Grilled Caesar Salad – A BBQ Twist On An Old Classic
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We’ve taken the tried and trusted Caesar salad and added a slight BBQ twist to it. A nice char on the petite romaine.
The Caesar salad is the perfect pair to any meal. And this particular version has been a rotating staple in my kitchen at least once a week. The combination of the charred romaine with the creamy homemade dressing does not disappoint!
The list of ingredients may look a bit daunting. It might seem time-consuming to make the dressing and croutons from scratch; however, I can promise if you do it once, you won’t go back to store-bought.
Grilled Caesar Salad
Ingredients you’ll need
- Egg yolks
- Peppercorns – opt for whole or freshly crushed peppercorns.
- Salt
- Dijon mustard – Djon gives the pungent tangy flavor this dressing requires.
- Olive oil – good olive oil is everything. It can make or break a dish. Opt for an Extra Virgin Olive oil.
- Parmesan cheese
- Lemon
- Garlic
- Capers
- Hot sauce
- Worcestershire
- Baguette – preferably day-old.
- Seasonings – salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried Parsley.
- Petite Romaine
Traditionally, Caesar dressing has Anchovies. This recipe does not include them because my other half does not like seafood. Feel free to chuck one in the blender when making the dressing.
Equipment you’ll need
- Blender
- Baking tray
- Grill – I used the
Weber (Santa Maria or Propane grill), but anything with heat and a flame will work for this recipe.
How to make Grilled Caesar Salad
1. The dressing
Making the dressing is as simple as adding all of the ingredients to a blender and giving them a whizz until they are well combined.
I recommend salting after everything is blended.
I also prefer to make this about an hour before serving so the flavors can mend together.
2. The croutons
Homemade croutons have to be up there on the list of things I love. A rule of thumb is the more stale the bread the better the croutons.
Take half of a baguette and cube into small pieces.
Place it in a medium-sized bowl with Olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley, Parmesan, and minced garlic, and give it a good mix. Tip onto a baking tray and bake at 400°F for about seven minutes.
The bread will harden as it cools.
3. Put it together
Heat your grill to 400°F.
Cut the petite romaine in half.
Place the petite romaine flat-side down on the grill for about two minutes or until there is a nice char.
Once charred, place the romaine with the charred side up on your serving platter. Toss a bunch of croutons over top, then drizzle the dressing over everything. Top with shaved Parmesan.
Serve and enjoy immediately!
Serve your Smoked Caesar Salad with our
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Smoked Fried Wings
- Grilled Teres Major
- Rotisserie Prime Rib
- Smoked Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 3 heads petite romaine
- 1 cup Caesar dressing
- 1½ cups croutons
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Dressing
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ tbsp peppercorns
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup Olive oil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 lemon juice only
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 10 capers
- â…› tbsp hot sauce
- â…› tbsp Worcestershire
- salt to taste
Croutons
- ½ baguette
- ½ tbsp black pepper ground
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 400°F.
- Slice the petite romaine in half.
- Char the romaine flat side down for about 2 minutes.
- To assemble, place the romain charred side up on a plate, sprinkle on the croutons, drizzle on the dressing, and add shaved Parmesan to the top.
- Serve & enjoy!
Dressing
- Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend till smooth. Place into the fridge for up to an hour before use.
Croutons
- Heat an oven to 400°F.
- Cut the baguette into small cubes, then toss them and the rest of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Place the croutons onto a baking tray and spread them out evenly.
- Bake for about seven minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only. If you’re worried you could always add a side of kale.
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