30-Minute Grilled Romaine Caesar
Charred romaine hearts meet a silky Caesar dressing anchored by pasteurized egg and brightened with capers and parsley. Sweet pomegranate arils and toasted pepitas add crunch and tartness, while caramelized shallots bring depth. Serve warm off the grill as an elegant side or light main course. This version the classic by grilling the lettuce for smoky char and using whole shallots instead of raw alliums.
Ingredients
- 1 Safest Choice pasteurized eggmayonnaise (3 tablespoon)1:1vegan-avoideggs-free
conf:4
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire saucesoy sauce (1/4 teaspoon) or tamari1:1note:slightly more umami depthadds glutenadds soy
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Full guide → - 2 tablespoon capers
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 garlic clove, crushed, large
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
- 12 shallots, whole
- 6 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise
- ¼ cup pepitassunflower seeds or pine nuts (1/4 cup)1:1nut-allergy-cautionadds tree_nuts
note:adjust toast time for pine nuts
Full guide → - ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Instructions
- 1
Blend egg, mustard, lemon juice, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, capers, garlic, salt and pepper until whipped.
- 2
Slowly drizzle in half cup olive oil while blending until dressing is creamy.
- 3
Transfer dressing to serving bottle and stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
- 4
Refrigerate dressing until ready to serve.
- 5
Heat small pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- 6
Saute shallots until caramelized but not mushy.
- 7
Toss in pepitas and toast for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- 8
Heat grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat and add olive oil.
- 9
Grill romaine halves cut side down until browned.
- 10
Turn and grill other side until charred.
- 11
Transfer grilled romaine to serving plate and top with caramelized shallots, toasted pepitas, pomegranate arils and shaved Parmesan.
- 12
Serve immediately with Caesar dressing on the side or drizzled over.
Tips
Use high heat for the grill to achieve deep browning on lettuce without wilting; 3 minutes per side is ideal for crisp-tender texture.
Toast pepitas in the residual heat immediately after sauteing shallots to preserve their crunch and nutty flavor.
Make dressing ahead and chill; it thickens slightly and flavors meld. Drizzle just before serving to keep grilled romaine from getting soggy.
Good to Know
Dressing keeps refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight container. Do not store grilled romaine; assemble and serve immediately to maintain crunch and char.
Prepare dressing, caramelize shallots and toast pepitas up to 4 hours ahead. Reheat shallots gently before plating. Grill romaine just before serving.
Serve as warm salad course, elegant side to grilled protein, or light lunch. Pairs with white wine or sparkling water.
Common Mistakes
Over-blend dressing to avoid breaking the emulsion and creating greasy texture; stop once creamy.
Grill romaine over medium-high instead of high heat to avoid complete wilting; high heat chars exterior while keeping interior crisp.
Assemble immediately after grilling to prevent soggy lettuce; dress lightly or serve dressing on the side.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
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General Alternatives
note:adjust toast time for pine nuts
Full guide →conf:3
Full guide →FAQ
Can I make this salad vegan?
Replace pasteurized egg with 3 tablespoon vegan mayo and use dairy-free Parmesan alternative. Use soy sauce instead of Worcestershire for depth. Pepitas and pomegranate arils are naturally vegan.
What if my dressing breaks or becomes greasy?
Start fresh with a clean blender, one new egg, and drizzle oil even more slowly. If already broken, whisk in 1 tablespoon cold water to emulsify. Broken dressing can be used as a dip but won't coat salad smoothly.
How long does the dressing keep and can I freeze it?
Dressing keeps 3 days refrigerated in airtight container. Do not freeze; thawing breaks the emulsion. Make fresh batches for best texture and flavor.