Romaine Caesar Bowl (Print Version)

Crisp romaine lettuce with creamy homemade Caesar dressing, crunchy croutons, and protein for a hearty meal.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

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 - 1 can chickpeas, drained and roasted
11 - 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

# How-To Steps:

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 before use.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, anchovies, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully combined.
03 - Select preferred protein: grill chicken breasts until internal temperature reaches 165°F and slice; or roast drained chickpeas at 400°F tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper for 20 minutes; or grill shrimp until opaque throughout.
04 - In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine lettuce with half the Caesar dressing. Add cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan cheese, mixing gently to coat.
05 - Top salad with prepared croutons and cooked protein of choice. Drizzle remaining dressing over the top and serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like you spent the whole afternoon on it.
  • The homemade dressing is so good you'll find yourself making extra just to have on hand for other meals.
  • You can swap proteins easily depending on what you've got or what you're in the mood for.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than 15 minutes before eating or the lettuce will wilt and the croutons will start to soften, which learned the hard way when I tried to prep ahead for a party.
  • The homemade dressing is thicker than bottled versions, so whisk in a little water if you want it to coat more easily, a trick that changed everything for me.
03 -
  • Dry your romaine really thoroughly using a salad spinner or paper towels because water is the enemy of crispy lettuce and good dressing adherence.
  • Make extra croutons because they disappear faster than you'd expect, and honestly they're good enough to eat straight from the baking sheet.
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