Romaine Caesar Bowl (Printable)

Fresh romaine with creamy Caesar dressing, crunchy croutons, and grilled chicken or vegetarian protein options.

# Components:

→ Salad Base

01 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

→ Croutons

04 - 3 cups day-old bread, cubed
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Protein

09 - 2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
10 - or 1 can chickpeas, drained and roasted
11 - or 8 ounces grilled shrimp

→ Caesar Dressing

12 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
13 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
14 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
15 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
16 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced
19 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
20 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool completely.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, anchovies, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth and combined.
03 - Grill chicken breasts and slice; or roast chickpeas at 400°F tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper for 20 minutes; or grill shrimp until just cooked through.
04 - In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the Caesar dressing. Add cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan.
05 - Top salad with croutons, protein of choice, and drizzle remaining dressing over top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's hearty enough to be a real meal, not just a side salad you forget about an hour later.
  • The homemade dressing tastes leagues better than anything from a bottle and takes barely any effort.
  • You can swap the protein based on what's in your fridge or what sounds good that day.
  • Everything comes together in half an hour, including baking your own croutons.
02 -
  • Dry your romaine thoroughly after washing, wet leaves will dilute the dressing and make everything soggy.
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving or the lettuce will wilt and the croutons will lose their crunch.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing, croutons, and lettuce separate until the last moment.
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons of Parmesan directly over the salad for the best texture and flavor.
  • Let your croutons cool completely before adding them to the salad, warm croutons will wilt the lettuce.
  • If you don't have anchovies, a tiny splash of fish sauce will give you that same savory depth.
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