This grilled Caesar salad with steak and herb parmesan dressing is hearty enough to be the main event or an excellent shared side dish! Charred romaine, grilled ribeye steaks, crispy sourdough croutons, and shaved parmesan come together with a creamy homemade parmesan herb dressing. A fresh twist on the classic Caesar salad, perfect for summer cookouts or when you want to impress your dinner guests!
This salad is special, there’s something about grilled romaine, its a bit warm and tender but still has a nice crunch. Paired with a perfectly seasoned steak, crunchy croutons, salty parmesan and a delicious homemade dressing. While you can substitute store-bought dressing I highly recommend making your own!
I left my romaine hearts whole and served family style but you can also chop of the grilled romaine and toss the salad together. The parmesan dressing will keep for up to a week and is also great with chicken or seafood, fries, or grilled veggies!
If you’re a fan of this salad, try my BLT chopped salad or this antipasto tortellini pasta salad. Find all of my salad recipes here for even more recipe inspiration!
What Makes This A Hit
What makes this grilled Caesar salad special is how almost everything is tossed on the grill, making this not only quick, but clean up is simple! The homemade herb dressing pulls it all together with garlicky and fresh pops of the herbs. A really beautiful dish for a date night in or a summer gathering with friends. I love how customizable it is, swap different lettuce, protein, or dressing as desired!
Key Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce – halved lengthwise for grilling. You can also use little gem lettuce or endive for smaller portions.
- Lemon – cut in half for grilling. I recommend fresh over bottled juice.
- Sourdough bread – makes the best crunchy croutons, but French bread or ciabatta are great alternatives.
- Thin ribeye steaks – flavorful and tender. New York strip, flank steak, or even chicken breast can work if you prefer.
- Avocado oil – perfect for high-heat grilling. Olive oil works too, though it has a lower smoke point.
- Shaved parmesan cheese – for garnish. Pecorino Romano can be used for a sharper bite.
- Egg yolks – give the dressing its creamy texture.
- Fresh parsley – for freshness; basil or chives also work nicely.
- Fresh dill – adds a light, herby aroma. Tarragon or extra parsley can be used instead.
How to Make the Caesar Salad
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Grilled Caesar Salad with Steak and Herb Parmesan Dressing(The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Season and grill ribeye, rest, and slice.
- Grill lettuce, bread, and lemons. Make dressing.
- Assemble salad. Enjoy!
- Preheat a gas grill over medium-high heat.
- Slice the romaine hearts in half lengthwise. Drizzle the romaine, sourdough, and ribeye steaks lightly with avocado oil, season steak with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Once the grill reaches about 400 degrees F, add on the ribeye steaks, cook for 2-3 minutes per side depending on preferred doneness. Remove steaks from the grill and let rest before slicing.
- While the grill is still hot, place the romaine hearts on cut side down, along with sour dough bread and lemon. Grill romaine for 2-3 minutes or until slightly charred. Grill sourdough until charred on each side, same with the lemon. Remove from the grill.
- In a large wide mouth mason jar combine egg yolks, garlic, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and half of the avocado oil. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture for about 30 seconds until it begins to emulsify.
- Add in the herbs, parmesan cheese, and the remaining avocado oil. Blend again until smooth, if the dressing is too thick, thin with additional oil or water.
- Slice steak and cut sourdough into croutons. If desired, chop romaine hearts.
- To assemble the salad, add romaine to a large platter, top with sliced steak, croutons, shaved parmesan, and squeeze on the grilled lemon. Drizzle heavily with the herb dressing and toss everything to combine. Enjoy immediately.
Grilled Caesar Salad with Steak and Herb Parmesan Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 heads Romaine lettuce
- 1 medium Lemon, sliced in half
- 3-4 slices Sourdough bread
- 2 lbs. Thin Ribeye steaks
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Avocado oil, for drizzling
- 1/2 cup Shaved parmesan cheese
For The Dressing:
- 2 Egg yolks
- 2 fresh Garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup Avocado oil
- 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp Fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
For The Dressing:
- In a large wide mouth mason jar combine egg yolks, garlic, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and half of the avocado oil. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture for about 30 seconds until it begins to emulsify.2 Egg yolks , 2 fresh Garlic cloves , 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper , 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice , 3/4 cup Avocado oil
- Add in the herbs, parmesan cheese, and the remaining avocado oil. Blend again until smooth, if the dressing is too thick, thin with additional oil or water.3/4 cup Avocado oil, 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, 1 tbsp Fresh dill, 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
For The Salad:
- Preheat a gas grill over medium-high heat.
- Slice the romaine hearts in half lengthwise. Drizzle the romaine, sourdough, and ribeye steaks lightly with avocado oil, season steak with salt and pepper. Set aside.4 heads Romaine lettuce, 1 medium Lemon, 3-4 slices Sourdough bread , 2 lbs. Thin Ribeye steaks, 2 tsp Kosher salt, Avocado oil, Fresh cracked black pepper
- Once the grill reaches about 400 degrees F, add on the ribeye steaks, cook for 2-3 minutes per side depending on preferred doneness. Remove steaks from the grill and let rest before slicing.
- While the grill is still hot, place the romaine hearts on cut side down, along with sour dough bread and lemon. Grill romaine for 2-3 minutes or until slightly charred. Grill sourdough until charred on each side, same with the lemon. Remove from the grill.
- Slice steak and cut sourdough into croutons. If desired, chop romaine hearts.
- To assemble the salad, add romaine to a large platter, top with sliced steak, croutons, shaved parmesan, and squeeze on the grilled lemon. Drizzle heavily with the herb dressing and toss everything to combine. Enjoy immediately.1/2 cup Shaved parmesan cheese
Notes
- Preheat your grill so you get a quick char without overcooking the romaine.
- Season steak generously, salt and pepper is all you need!
- Grill lemons cut-side down for caramelized flavor that enhances the salad.
- Use day-old sourdough for croutons so they grill up extra crisp.
- Let the steak rest before slicing to keep it juicy and cook to you likeness.
Nutrition
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Storage & Reheating
This salad is best eaten right away, but if there are leftovers – store steak, grilled romaine, and dressing separately in airtight containers. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm steak slices gently in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave in short intervals to avoid overcooking. Croutons can be re-crisped in a 350°F oven for a few minutes. Serve the romaine cold or at room temperature — grilling it again after storage isn’t recommended.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! New York strip, flank steak, or even filet mignon will work. Adjust grilling time based on thickness. You could also substitute salmon, chicken, or shrimp!
No, but grilling adds a smoky, charred flavor that makes this salad unique. If you prefer, you can keep the romaine fresh and crisp. I like it slightly warm!
Absolutely. The herb parmesan Caesar dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Give it a stir before serving. It will keep in an airtight container.
Any crusty bread works, French bread, ciabatta, or focaccia are great options for making croutons. Or use store-bought croutons.
Yes. You can sear it in a cast iron skillet or grill pan indoors on the stove-top!
Yes, you can. Store-bought dressing will work it just won’t be as rich and herby as the homemade version. If desired, blend fresh herbs into the bottled dressing to amp it up.
Tools I Recommend
- Half Sheet Pan – my go-to baking sheet, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely. I lay the prepped ingredients on the sheet pan to transport them to and from the grill.
- Tongs – I love a good pair of trusty tongs. This set is great because it offers different lengths.
- Immersion Blender – perfect for making the Caesar dressing, I highly recommend this for making dressing and soups at home!
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
