Romaine Caesar Bowl (Printable)

Crisp romaine with creamy Caesar dressing, croutons, and protein for a satisfying meal.

# What You'll 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 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 to 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 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 top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing tastes nothing like bottled, with that perfect balance of creamy and bright that makes you want to scrape the bowl.
  • You can have dinner on the table in thirty minutes without feeling like you rushed or compromised.
  • It transforms based on what protein you choose, so it never gets boring even when you make it twice a week.
02 -
  • Wet romaine will ruin your salad, so spin it dry in a salad spinner or pat it with paper towels—this one detail changes whether the dressing clings or slides off.
  • Don't dress the entire salad and walk away; the croutons will soften and the lettuce will weep, so add everything right before you eat, or have people assemble their own bowls.
03 -
  • Mince your anchovies finely so they dissolve into the dressing rather than creating little fishy pockets—they should be invisible but essential.
  • Squeeze your lemon juice fresh right before mixing; bottled lemon juice tastes flat compared to the real thing and honestly doesn't cost much more.
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