Applying heat to lettuce goes against everything I’ve ever been taught about the proper treatment of delicate leafy greens. Scared off by visions of slimy, wilted iceberg, the mere concept of tossing a few defenseless heads of romaine onto a roaring grill sounds like some nauseating joke. Heat and its transformative properties have the last laugh though; screaming-hot grates merely char the surface, imparting a bold new world of flavor in their wake while leaving the refreshingly crisp heart intact.

Bringing the Heat

In mere minutes, the outer leaves begin to blister and char around the edges, picking up a heady smokiness that no bottled dressing could ever imitate. Still, the center remains impossibly cool and crunchy, creating a study in contrasts with every bite: warm and cold, tender and crisp, bitter and sweet vegetal freshness. Drenched in a bold, punchy garlic dressing, heightened with lemon, briny capers, and enough umami to make your taste buds sing, it plays the classic tune in a new key.

Side or Centerpiece

Effortlessly elegant as a side dish, it’s equally happy stealing the spotlight for dinner. You’ve got beans in the dressing for your protein, after all, if you’re worried about nutritional balance. In that case, I’d say this recipe serves one, so plan to double up or don’t plan to share. This recipe was originally printed in my best-selling cookbook, Real Food, Really Fast! and is still a regular guest at my table to this day.

Continue to Content

Yield: Makes 2 - 4 Servings

Grilled Caesar Salad

No Ratings

Print

Grill your greens! Just a few minutes on those hot grates can completely transform the classic Caesar salad. Smoky, crisp, and boldly savory, it's a simple twist that delivers restaurant-worthy results.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Grilled Croutons:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 - 3 1-Inch Thick Slices (2.5 Ounces) Ciabatta or Baguette

Caesar Dressing:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/2 Cup Cooked White Beans
• 2 Tablespoons Tahini
• 1 Tablespoon White Miso Paste
• 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Teaspoon Capers, Thoroughly Drained
• 1 Clove Garlic, Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 - 4 Tablespoons Water

Salad and Assembly:

Toggle ingredient group

• 3 Hearts (About 1 1/2 Pounds) Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Capers, Thoroughly Drained
• 1 Tablespoon Hemp Seeds (Optional)

Instructions

1. Fire up your grill or stove top grill pan over high heat. Prepare the croutons by brushing the slices of bread with oil and sprinkle evenly with salt. Toss the pieces on the grill, turning once, and cook until golden and crisp. Transfer to a cutting board and dice into rough cubes.
   
2. Meanwhile, toss all of the ingredients for the dressing into your blender except for the water. Thoroughly puree, scraping down the sides of the container as needed to get everything incorporated, until completely smooth. Slowly drizzle in the water with the motor running until it reaches your desired consistency.
   
3. Slice the romaine hearts in half lengthwise, brush evenly with oil and then grill with cut sides down. The cooking surface must be absolutely screaming hot so that the lettuce needs only a minute or two to take on a satisfying tattoo of dark grill marks; just 1 or 2 minutes at the most.
   
4. To serve, either plate the romaine whole and sprinkle with croutons, capers, hemp seeds (if using) and dressing to taste, or cut the romaine into bite-sized pieces and simply toss everything together in a large bowl. Serve immediately.

Notes

Speedy Tip: Swap out the grilled croutons for your favorite prepared variety or go gluten-free by using crispy seasoned chickpeas instead.

Snack attack? Omit the water from the dressing and use it as a dip with raw vegetables, chips, or crackers.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Eden Foods, Organic Shiro Miso, 12.1 oz
• 
  KAL, Nutritional, Yeast Flakes, Unsweetened, 12 oz (340 g)
• 
  Artisana, Organic Raw Tahini, Sesame Seed Butter, 14 oz (397 g)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 465Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 27gSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 14gSugar: 7gProtein: 16g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.