Grilled Caesar Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Have you ever tried grilling leafy greens? Try this Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing this grilling season. 

Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing - try grilling greens for a whole new salad experience via Chef Julie Harrington @ChefJulie_RD #salad #caesarsalad #vegan #vegetarian #caesar #plantbased #dressing #tahini #glutenfree

Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, but it’s never too early to start firing up the grill. I’ve been all about the grilling scene in the blog world lately.

I started contributing to Luvo’s Fresh Blog and my first article was recently published – A Dietitian’s Guide to Building a Healthier Burger. Check out some nutritious tips for grilling burgers this summer.

Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing - try grilling greens for a whole new salad experience via Chef Julie Harrington @ChefJulie_RD #salad #caesarsalad #vegan #vegetarian #caesar #plantbased #dressing #tahini #glutenfree

Then, to my surprise, I was nominated for the Wayfair Healthy Gas Griller Recipe Award, featuring my Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos.

While both articles are more about the traditional grilling fare, I tried something a little different – grilling romaine lettuce. I was pleasantly surprised with the results. If you want to try grilling leafy greens, use sturdier greens like romaine, cabbage, etc.

Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing - try grilling greens for a whole new salad experience via Chef Julie Harrington @ChefJulie_RD #salad #caesarsalad #vegan #vegetarian #caesar #plantbased #dressing #tahini #glutenfree

The key to this Caesar salad is the toppings. Skip the croutons and top with plant-based fiber packed roasted chickpeas and add creaminess with avocado.

The real star is the dressing! This combination of lemon, hummus, tahini, and the secret ingredient cashews combines to create a thick and creamy dressing, minus the unwanted saturated fats and replacing them with heart-healthy unsaturated fats. 

Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing - try grilling greens for a whole new salad experience via Chef Julie Harrington @ChefJulie_RD #salad #caesarsalad #vegan #vegetarian #caesar #plantbased #dressing #tahini #glutenfree

Have you ever tried grilling leafy greens?

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Grilled Caesar Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing on a white platter

Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing

  • Author: Chef Julie Harrington, RD
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2-4 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Have you ever tried grilling leafy greens? Try this Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing this grilling season. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large romaine heart, cut in half lengthwise
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 

For the dressing:

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons garlic hummus
  • 1 tablespoon tahini paste
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in water
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine chickpeas, olive oil, and garlic powder. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chickpeas on baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
  2. As chickpeas are roasting, preheat grill to high. Spray cut, flat side of romaine hearts and place cut-side down on the grill. Grill for about 1-2 minutes until grill marks appear on lettuce. Flip and grill for an additional minute, to sear. Remove hearts to platter cut sides up.
  3. For dressing, place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
  4. Drizzle romaine hearts with dressing and top with roasted chickpeas and avocado.
  5. Store extra dressing in an airtight container.

Keywords: Salad, Caesar Salad, Grilling, Romaine, Tahini, Dressing, side dish

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Chef Julie Harrington, RD - Culinary Nutrition Consultant of chefjulierd.com
Grilled Caesar Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing - try grilling greens for a whole new salad experience via Chef Julie Harrington @ChefJulie_RD #salad #caesarsalad #vegan #vegetarian #caesar #plantbased #dressing #tahini #glutenfree