Little Gem Salad with Cara Cara Caesar-ish Dressing with Garlic Parmesan Toasts
Jan 12, 2017, Updated Dec 20, 2024
It’s Winter Citrus Season – these low acid, sweet Cara Cara navel oranges entice a Caesar-style dressing with zest! A Wonderful – Simple Salad with crunch and a daily dose of garlic.

Caesar dressing traditionally contains fresh lemon juice:
It adds balance and that needed acidic note.
Exchanging Cara Cara’s naturally sweet juice for the lemon juice seemed like a good idea, since I purchased a three pound bag of them recently – and they were waiting to be squeezed!
I also included the fruit’s rind which adds a greater citrus punch and a lingering orange hue. When zested it releases bright floral aromatics.
Cara Cara Caesar-ish Dressing:
I’m a true garlic lover – for the dressing I cooked some garlic in extra virgin olive oil (for a mellow hint), and added some raw garlic for some heat. The dressing is simple to make in a small food processor or a blender.
Little Gem Lettuce Hearts:
Little Gem Lettuce Hearts are cross between butter and romaine lettuces.
Their taste is a uniquely sweet, buttery flavor with perfectly shaped, vibrant green leaves. My new favorite lettuce – the leaves are crisp and firm, and stand up to a robust dressing without getting soggy! (Trader Joe’s sell them.)
Add Some Crunch with Garlic- Parmesan Toasts:
Add some crunch with Garlic- Parmesan Toasts. I use baguette slices and bake until crisp. A pinch of fresh thyme on top adds a great bonus flavor, and pairs well with citrus. You can crumble them over the salad too.
What are Cara Cara Oranges?
Cara Cara oranges are a special variety of juicy, low acid, seedless navels packed with natural nutrition and minerals.
- Known as “Red Navels, ” Cara Cara oranges were first discovered in 1976 at the Hacienda de Cara Cara in Valencia, Venezuela – and named after the farm t was found on.
- They are grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Florida, Australia and South Africa. Available from winter through spring months. Like other navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges have a bright orange exterior, but their interior is a distinctive pinkish-red. The deeper colored flesh of the Cara Cara orange is from the presence of a caroteniod, lycopene.
- Natural source of Lycopene, the disease fighting antioxidant, and lower in acidity than other oranges.
- The Cara Cara is a relatively new fruit, they did not enter the U.S consumer produce market until the late 1980s. Once just a specialty fruit, now it has gone mainstream – available in major grocery store chains, due to demand.
- Their flavor is more complex than most navel varieties and has been described as evoking notes of cherry, rose petal, orange, and blackberry.
Enjoy this twist on everyone’s favorite Caesar Salad,
Karen
Little Gem Salad with Cara Cara Caesar-ish Dressing with Garlic Parmesan Toasts
Ingredients
- 1 recipe recipe Cara Cara Orange Caesar-ish Dressing, use about 1/2 cup (see recipe)
- 6 heads heads little gem lettuce, (can substitute romaine lettuce, 3 cups)
- 1 medium medium cara cara orange, sliced and quartered, or peeled and sliced halfmoon shape
- 12 thin slices french baguette, see recipe below
- 4 tablespoons parmesan reggiano cheese, grated – for garnish
- 8 thin slices cara cara oranges
Instructions
Salad:
- Make Cara Cara Orange Ceasar-ish Dressing.
- Wash and dry the small heads of little gem lettuce. Cut them in half.
- On four salad plates or bowls, add 3 lettuce halves, (can also place in a salad bowl.) Layer with 3 garlic -parmesan baguette toasts and add 2 slices of cara cara oranges – in each bowl.
- Drizzle a good portion of dressing over all, and scatter some extra grated parmesan on top.
Garlic -Parmesan Baguette Toasts:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay 12 thinly sliced pieces of baguette bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Put 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl, brush on top sides of the bread. Bake in the hot oven for 5 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Remove from oven. Peel a garlic clove, and rub into the tops of each baguette, discard extra garlic (or save for another recipe.) Scatter 2 T. of grated parmesan immediately over the slices, and top with 1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme.
- Place back in the oven until the cheese is melted, and the toasts are golden and crisp. Scatter a pinch of sea salt over, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.