This is not your normal caesar salad. It’s far from the sad mixture of lettuce, croutons, and gloopy dressing that you get to make yourself feel better about the big bowl of pasta you’re about to eat at the local Italian restaurant. Instead, smoky grilled vegetables are tossed with a super flavorful and light Caesar-like dressing (no eggs or anchovies needed!). It’s the perfect healthy salad to fill you up, without weighing you down, any night of the summer.
It all starts with the veggies! I love the combination of crispy romaine, peppery radishes, sharp green onions, sweet fennel and earthy oyster mushrooms, as they balance well with the tart and creamy dressing (we’ll get to that in a minute!). But this is one of those recipes where you could use whatever you have in your fridge – bell peppers, red onion, or asparagus would all work well here too. The important thing is that your vegetables can go on the grill or grill pan. It brings out their natural flavor and adds a touch of smokiness to the dish.
Then it’s onto the dressing. I would call this a Caesar-like dressing in that there are no raw eggs or anchovies, but it still has the creamy, tangy flavor you’d expect. The trick is using greek yogurt, which keeps things creamy but also light and healthy. Then you add dijon, Worcestershire sauce and parmesan cheese which add the savory and salty flavors you’d normally get from anchovies. While not traditional, it’s just as delicious! I love using this dressing in kale caesar salads as well.
Finally, chop up the smoky grilled vegetables, mix them up with the creamy dressing and you’re good to go! This is a perfect summer vegetarian meal, but you could also add in some protein like grilled fish or chicken. It’s truly a salad that you’ll actually be excited to serve and eat!
Looking for other summer salad ideas? Check them out here!
Wine Pairings for Healthy Grilled Caesar Salad
- Merlot: For red wine, you’ll want one with light acidity to break through the creaminess of the dressing. A medium-bodied Merlot will do that while also being light and soft enough for this summer salad.
- Albariño: This white wine is similar to a Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling with bright citrus and soft grassy flavors. The citrus will cut through the dressing while the grassy flavor will go great with the lettuce and vegetables.
Travel Tip: Pinecrest Lake
This recipe came to life during a trip to the mountains with my family last summer. If you’re looking for an outdoorsy summer trip in California, Pinecrest Lake is perfect! Located south of Tahoe and north of Yosemite in the Stanislaus National Forest, it has activities for the whole family. Go to the beach and swim with the kids or take a boat out on the lake. You can hike around the entire lake if you’re up for it, or try out one of the other great hikes in the mountain area, including the Trail of the Gargoyles, which was my favorite.
There are also rivers full of trout for some great fishing! We served up this grilled caesar salad with some barbecued trout that we had just caught that afternoon – YUM!
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Healthy Grilled Caesar salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
A lighter take on the classic salad with grilled lettuce and vegetables, drizzled with a healthy Caesar-like dressing.
Ingredients
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving as desired
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
- 6 green onions
- 8 radishes, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
- 2 fennel bulbs, cut in half
- ½ pound oyster mushrooms, cut in half
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the greek yogurt, parmesan, lemon juice, balsamic, garlic, Worcestershire, and dijon until smooth. Season with pepper to taste.
- Brush all the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Place lettuce on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until the outer leaves start to get charred.
- Place the rest of the vegetables on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until tender, about 6-7 minutes.
- To serve, chop up the vegetables into bite sized pieces and mix them up in a bowl with half of the dressing. Serve with remaining dressing on the side and extra parmesan to add as desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
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