Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad
One hot grill and 15 minutes is all it takes to turn a classic Caesar salad into the most impressive, flavorful dish. Drizzled in homemade Caesar dressing and crispy croutons, this is the summer side dish your grill was made for.
I had never thought to put lettuce on the grill until Keith did it. He came in from the back deck one evening with a platter of this Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad, and one bite completely changed the way I think about salad. Here's what cooking professionally has taught him: the high heat hits the cut face of the romaine and caramelizes its natural sugars in under 90 seconds, the outer leaves pick up a smoky char, and the dense innter rib stays cool and crisp. The result is a salad so full of flavor that a light drizzle of dressing is all you need.
It's the same reason he always grills his Mexican Street Corn before dressing it. Heat does something to vegetables that raw preparation simply cannot.
Serve it alongside Smash Burgers, or top it with Blackened Salmon the way we do in our Salmon Caesar Salad for a complete meal.
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Grilled Caesar Salad Ingredients
- Olive oil: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford for both the dressing and the grill.
- Parmesan cheese: buy a block of Parmigiano Reggiano and shred it yourself, the texture difference on a warm grilled wedge is noticeable.
- Fish sauce: Keith adds a teaspoon in place of traditional anchovies. It delivers the same savory depth without any fishiness, and it's almost always already in the pantry.
- Croutons: we use homemade croutons, but store-bought ones work in a pinch.
👉 see recipe card below for exact quantities.
How to Make It
- Make the croutons first. They need time to cool and crisp up. Day-old sourdough is Keith's first choice because the dried-out crumb absorbs the olive oil without getting soggy.
- Make the dressing while the croutons bake. The teaspoon of fish sauce is Keith's professional touch, replacing traditional anchovies and delivering the same savory depth without any fishiness.
- Get your grill hot. High heat is non-negotiable. Medium-high is not enough to trigger the caramelization that makes grilled romaine worth making.
- Dry your romaine completely. Pat dry before brushing with olive oil. Any moisture left on the leaves will cause steaming instead of charring.
- Place the romaine on a hot grill and cook for 60 to 90 seconds per side. Any longer and the lettuce turns to mush.
🔪 Top tip
Get your grill as hot as it will go. High heat is what separates beautifully charred Caesar from a pile of wilted lettuce.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Croutons can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Grilled romaine is best served the day it is made.
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Variations
- Protein: add Grilled Chicken, Blackened Salmon, or Grilled Sirloin Steak to make it a complete meal.
- Extra toppings: fresh tomatoes, pickled onions, crispy bacon or pancetta all work beautifully here.
FAQ
A grilled Caesar salad is a modern twist on the classic caesar, made by charring romaine lettuce directly on a hot grill before dressing it. The heat caramelizes the natural sugars in the romaine, adding a smoky depth of flavor that a traditional raw caesar simply cannot replicate.
Romaine's dense rib structure and sturdy leaves hold up to both heavy dressing and direct heat better than any other lettuce. The crisp inner leaves stay cool and crunchy on the grill while the outer leaves pick up a beautiful char.
Yes. A cast iron grill pan on the stovetop over high heat works beautifully. Get the pan as hot as possible before addig the romaine and follow the same 60 to 90 second timing.
Fish sauce delivers the same savory, umami depth as traditional anchovies but without the prep work. It is almost always ready in the pantry and blends seamlessly into a mayo-based dressing.
Absolutely. Grilled chicken, blackened salmon, grilled shrimp, and grilled sirloin steak all work beautifully on top of this salad.
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Grilled Caesar Salad recipe
Lightly charred romaine, homemade Caesar dressing, and crispy croutons. Ready in 15 minutes.
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions. 1x
Ingredients
For the croutons:
- 2 cups sourdough or country bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing:
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 cup real mayonnaise
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- black pepper to taste
For the salad:
- 1 head romaine, quartered lengthwise with stem left intact
- ¼ cup olive oil
- shaved Parmesan cheese for serving
- cracked black pepper for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
- Make the croutons: toss bread cubes with olive oil, Parmesan, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Set aside and cool.
- Make the dressing: combine garlic, mayonnaise, mustard, fish sauce, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Add Parmesan and black pepper, then drizzle in olive oil and whisk until fully combined.
- Grill the romaine: brush romaine quarters with olive oil and place cut side down on a hot grill. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side until slightly charred and wilted.
- Plate the salad: place grilled romaine on a serving platter, drizzle with dressing, and top with croutons, shaved Parmesan and cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Store-bought croutons can be substituted to save time.
- Day-old sourdough works best for croutons as it absorbs the oil without getting soggy.
- Dry your romaine completely before it hits the grill or it will steam instead of char.
- Dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ salad
- Calories: 679
- Sugar: 2.6 g
- Sodium: 522 mg
- Fat: 71.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.4 g
- Protein: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 28.5 mg
This light and delicious salad is our favorite on hot summer days. The char on the romaine takes the flavor profile to the next level! Plus the dressing is so easy to make.