Recipe by Nick DiGiovanni - Shrimp Caesar Salad in a Parmesan Cheese Bowl
Crisp romaine tossed in creamy Caesar dressing, served inside a golden, crunchy Parmesan cheese bowl and topped with buttery lemon sautéed shrimp. It’s bold, savory, and restaurant-level impressive while still being incredibly easy to pull together.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 Fresh Express® Twisted Caesar Avocado Caesar Chopped Kit
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra grated Parmesan
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
For the cheese bowl:
- 1½ cups finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup finely shredded Asiago cheese
For the shrimp:
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 small clove garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- Lemon wedges for finishing
Instructions
Make the Cheese Bowl
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle 1 to 1½ cups shredded Parmesan into a 6–7 inch even circle.
- Let it melt and bubble without touching it until it turns deep golden brown (about 2–4 minutes).
- Turn off heat and let it sit 15–25 seconds.
- Carefully lift it with a spatula and drape it over an upside-down bowl.
- Let it cool 3–5 minutes until fully hardened, then remove and set aside.
Cook the Shrimp
- Pat shrimp completely dry.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through.
- Turn off heat, add butter, and squeeze fresh lemon over the shrimp. Toss to coat.
Prepare the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine and stir lemon juice, extra Parmesan, and Dijon into the kit dressing
- Add in lettuce, croutons, and cheese from the salad kit
- Toss the salad with dressing just before serving.
Assemble
- Place the dressed Caesar salad inside the Parmesan cheese bowl.
- Top with hot sautéed shrimp.
- Finish with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and a lemon wedge.