Grilled Caesar Salad Recipe

Prepare produce and cheeses

Wash romaine heads and pat dry. Quarter each head lengthwise through the core so you have 4 long wedges from two heads. Remove any bruised outer leaves. Thinly shred or finely slice enough red cabbage to equal 1 cup. Thinly slice radishes into rounds. Crumble 3 oz cotija cheese and set aside, reserving extra for finishing.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill (or a heavy griddle or cast-iron skillet) to medium-high (about 425–475°F / 220–245°C). If using an indoor grill pan, heat it over medium-high until very hot.

In a bowl or small food processor, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, 3 anchovy fillets, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons water, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Blitz or whisk until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or salt — anchovies and Parmesan add salt, so add sparingly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Brush the cut sides of the romaine wedges lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season the cut sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Leave the outer leaves unseasoned to maintain texture.

Place romaine cut-side down on the preheated grill or hot pan. Grill without moving until char marks form and the lettuce wilts slightly, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and grill the top briefly 30–60 seconds just to warm through. Remove and let rest 1–2 minutes.

While still warm, sprinkle the grilled cut sides with 1/2 teaspoon sumac (reserve remaining sumac for finishing) to add lemony brightness.

Heat 1/2 cup neutral oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (or preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C if baking). If frying: working in batches, fry each tortilla for 30–45 seconds per side until crispy and blistered. Transfer to paper towels and season lightly with salt. If baking: brush each tortilla with a little oil, stack on a sheet, and bake 8–10 minutes, flipping once, until crisp.

Once cool, break tortillas into irregular shards about 1–2 inches for crunch and garnish.

In a large bowl or on a platter, place the grilled romaine wedges cut-side up. Scatter shredded red cabbage and radish slices around and over the wedges.

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of Caesar dressing over each wedge (or toss a small amount of cabbage/radish with dressing if you prefer it mixed). Use more or less dressing to taste; reserve extra dressing for serving.

Top with crumbled cotija cheese and scatter Peruvian sweet drop chili slices (about 2 tablespoons) evenly across the salad for sweet-heat accents.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon sumac over the salad, grind remaining black pepper, and finish with extra grated cotija or Parmesan.

Garnish with crispy tortilla shards just before serving so they remain crunchy.

Serve warm-grilled romaine wedges immediately with extra dressing on the side and lemon wedges if desired. Recommend serving 2 wedges per person as a main or 1 wedge as a shared starter.