Grilled Caesar Salad Recipe

I reinvent a classic Caesar using Grilled Romaine Lettuce and a homemade Caesar dressing, and I share the single step that makes this version unlike any other.

I never believed a Caesar could feel hungry and grown up at the same time, till I started playing with romaine lettuce and lots of salty Parmesan cheese. The idea of slightly blackened leaves meeting that sharp cheese made me stop mid bite, like wait, did I just order a steak salad without the steak.

I’m the kind of person who files these odd hits under Grilled Romaine Lettuce Recipes and then forgets about them, only to dig them up when I want something that surprises guests. It’s simple, weirdly dramatic and lives right beside my Grilling Recipes Sides notes.

Ingredients

• romaine lettuce: crunchy base, low calories, decent fibre and vitamin A, not sweet
• extra virgin olive oil: adds fruity fat, heart healthy monounsaturated fats, makes dressing silky
• anchovy fillets or paste: tiny salty umami bombs, add savory depth, gives Caesar its punch
• egg yolk or pasteurized egg: binds dressing, adds creaminess and protein, use pasteurized if you’re nervous
• lemon juice: bright acidic tang, cuts fat, adds fresh sour balance to rich dressing
• Parmesan cheese: salty nutty umami, brings sharpness and calcium, not overly sweet
• croutons or crusty bread: crunchy carbs that soak up dressing, add texture and comfort
• garlic clove: punchy aromatic, gives bite and savory complexity, a little goes a long way

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 heads romaine lettuce (about 10 to 12 oz each)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola
• 1 large egg yolk or 1 pasteurized whole egg
• 2 to 3 anchovy fillets or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup croutons or 2 slices crusty bread
• Optional: lemon wedges for serving

How to Make this

1. Make the dressing first so flavors can marry: mash the anchovy fillets or anchovy paste with the garlic and kosher salt until almost paste like, add the Dijon, the egg yolk or pasteurized whole egg, and the lemon juice and whisk, slowly pour in the neutral oil then the extra virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify, stir in half the Parmesan and season with black pepper.

2. Prep the romaine: rinse and pat dry, slice each head lengthwise through the core so you have 4 sturdy halves that hold together.

3. Prep the croutons or bread: if using crusty bread cut into cubes, toss with a little olive oil and crisp in a hot skillet or on the grill until golden; if using bread slices just grill the slices until charred and rub with the cut side of a garlic clove once hot.

4. Heat your grill to medium high and oil the grates so the lettuce wont stick.

5. Brush the cut sides of the romaine lightly with neutral oil (a bit of olive oil is ok too) and sprinkle a little kosher salt on the cut faces.

6. Grill cut side down first for about 1 to 2 minutes until you get nice char marks but the leaves are still crisp, flip and grill the outer leaves for just 30 to 60 seconds to warm them through.

7. Transfer romaine to a platter, spoon the dressing over the warm halves (go easy at first you can always add more), sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and scatter the croutons or torn grilled bread pieces on top.

8. Finish with a crack of black pepper and lemon wedges for squeezing, serve immediately while the lettuce still has that grilled char and crunch.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the dressing and tossing the grilled romaine together
2. Small bowl or mortar and pestle to mash the anchovy and garlic (a fork works too)
3. Whisk or a sturdy fork to emulsify the dressing, works better than a spoon
4. Chef’s knife and cutting board to halve the romaine and cut bread
5. Hot grill or heavy grill pan to char the lettuce and bread
6. Long tongs for flipping the romaine and moving hot bread/croutons
7. Cast iron skillet or heavy skillet if you plan to crisp bread cubes on the stovetop
8. Pastry brush to oil the grill grates and brush the romaine cut sides
9. Microplane or fine grater for the Parmesan
10. Measuring spoons and a liquid measuring cup for oils, lemon juice and seasonings

FAQ

Grilled Caesar Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Anchovies (2 to 3 fillets or 1 tsp paste): swap with 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or 1 tbsp finely chopped capers plus a pinch of salt. Not exactly the same but it adds the salty umami punch.
• Egg yolk or pasteurized whole egg: use 1/4 cup mayonnaise or 3 tbsp Greek yogurt plus 1 tsp Dijon. Mayo makes the dressing creamy and safe to eat cold, yogurt lightens it up.
• Parmesan cheese: substitute Pecorino Romano or aged Asiago, just use a bit less if it’s saltier. Still gives that nutty, sharp bite.
• Croutons or crusty bread: try roasted chickpeas, toasted almonds, or pita chips for crunch. Great if you want a gluten free option or something that won’t go soggy fast.

Pro Tips

1) Get the dressing to stick: mash the anchovy and garlic super smooth, then whisk the egg, mustard and lemon first, and very slowly drizzle in the neutral oil before adding the olive oil. If it starts to break, stop, grab a fresh yolk in a clean bowl and whisk the broken dressing into it slowly, you’ll save it most times. If youre worried about raw egg use a pasteurized egg.

2) Watch the salt: anchovies and Parmesan already pack a punch so taste the dressing before you add kosher salt, you might not need any. If it ends up too salty, brighten it with more lemon or tame it with a little extra oil, not more salt.

3) Char without turning it to mush: dry the lettuce well so it chars instead of steaming, oil the cut face lightly and hit a hot grate for just long enough to get marks. Dont flip a bunch, one quick flip to warm the outer leaves is usually all it needs, pressing gently with tongs helps get even contact.

4) Keep the crunch: make croutons ahead but re-crisp them hot right before serving, or toss a few with a little dressing and leave most dry so they stay crunchy on top. Rub hot grilled bread with garlic right before tearing it up, it gives way more flavor than tossing garlic into the dressing.