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This Grilled Caesar Salad with Blackened Shrimp is the simple and impressive. Smoky and flavorful shrimp, perfectly grilled romaine lettuce, and fresh tomatoes all drizzled with my go-to dairy-free caesar salad dressing.
Grilled Romaine Salad Recipe
I have been wanting to make a Grilled Caesar Salad for a while now. And I am so excited with how this one turned out. It’s a summer staple you’ll be making again and again.
This salad is packed with juicy blackened shrimp, grilled romaine lettuce, fresh cherry tomatoes, dairy-free caesar dressing, and lemon. It’s the ultimate summer salad and a total must-try!
Why Do People Grill Romaine Lettuce?
Because it’s incredible! Grilling romaine lettuce gives the lettuce a delicious smoky. It leaves the middle crunchy, then chars and caramelizes the outside for the perfect contrast of textures.
Top that with blackened shrimp and a few toppings and you have a gourmet salad in no time at all!
Ingredients Needed:
- Shrimp Seasonings – Our blackened shrimp seasoning is made with a blend of red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, sweet paprika, dried thyme, white pepper, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.
- Olive Oil – You’ll slather both the lettuce and the shrimp with oil before grilling for the perfect texture.
- Shrimp – You can use fresh shrimp or frozen, thawed shrimp.
- Lettuce – You’ll need one head of romaine lettuce sliced in half.
- Cherry Tomatoes – I like to slice the cherry tomatoes in half for perfect, bite-sized pieces.
- Lemon – Slices or wedges for garnish.
- Caesar Dressing – Our homemade caesar dressing consists of mayo, oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, lemon juice, anchovy paste, sea salt, and black pepper.
How to Make Grilled Romaine Salad
Cooking romaine on the grill and turning it into a delicious warm salad is one of the best and easiest ways to take your salad to the next level.
- Make the dressing: In a blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients. Pulse a couple of times until everything is well-combined.
- Grill the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry gently, then season well with the spice blend. Place shrimp on skewers, then grill until opaque and charred slightly on each side.
- Grill the lettuce: Drizzle the romaine lettuce with oil, place it cut side down on the grill, and grill until wilted and slightly charred.
- Combine and serve: On a serving platter, lay out the grilled shrimp, lettuce, and the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing, add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, then serve.
How Do You Wash Romaine Before Grilling?
The easiest way to wash the lettuce is to place the leaves in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Let the leaves soak in the water for a few minutes, then your hand to swish them around a bit to loosen up any dirt or grime.
Once the leaves are washed, pat them dry to remove the excess water and they’re good to go!
What is the Best Way to Cut Romaine Lettuce for a Salad?
For a grilled salad, there’s not a whole lot of cutting that needs to happen. You’ll take 1 head of romaine lettuce and just slice it in half to grill. So easy!
Tips and Notes
- Slice the lettuce vertically. We want to cut each lettuce head in half, but keep the leaves all connected at the bottom.
- Pat the shrimp dry. Removing excess moisture is the key to the perfect texture.
- Grill at medium-high heat. We want it to be hot enough that both the shrimp and the lettuce get that delicious char.
- Serve warm. This salad is best served warm and right away.
Serving Suggestions
This grilled salad is delicious as a light dinner on its own, but I love to serve it with a refreshing glass of frosé and with a side dish or two to round it out. Here are a few favorites:
- Baked Potatoes
- Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Chimichurri
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Herb and Garlic Quinoa
How to Store
I don’t recommend storing this salad after it’s assembled. It is best served immediately!
To get ahead, however, you can grill the shrimp in advance and store it for 3-4 days in the fridge. Also the caesar salad dressing will last in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Caesar Quinoa Salad
- Shrimp Avocado Salad
- Sriracha Lime Grilled Chicken Salad
- Spring Mix Salad
Grilled Caesar Salad With Blackened Shrimp
Ingredients
Blackened Shrimp Seasoning:
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon White pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- Pinch Cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Other Salad Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1 head romaine lettuce sliced in half and grilled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 lemon sliced thin or into wedges for garnish
Caesar Dressing from page 320 of the Lexi’s Clean Kitchen Cookbook:
- 1/2 cup homemade mayo homemade or store-bought
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste optional
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender combine all caesar salad ingredients. Pulse once or twice just until blended. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired and set aside.
- Mix blackened shrimp seasoning in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Pat shrimp dry and dredge in the blackened shrimp seasoning. Place on skewers and brush generously with extra virgin olive oil. Grill shrimp until opaque and fully cooked through, about 5-6 minutes turning to char on each side.
- Drizzle romaine lettuce with extra virgin olive oil. Place lettuce, cut side-down, on the grill. Grill until slightly wilted and charred, about 5 minutes.
- Place grilled shrimp, lettuce, and the rest of the salad ingredients on a serving platter of choice.
- Top salad with a drizzle of caesar dressing and parmesan cheese if using. Serve warm with more caesar dressing on the side and lemon slices.
Family loved it!
My family loved this recipe, so hard to find a blackened seasoning!. A total hit, love your blog Lexi, thank you.
Absolutely LOVE a good blackened seasoning! A nice twist from the classic caesar salad!!
This looks really good!