesar and balsamic dressings.
  • In a medium bowl, add lettuce and remaining ingredients. Use tongs to combine ingredients.
  • I top individual servings with dressing, but you can toss the salad with the dressing and then serve.
Salad in a bowl with quinoa and croutons in adjacent bowls
A fresh green salad with summer’s best cherry tomatoes and enhanced with quinoa and croutons makes for a satisfying summer lunch. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books
A fresh green salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, apple and dried cranberries in a bowl
Build out your green salad with fresh cherry tomatoes, chopped apple, dried fruit like Craisins, and chopped cucumber and top with a combined dressing of Caesar and balsamic dressing. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

More Recipes from A Cook and Her Books

Bean Soup with Turkey and Greens Recipe
Pulled Pork and Barbecue Sauce Recipe

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