It’s time!
Holiday party time! And you know what that means, right? Appetizers! Well, cocktails and appetizers to be exact. I’m always on the lookout for fun new appetizers that are easy to make, and fun to eat!
What’s more fun than chopped salad in a cheese cup! An edible cheese cup! YES! I’m so into this idea.
I mean, I’m not saying I’m against the whole traditional cheese board thing, but I do love to mix it up every once in a while. And I just can’t get over how cute these are!
Plus, you can make each component ahead of time and assemble right before the party!
I’m also totally into these homemade crouton crumbs to add that crunch.
And these salty parmesan cheese cups? To die for! You can really fill them with anything you want. It’s as easy as baking little shredded mounds of cheese in the oven, then draping them over upside down mini muffin tins to form the cups.
Your guests will think you’re fancy, but you’ll know the truth.
Mini Chopped Caesar Salad Cups
Ingredients
- 1 pound block of parmigiano-reggiano cheese (grated (about 4 cups grated))
- 2 heads romaine lettuce (chopped)
- 1 cup cubed sourdough bread (crust removed – day old bread works best)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon worchestire sauce
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- Pepper
Instructions
For the parmesan cups
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick Silpat, or parchment paper. Scoop one heaping tablespoon of cheese onto the baking mat and pat down slightly. Repeat until there are about 4 cheese mounds on the sheet. Leave at least 2 inches between each one to allow for spreading! Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese is bubbly and just slightly golden.
- Remove from oven and let cool for about 1 minute, then carefully remove each flattened cheese disk and gently lay over an upside down muffin tin to form the cups. If needed, use a paper towel to gently press down on the edges to help form the cups. Let cups cool completely on the muffin tins before removing.
For the breadcrumbs
- Add the cubed bread to a food processor and pulse until large crumbs appear. Pour onto a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast in a 375 degree oven for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and let cool.
For the dressing
- Whisk together the garlic, mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, worchestire, canola, and a pinch of pepper until smooth. Store covered in the fridge until ready to use. This make a lot of dressing! You will not use it all! Save the rest for later in the week!
To assemble
- Toss the chopped lettuce with a little bit of dressing. Spoon lettuce into cooled parmesan cups and top with croutons! Serve immediately!
Party on!
Comments
Callie
Made this for a baby shower app and it was a big hit! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Kathleen
Can you make the cups a day ahead?
Janet Taylor
I have made these and used shot glasses to form the cups.
Rita Yee
Can you tell me if you can make the parmesan cups a day or two ahead of time?
Mandy
My cups did not get hard. Is there a fix?
Life is but a Dish
Hmmm…That’s strange! Perhaps not baked long enough?
DENISE C GEORGE
I have a hard time following this recipe. Can you explaun what am i doing with the bresf.
Eve
How many salad cups does this recipe make?
Life is but a Dish
about 12-15!
Anne Quirion
Instead of using the oven, I found microwave the cheese on parchment paper for 60 seconds, put the parchment paper with melted cheese over muffin tins (I used regular tins) to form a cup. BRAVO!!
Life is but a Dish
Great idea!
Annie
Went through half a wedge of cheese with no avail! Could not make the cups, fell apart even after 41/2 minutes. The, they started out circular on the baking sheet, but did not come out that way…
Life is but a Dish
Hmmm…I’m so sorry they didn’t turn out! I wonder what happened? Did you use mini muffin tins?
sue
Looks good enough to try. Thanks