This Grilled Caesar Salad with Grilled Croutons is unlike any classic Caesar salad you’ve had! Fresh romaine lettuce hearts and French baguette halves are placed on a hot outdoor grill to create the BEST homemade croutons and deliciously crispy grilled romaine that’s drizzled with our rich n’ tangy homemade Caesar dressing.
If you love a nice char just as much as I do, you’ll fall in love with this grilled Caesar salad with grilled croutons! It adds an irresistible grill flavor to your homemade Caesar salad that amplifies the overall taste and texture of this classic salad recipe. I honestly don’t know if I’ll want a Caesar salad NOT grilled ever again 😋
The steps to make it are easy. Just make the dressing, grill your baguette and hearts of romaine, assemble, and serve! You can even add grilled chicken or shrimp on top for extra protein and flavor.
- 2% Greek yogurt: This is the base of the creamy dressing and adds a tangy flavor without all the added calories.
- Apple cider vinegar: The vinegar adds a nice tang and acidity to the dressing.
- Parmesan cheese: This gives the dressing a rich and nutty flavor. And I mean, cheese makes everything better right?
- Anchovy paste: Although it might sound strange, anchovy paste is a key ingredient in traditional caesar dressing. It adds depth and umami to the dressing.
- Romaine hearts: You want to get the freshest romaine hearts for this recipe. Grilling them brings out their natural sweetness and adds a nice char.
- French or Italian baguette: This gets cut in half and grilled to make the most delicious homemade croutons!
- Cherry tomatoes: The fresh juiciness of the cherry tomatoes is a great contrast to the grilled elements in this salad.
Ingredient Swaps & Add-Ins
FAQs
It is best to assemble and serve this grilled Caesar salad with grilled croutons immediately after grilling. If left for too long, the romaine lettuce will wilt and lose its crispiness.
You can prep the dressing and grill the croutons ahead of time, but wait to grill the romaine until ready to serve.
We recommend only grilling one side of the romaine hearts to avoid mushy salad. The goal is to get the grill very hot so it sears the romaine for a minute or two, so you get that grilled flavor.
Yes! This recipe can be made with a grill pan on the stovetop. Just be sure to oil the grill pan and get it very hot before making the salad. You want to see the grill marks!
Store any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The grilled croutons can be kept at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.
For the romaine, it is best to consume it immediately after grilling as it will continue to wilt the longer it sits.
Serving Suggestions
To keep the grilled theme going, serve this salad with some Juicy Grilled Chicken or Grilled Shrimp skewers. You can also pair it with a nice piece of Grilled Salmon for a complete and delicious meal. For a vegetarian option, top the salad with roasted chickpeas or tofu.
If you’re looking for something heartier, you can serve this as a side dish along with some Grilled Steak or Homemade Burgers. And, of course, it pairs perfectly with one of our Top Summer Cocktails!
- For the Caesar dressing, if you do not have anchovy paste, you can use fish sauce for the umami flavor. We recommend starting with half the amount of the anchovy sauce (⅛ teaspoon) to start. The fish sauce is strong. Add more until it reaches your desired taste.
- If you would like a thinner dressing, add a touch more lemon juice or olive oil for the caesar dressing.
- We recommend only grilling one side of the romaine hearts to avoid mushy salad. The goal is to get the grill very hot so it sears the romaine for a minute or two, so you get that grilled flavor.
- This recipe can be made with a grill pan on the stovetop. Just be sure to oil the grill pan and to get the grill pan very hot before making the salad.
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Calories: 295 kcal, Carbohydrates: 19 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 22 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 3 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
