Grilled romaine salad is this summer’s ‘go-to’ side dish when you want something a little bit different. Heads of romaine lettuce are grilled to give them a subtle, smoky flavor and then topped with a creamy, homemade dressing, bacon, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. What’s not to love about that?
WHY GRILL LETTUCE?
Grilled lettuce sounds strange, doesn’t it? You’re going to discover that when romaine lettuce is grilled, it becomes tender with a delicate smoky flavor with crisp and caramelized edges on the outside. Even those who dislike salads or lettuce will enjoy this dish!
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE
- Mayonnaise – use a good quality mayo. I used Hellmann’s.
- Garlic
- Lemons – both for the dressing and to squeeze over the grilled lettuce.
- Anchovy paste – trust me on this one. You WILL NOT taste the fish. It has a salty flavor, but not fishy.
- Parmesan cheese – this goes in the dressing and to top the lettuce.
- Black pepper
- Romaine lettuce
- Olive oil
- Tomato – I used plum tomatoes. Be sure to take out the seeds.
- Bacon – cooked till crispy and crumbled
HOW DO I MAKE GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD
You’ll be amazed at how easy this recipe is to make. Ready?
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and chill until ready to use.
- Fire up the grill and brush the lettuce on both sides with olive oil.
- Grill the lettuce.
- Top with a squeeze of lemon, tomatoes, bacon, dressing, and cheese.
- Enjoy.
TIPS ON MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Don’t core the lettuce and slice it vertically. The core will keep the leaves intact and easy to grill.
- Make sure that your grill grates are clean.
- Turn your grill up to medium-high. This will impart that yummy smokiness.
- Lemon will bring out the flavors of the lettuce.
- Be sure to taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
MORE SALAD RECIPES TO TRY:
- Panzanella Salad
- Classic Waldorf Salad
- Fried Goat Cheese Salad With Roasted Root Vegetables
- Israeli Salad
- Tropical Beet Salad
- Ultimate Cobb Salad
- Spinach Salad With Bacon Dressing
- Fennel And Orange Salad
- Southwest Quinoa Salad
- Classic Caprese Salad
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad – La Scala Style
- Classic Wedge Salad
GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD
Grilled romaine salad will be your ‘go-to’ summer side dish. Grilled lettuce becomes smoky, tender, and delicious.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Starters - Starters
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 2 medium heads of romaine lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
- Olive oil
- One medium lemon, cut in half
- Diced tomato
- 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- Shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
Make the dressing.
In a wide mouth mason jar with an immersion blender or a whisk and mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and zest, anchovy paste, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Whisk or blend well to combine.
If the dressing is too thick, add a bit of water or milk to reach the desired consistency.
Cover tightly and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Make the salad.
Preheat your grill to medium-high.
Brush the cut side of the romaine lettuce with olive oil.
Place the lettuce cut side down on the grill.
Grill for 3-4 minutes and then turn.
Repeat on the other side before transferring to a serving platter.
Squeeze the lemon over the lettuce.
Top the romaine with tomato, bacon, a drizzle of dressing, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Serve with extra dressing on the side.
Keywords: grilled romaine salad, grilled lettuce, creamy salad dressing, homemade salad dressing, salad recipes, healthy food, healthy recipes, tomatoes, crispy bacon, Parmesan cheese