Grilled Caesar Salad Recipe

Toast croutons

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Toss with melted butter, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bake 10–12 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and crisp. Remove and let cool, then pulse 6–8 times in a food processor or crush in a bowl to create a coarse crumble. Reserve.

In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons bourbon with 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper. Let sit 5 minutes to allow the bourbon to bloom the pepper aroma. This will be drizzled sparingly over the finished salad.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, minced anchovy fillets, 1 clove minced garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce until smooth.

Stir in 1 cup finely grated Parmesan. If dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, or anchovy to preference. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare romaine

Preheat a gas grill or heavy cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Brush the cut sides of 4 romaine hearts with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Grill romaine

Place romaine cut-side down on the hot grill. Grill 2–3 minutes until char marks appear and lettuce is slightly wilted but still crisp in the center. Flip and grill the outer side 30–45 seconds just to warm through. Remove and transfer to a platter; keep warm.

Dress the romaine

Generously spoon Caesar dressing over the grilled cut sides and the outer leaves, using about 1/2 to 3/4 cup dressing total depending on preference. Gently rub the dressing into the leaves so it clings to the charred surfaces.

Assemble and finish

Sprinkle the crouton crumble evenly over the dressed romaine. Scatter 1 cup shaved Parmesan across the top. Lightly drizzle the bourbon-black pepper mixture (use sparingly — about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per head) over the salad to add aromatic pepper-bourbon notes. Finish with a final small grind of black pepper and additional lemon wedges at the side for squeezing.