Grilled Romaine Salad with Caesar Dressing
Smoky, crunchy, creamy – this grilled romaine Caesar salad is an unexpected delight. A quick char transforms humble lettuce into a flavor explosion.
Grilled Romaine Salad with Caesar Dressing
Smoky, crunchy, creamy – this grilled romaine Caesar salad is an unexpected delight. A quick char transforms humble lettuce into a flavor explosion.
Key move
Grill the romaine quickly over high heat to achieve a smoky char without wilting the lettuce.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Grill
- Mixing Bowlmedium
- Whisk
The Mise en Place
5 of 10Your prep station before cooking begins
Dressing (0/8)
Romaine is wilting on the grill.
Grill was too hot or romaine was left on too long. Reduce heat and grill for a shorter time.
Dressing is too thick.
Add a tablespoon of water or lemon juice to thin it out.
Chef's Notes
Grill romaine cut-side down for just 1-2 minutes per side to get char marks without wilting.
Top with grilled chicken or shrimp for a complete protein-packed meal.
Make the Caesar dressing up to 3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
The Method
PREHEAT
Preheat grill to high heat.
Uneven heating: Cold spots lead to uneven charring. Let the grill stabilize for the full duration.
Grill is preheated to high heat.
BRUSH
Brush romaine hearts with olive oil (½ cups).
Soggy leaves: Applying too much oil will cause the leaves to steam rather than sear on the grill.
Romaine hearts are evenly coated with olive oil.
GRILL
Time-sensitiveGrill romaine hearts, cut-side down, for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly charred.
Overcooking: Leaving the lettuce on too long will cause it to turn mushy and lose its structural integrity.
Romaine hearts have light char marks on the cut side.
REMOVE
Remove from grill and let cool slightly.
Overcooking: Leaving the lettuce on a hot surface or in a pile will cause it to steam and wilt into a soggy mess.
Grilled romaine hearts have cooled slightly.
WHISK
Prep aheadIn a bowl, whisk together olive oil (½ cups), lemon juice (¼ cups), garlic (3 cloves), anchovy fillets (4 fillets), Parmesan cheese (½ cups), Dijon mustard (1 tbsp), Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp), and black pepper (½ tsp).
Broken emulsion: Adding oil too quickly will prevent the dressing from binding, resulting in a greasy, separated sauce.
All dressing ingredients are combined and whisked into a smooth sauce.
DRIZZLE
Drizzle Caesar dressing over grilled romaine hearts.
Dressing separation: Drizzling over excessively hot romaine can cause the dressing to break or thin out prematurely.
Caesar dressing has been drizzled over the grilled romaine hearts.
GARNISH
Garnish with croutons (1 cup), if desired, and serve immediately.
Soggy croutons: Avoid tossing the salad with croutons too far in advance, or they will soften and lose their crunch.
Salad is garnished and ready to serve.
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