When it's chilly out and you're longing for fresh produce, look no further then this beautiful, bright Caesar salad with bitter greens, red onions, homemade parmesan chips, and fennel.

You're going to love the combination of bright, sharp flavors with the homemade Caesar dressing!

Winter caesar salad with onions, parmesan chips, greens, and fennel on a large platter.

Emily's Recipe Notes

While you don't have to make your own homemade parmesan chips and Caesar dressing, I highly recommend spending the time on them - they take this salad from good to great. Especially the dressing; it's truly special!
This salad is substantial enough to serve as the main side dish with something like roast chicken or steak or add it to a holiday table as a special side dish.

What You'll Need

Greens - I suggest a mixture of a bitter leaf like radicchio and a mellow mix of greens, like a spring mix. If you don't enjoy bitter salad greens, you can use little gem or another crunchy lettuce instead.
Fennel - adds a wonderful crunch to the salad. I love fennel for it's unique flavor (especially when raw), but if it's not for you, sub it out for a few stalks of celery.
Red Onion - crispy red onion adds some zingy flavor to this salad! Can be subbed for shallot as well.
Parmesan - You'll use some grated parm for both the homemade parmesan chips as well as the dressing. Adds lovely mellow flavor to the salad.
Pistachios - topping the salad with some roasted pistachios is 10/10! I love the grassiness the pistachios add to the salad, but they can be substituted for walnuts or pecans as well.
Salad Dressing - you'll make your own Caesar dressing, which is 100% worth it. I know it's a lot of ingredients but it tastes amazing! You'll use mayonnaise, garlic, anchovy fillets (or paste), Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parmesan cheese, and black pepper.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Mounds of parmesan cheese on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Step 1: Heat oven to 375°F. Mound Parmesan on parchment-lined sheet pan.

Parmesan cheese crisps on a piece of parchment.

Step 2: Bake 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Shaved fennel and sliced red onion on greens.

Step 3: Add radicchio, greens, shaved fennel, and sliced onions to platter.

Homemade caesar dressing being whisked in a white bowl.

Step 4: Whisk mayonnaise, garlic, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and parmesan together.

Step 5: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Step 6: Add pistachios, parmesan crisps, and fennel fronds and toss lightly.

Winter salad with Caesar dressing, greens, and onions on a large platter.

Winter Caesar Salad with Radicchio & Fennel

This stunning radicchio & fennel Caesar salad recipe is a gorgeous side dish for fall or winter! The combination of kicky bright flavors of the salad pairs perfectly with the mild Caesar dressing.

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 7

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Author: Emily Wilson

Ingredients

For the Salad

½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 small head radicchio cored and torn into large pieces
4 ounces greens mix like spring mix or arugula spinach
1 small fennel bulb very thinly sliced (fronds reserved)
½ small red onion very thinly sliced
¼ cup roasted pistachios chopped

For the Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove grated
2 anchovy fillets mashed to a paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup grated Parmesan
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, mound 1 tablespoon portions of grated Parmesan and flatten slightly.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until bubbling and golden. Cool completely before removing. Break into pieces if desired.
Combine the radicchio and greens on a large platter. Top with the sliced fennel and onion.
In a bowl, add the mayonnaise, parmesan, garlic, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and black pepper. Whisk till combined.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Add pistachios, parmesan crisps, and fennel fronds and toss lightly.
Serve immediately.