Romaine Caesar Bowl (Printable Version)

Crisp romaine with creamy Caesar dressing, homemade croutons, and grilled protein

# What You'll Need:

→ 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) for vegetarian option
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 (optional for vegetarian)
19 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
20 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on a 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, minced garlic, anchovies if using, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until well 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 cheese.
05 - Top salad with croutons and protein of choice. Drizzle remaining dressing over the top and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade dressing tastes nothing like bottled, and once you know how easy it is to whisk together, you'll never go back.
  • You control the protein, so it works whether you're feeding meat-eaters, vegetarians, or the eternally indecisive.
  • The croutons stay crispy for hours if you make them ahead, which means less stress on serving day.
02 -
  • Don't add all the dressing at once—half goes on the lettuce and half drizzles on top so the salad doesn't get soggy and the flavors stay bright.
  • Timing matters: dress the salad no more than 10 minutes before serving, otherwise even crisp romaine will start to wilt from the acid in the lemon juice.
03 -
  • Make the dressing the morning of and store it in a jar—it actually gets better as flavors meld, and it's ready to go when you are.
  • Toast bread cubes in the oven even if you're using store-bought croutons—five minutes at 350°F revives them and makes them taste fresh again.
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