Grilled Asparagus Caesar Salad

Try this new twist on a classic Caesar salad that highlights one of the best spring seasonal ingredients - asparagus. You can make this homemade dressing recipe, or even substitute store bought if you're running short on time and just use this recipe as a guide for how to grill it and put it together.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 Pounds asparagus spears
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
Garlic powder for sprinkling
4 Slices sourdough bread
⅓ Cup shaved parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

Caesar dressing:

4 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
2 Teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1/3 Cup olive oil

Directions:

As a note, make the dressing first! You can make this a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge too.

  1. Preheat your grill to a medium-high setting. Let the grates get hot for at least 10 minutes!
  2. Remove the woody stems from the asparagus spears. Toss them with 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper.
  3. Brush the sourdough slices with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle all over with kosher salt and even some garlic powder.
  4. Place the asparagus spears directly on the grill (in the opposite direction of how the grates run, so they don’t fall through the cracks!). Grill for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally until the spears are slightly charred. I also throw the sourdough on the grates at the same time. The bread needs about 1 to 2 minutes per side until it’s toasty with grill marks.
  5. Remove the asparagus and bread from the grill. Slice or tear the sourdough into smaller crouton pieces.
  6. Place the asparagus on a plate and drizzle all over with the caesar dressing - use as much or as little as you’d like. Top with the shaved parmesan cheese.
  7. Top with the sourdough croutons. Top with the finely grated parmesan. Serve immediately!

Caesar Dressing:

  1. To make the dressing, add the garlic, yogurt, parmesan, mustard, vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until pureed. With the processor still on, stream in the olive oil until a creamy dressing forms. (This will probably make more dressing than needed, but you can store it sealed in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days and stir well before using.)

Recipe Source: https://www.howsweeteats.com/grilled-asparagus-caesar-salad/