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Grilled Caesar Salad

Grilled Caesar salad with charred romaine hearts, creamy Caesar dressing, and crispy croutons. This BBQ-style side uses medium-high grilling to get visible char marks before tossing with dressing and toppings like shaved Parmesan and lemon wedges.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Romaine salad
  • 2 romaine hearts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp pepper
Caesar dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp pepper
Toppings
  • 1 croutons
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese shaved or additional grated
  • 1 lemon wedges for serving

Method
 

Char the romaine
  1. Brush the cut sides of romaine hearts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill cut-side down over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until charred, then remove from the grill.
Make the Caesar dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Serve
  1. Place the grilled romaine hearts on plates and drizzle with the Caesar dressing.
  2. Top with croutons, shaved Parmesan, and lemon wedges.

Notes

For the best char and crunch, grill the romaine cut-side down without moving it during the first 2-3 minutes so the sear sets. Store leftover dressed salad components separately—romaine and dressing keep 2-3 days in the fridge, while croutons are best kept dry at room temperature for up to 3 days; freeze dressing only up to 1 month if needed. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and reduce the Parmesan slightly.