Grilled Caesar Salad

Grilled Caesar salad with grilled romaine hearts: cut-side caramelized and charred directly on the grill, then topped with smoky Caesar dressing. Romaine halves stay crisp-tender, finished with parmesan shavings, lemon wedges, and anchovy-toasted croutons.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

chilling 3

Total Time 26

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Calories: 610

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Romaine

4 hearts romaine hearts cut in half lengthwise
2 tbsp olive oil
0.25 salt to taste
0.25 black pepper to taste

For the Caesar dressing

0.5 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic minced
4 fillets anchovy fillets minced
0.5 cup parmesan finely grated

For serving

0.5 cup shaved parmesan
0.75 cup croutons anchovy-toasted croutons if available
2 wedges lemon wedges
0.25 black pepper freshly cracked

Equipment

1 grill

Method

Make the Caesar dressing

Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, minced anchovy fillets, and finely grated parmesan until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper to your preference, then refrigerate to chill.

Char the romaine

Preheat the grill to high heat until hot. Brush the cut sides of the romaine halves with olive oil, then season the cut sides with salt and black pepper.
Place romaine halves cut-side down on the hot grill and cook for 2-3 minutes until dark grill marks appear and the edges begin to wilt. Do not flip.

Assemble

Transfer the charred romaine to a platter cut-side up, keeping the caramelized surface facing up. Drizzle Caesar dressing generously over the cut surface.
Top with shaved parmesan, croutons, lemon wedges, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately while the romaine is still warm with visible grill marks.

Notes

Pro tip: make the dressing ahead so it has time to mellow; refrigerate up to 2 days for best flavor. Store assembled salad covered in the fridge up to 1 day, but keep the romaine char separate if you can. Freezing is not recommended. Dietary swap: use vegan mayonnaise and omit the anchovy while increasing Worcestershire or adding extra lemon for brightness to keep the dressing savory without fish.