Little Gem Salad with Creamy Cacio e Pepe Dressing

If you love a classic Caesar Salad but want something without anchovies, you’ll love this Little Gem Salad with Creamy Cacio e Pepe Dressing.

 

This simple salad hits all the right notes — crisp little gem leaves are tossed in a creamy, pepper-forward Parmesan dressing that gives total cacio e pepe vibes. Finished with a shower of cheese, plenty of cracked pepper, and crispy panko breadcrumbs for crunch, it’s such a good addition to steak night at home.  

Like Caesar Salad, this recipe relies on high-quality ingredients. For this salad, I like to use heads of little gem lettuce. They can be a little tricky to find, so if you can’t locate whole heads, most grocery stores sell clamshells of little gem leaves (usually about 10 ounces), which work perfectly here. You can also swap in chopped hearts of romaine or even butter lettuce if needed — anything crisp and sturdy enough to hold up to the creamy dressing.

For the best cacio e pepe flavor, use a sharp, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano for the dressing and sprinkling over the dressed salad as a garnish. For the pepper, skip the pre-ground jar and use freshly cracked, coarsely ground black pepper. This recipe really depends on that punchy, coarse grind — the pre-ground, powdery stuff won’t give you the same flavor or texture. Go generous and go coarse!

ingredients:

• Mayonnaise
• Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Buttermilk
• Dijon Mustard
• Garlic Clove
• Lemon Juice
• Red or White Wine Vinegar
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
• Kosher Salt
• Gluten-Free Panko Breadcrumbs
• Little Gem Lettuce

step-by-step:

step one: make the dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Parmesan, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil until smooth. Stir in the cracked black pepper and salt. Taste and adjust, adding a pinch more salt or pepper as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

step two: toast the breadcrumbs

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet set over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and let cool.

step three: assemble the salad

In a large mixing bowl, add the little gem lettuce leaves and drizzle with enough dressing to lightly coat (you may not need it all). Gently toss until evenly coated.

step four: plate and serve

Arrange the dressed lettuce on a platter and top with the toasted breadcrumbs, a generous dusting of Parmesan (grated for more coverage or shaved for texture), and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

recipe faqs:

I hope y’all love this Little Gem Salad with Creamy Cacio e Pepe Dressing for your next special occasion dinner! Comment below and let me know what you think!

looking for more impressive salad recipes? try these!

Campisi’s Inspired House Salad

Bacon Brussels Crunch Salad

Steak and Farro Salad

Bibb Salad with Black Truffle Vinaigrette and Mimolette

Food Photography and Styling by Eat Love Eats.