Seared Romaine with Cheater Caesar’s Dressing

A platter with charred romaine leaves with shaved Parmesan cheese on top and a lemon wedge to the side.

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4.37 from 19 votes

Seared Romaine with Cheater Caesar’s Dressing

Seared or grilled romaine leaves have such great flavor and are paired here with a simple Caesar salad dressing.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the romaine salad:

2 large heads of romaine lettuce
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Caesar dressing:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
2-3 dashes Worchestershire sauce

For serving (optional):

Parmesan shavings or extra grated Parmesan
Croutons

Instructions

Cut romaine stalks in half lengthwise, keeping the ends intact so each half stays together.
Brush both sides of the romaine with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Place the brushed romaine stalks cut-side down and sear for 3-4 minutes, until well-browned. Then flip and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes until browned and the romaine is slightly wilted. (You may need to work in batches, depending on how much you make, if it won’t all fit in your pan. See the notes below if you want to grill it instead.)
Meanwhile, make the Caesar dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously. You can also whisk everything together in a bowl.
Serve seared romaine with the dressing and Parmesan shavings and croutons, if desired.

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Notes

Grill: You can also grill the romaine on a grill pan or outside. Preheat the grill to 400 and grease the grates with an oil-soaked towel. Grill about 3 minutes per side, until well-browned.

Dressing: The dressing is chunky due to the Parmesan cheese and minced garlic. You can spoon it over the grilled romaine if it’s not pouring out well.

Nutrition

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