Romaine Caesar Bowl (Printable Version)

Crisp romaine with creamy homemade dressing, golden croutons, and protein of choice for a satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

→ Croutons

04 - 3 cups day-old bread, cubed
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
07 - ¼ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Protein

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

→ Caesar Dressing

10 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
14 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced
17 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How To Make:

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 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and cool completely.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, anchovies, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Prepare your selected protein: grill chicken breasts until cooked through and slice, or roast drained chickpeas at 400°F tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper for 20 minutes, or grill shrimp until just cooked through and opaque.
04 - In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce with half of the Caesar dressing. Add cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan cheese, then toss gently to coat.
05 - Top the salad with prepared croutons and your choice of protein. Drizzle remaining dressing over the top and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade dressing tastes nothing like bottled—it's tangier, creamier, and actually has personality.
  • You can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes flat, which makes weeknight cooking feel less like a chore.
  • It adapts to whatever protein you have on hand, so it works whether you're cooking for omnivores or vegetarians.
02 -
  • Never make the dressing more than a few hours ahead; the lemon juice will start breaking down the other flavors and everything tastes thin and tired by dinner.
  • If you're cooking protein, give it time to cool slightly before adding it to the salad—warm chicken or shrimp wilts the lettuce and makes the dressing separate.
03 -
  • Chill your salad bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before assembling—it keeps everything fresher longer and tastes noticeably crisp.
  • If anchovies feel like a bridge too far, start with just one fillet minced very fine; people often taste the flavor without tasting the fish, and that's the whole point.
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