Charred Caesar Salad
Regular iceberg lettuce salads get boring fast and this charred caesar salad brings bold flavor with an easy dressing and a bit of smokiness from a flash under the broiler. You’ll be amazed how delicious it is!
Jump to Recipe
If you find yourself stuck for new ideas when you entertain this salad is so much fun. You’ll be amazed at what your guests say when you place warm lettuce on their plates!
Here’s what you need to know for dinner success:
Use the proper sturdy lettuce. In this case you need romaine and nothing less. I use romaine hearts and you’ll need to keep the stem end intact. Just slice the whole head down the center to make two halves.
Brush on your dressing just before grilling (or broiling) so it doesn’t wilt the leaves. Use a pastry brush to get the dressing down between each leaf. If you would rather try a different dressing or don’t love the idea of anchovies you can try this one.
Use the best possible ingredients you can get. This means real parmesan you grate yourself and a quality olive oil like California Olive Ranch. Every ingredient will shine so don’t skimp.
How to char your caesar salad
You can easily make charred caesar salad on a grill, in a grill pan or under the oven broiler. I use the broiler in my oven but any of them will work. The key is to get your oven really hot and your rack as close to the burner as possible. Your salads will only be in for moments–we aren’t baking it–just getting the ends a little black.
No one wants to eat soggy, wet, cooked lettuce. Gracious. So pay attention and don’t walk away.
Other salad options to try
Homemade caesar salad with no raw eggs (the classic cold version)
Pear Salad with Gorgonzola and Walnuts
Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Charred Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven broiler on high and arrange your top oven rack as close to the broiler as possible.
- Get out a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold the lettuce, and set aside.
Rinse the lettuce to remove any dirt or grit. Pat dry with paper towels. - Slice each head lengthwise in to two pieces, leaving the root end intact to hold the leaves together. Lay the four halves cut side up on the baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic, olive oil, anchovy paste, salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush or a spoon to drizzle, coat the cut sides of each of the lettuce halves with the mixture, making sure to go all the way to the ends and in between some of the layers too.
Sprinkle each half evenly with the parmesan cheese. - Broil, just until the edges start to char and the lettuce softens slightly–no more than 4 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it and check it often! Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon or some crushed croutons over the top.
This sounds so good. My sister-in-law made something similar and it was amazing.