Description

This Prawn Caesar Salad with Crouton Crumbs is a fresh and flavourful twist on the classic Caesar. It features smoky grilled prawns, crisp baby cos lettuce, crunchy homemade crouton crumbs, and a creamy, tangy Caesar dressing. Elegant yet easy — perfect for a summer meal or light dinner.

Ingredients

Prawns:

20 raw banana prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salad:

4 heads baby cos lettuce, outer leaves discarded

30 g parmesan, finely grated

Crouton Crumbs:

125 g sourdough baguette, torn into 3 cm pieces

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Caesar Dressing:

3 anchovy fillets

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup (25 g) finely grated parmesan

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 lemon, rind finely grated and juiced

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

3/4 cup (185 ml) vegetable oil

Lemon wedges, to serve

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Instructions

Make crouton crumbs: Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Toss torn bread with olive oil and salt on a tray. Bake 13–15 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool, then crush into coarse crumbs using a rolling pin.
Prepare dressing: In a blender, combine anchovies, egg yolk, parmesan, garlic, lemon rind, 1½ tbsp lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and 1½ tbsp water. Blend until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add vegetable oil until creamy. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.
Cook prawns: Heat a barbecue or grill pan to medium-high. Toss prawns with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Thread onto soaked skewers and grill 2–3 minutes per side until pink and slightly charred.
Assemble salad: Separate lettuce leaves and place in a large bowl. Add half the parmesan and ½ cup dressing; toss to coat. Arrange on a platter, sprinkle remaining parmesan and crouton crumbs on top. Add prawns and drizzle with extra dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Swap prawns for grilled chicken, calamari, or tofu.

For vegetarian, skip anchovies and use capers or Worcestershire sauce substitute.

Store-bought Caesar dressing can be used with extra lemon and parmesan for freshness.

Keep crouton crumbs in a sealed jar for up to 2 days.

Serve immediately for the crispiest lettuce and prawns.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Grilled / Tossed
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 portion
Calories: 410
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 640 mg
Fat: 29 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 28 g
Cholesterol: 190 mg