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Grilled romaine hearts are a real game-changer in the realm of salads. Stepping out of the traditional cold, crisp salad box, grilled romaine lettuce brings a warm, smoky edge to your usual green leafy friend. Drizzled with homemade parmesan vinaigrette, this grilled romaine hearts recipe adds a fun twist to your typical appetizer table. Enjoy!
Why this recipe for grilled romaine hearts works
Getting tired of boring romaine lettuce? Trust me – I get it! There are only so many ways you can dress up a salad with the same ingredients. But what if you could take your romaine lettuce to the next level by grilling it? That’s right – grilled romaine hearts!
Grilling romaine hearts is a great way to transform this often-overlooked vegetable into something special.
Not only does it add a charred smoky flavor, but the heat of the grill slightly softens the lettuce and brings out its sweet notes. It’s also easy to prepare – all you need is some freshly cut romaine hearts, a few minutes on the grill, and a delicious dressing to go with it.
The addition of homemade parmesan vinaigrette takes this dish over the top and makes it perfect for a light appetizer or side dish.
Ingredients needed
Here’s everything you need to make these grilled romaine hearts…
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Lettuce
- Romaine lettuce hearts
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Parmesan vinaigrette
- Olive oil
- Anchovies (in oil)
- Garlic cloves
- Dijon mustard
- Red wine vinaigrette
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Ground black pepper
- Lemon
TIP
A lot of people are iffy about anchovies, but try not to skip them in the recipe. They give the vinaigrette so much umami!
How to make grilled romaine lettuce with parmesan vinaigrette
Now that you have everything you need to make this grilled recipe, here’s a step-by-step process to easily make this romaine salad!
Prep the romaine lettuce
To make this grilled salad recipe, you will need to start with two fresh romaine hearts.
Once you are back home from buying your produce:
- Slice the romaine hearts in half along the core of the lettuce.
- Take apart the lettuce leaves and discard any wilted leaves.
- Thoroughly wash the lettuce under cold running water and shake off any excess liquid.
- Place the lettuce leaves on a towel and let them dry for about 5 minutes.
TIP
In order for this recipe to work, the romaine must be fully dry after washing. It’s best if you wash it right after you purchase it and allow it to dry in the refrigerator.
Is there a difference between romaine hearts and romaine lettuce?
Romaine lettuce has long, green leaves and a crunchy stalk. Romaine hearts are the inner part of the romaine lettuce head, which is composed of more tender leaves that have a slightly bitter flavor.
You can use either for this recipe!
Can I use a different kind of lettuce?
Yes! You can use any kind of lettuce you like for this recipe. We recommend using something with crunchy leaves, like iceberg or romaine lettuce, but butterhead lettuce will work too.
Make the parmesan vinaigrette
While allowing the lettuce to dry off, this is the perfect time to prepare the delicious parmesan vinaigrette.
Note: This is the perfect time to preheat your grill at 450°F for 10 minutes.
To make the homemade dressing:
- In a mortar and pestle, combine the anchovies and garlic, and pound them into a smooth paste.
- Transfer the garlic anchovy paste to a medium bowl, then add Dijon mustard, red wine vinaigrette, black pepper, and lemon juice, and whisk them together.
- While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
- Gently fold in the parmesan cheese and set it aside (if it separates, re-whisk before serving).
TIP
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can mince the anchovies and use the flat part of a knife to smoothen them into a paste.
Can I use another type of mustard?
You can use whole-grain mustard as a substitute. If you don’t have either of these on hand, a spicy brown mustard is also a great option. If you do use one of these mustards instead, I would halve it since they tend to be stronger in taste.
Do I have to use fresh lemons?
You can use bottled lemon juice or even a teaspoon of store-bought lemon zest. If using bottled lemon juice, halve it since it is more concentrated in flavor.
Can I store this parmesan vinaigrette to use later?
Absolutely! This parmesan vinaigrette is great for meal prepping – you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days in a mason jar.
Grill the romaine hearts
Okay, now that the lettuce leaves are dry and your vinaigrette is made, it’s time to grill the romaine hearts!
After placing the dry romaine leaves on a cutting board:
- Drizzle olive oil over the flat-cut side of the romaine.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the top.
- Then, sprinkle the kosher salt and ground black pepper over the top.
- Place the flat-cut side of the romaine hearts on the preheated grill grates and allow them to get a good char for about 4-5 minutes.
- Once you have achieved your grill marks, remove them from the grill and place them on a plate.
TIP
You can use your tongs to gently push down if any parts of the lettuce aren’t coming into contact with the grill grates.
Why are my lettuce leaves not getting charred?
If you aren’t getting char marks, your grill is either not hot enough, or your lettuce was still wet prior to dressing it.
Make sure that the grill is preheated to 450° F and that your lettuce is completely dry.
Why are my grilled romaine hearts soggy?
If the lettuce hearts are soggy, it’s likely because you didn’t allow them to dry off before grilling. Make sure that your romaine is completely dry before adding any seasonings or dressings.
How to serve
To plate this dish, take each romaine heart and layer it onto a plate. Drizzle over some of the parmesan vinaigrette and sprinkle fresh cracked black pepper on top before serving. You can also grate more parmesan over the top as well.
This recipe is best enjoyed right off the grill. Enjoy!
How to eat
These grilled romaine hearts are best enjoyed as a warm salad. Serve them as an appetizer or side dish with your favorite main course!
If you’re looking for something different, these salads also pair nicely with crispy chicken caprese or roasted Peruvian chicken. You can never go wrong with marinated flank steak with some chimichurri!
Looking to serve this salad as part of a fancy dinner? Grill up a few lobster tails with some garlic herb butter.
How to store
This salad is best served fresh and is not recommended to store. If you need to store, do so without the dressing on it.
Love salad? Try one of these recipes
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Grilled Romaine with Parmesan Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Grilled Romaine
- 2 romaine hearts (washed, fully dried, and cut in half)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Parmesan Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 anchovies in oil
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp red wine vinaigrette
- 3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
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Instructions
- Romaine
- When you get home from purchasing your romaine, wash it and let it dry thoroughly in the fridge. The romaine being fully dry is extremely important in this recipe.
- Preheat your grill at 450°F for 10 minutes.
- Once your romaine is dry, cut in half and set on a cutting board or plate. Repeat with other romaine.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil over the flat cut side of the romaine, followed by drizzling the juice of 1/2 a lemon over it. Then sprinkle the kosher salt and ground black pepper over the top.
- In a mortar in pestle, add in the anchovies and the garlic and pound into a paste. If you do not have a morar and pestle you can mince the anchovies and then use the flat part of the knife to smooth it into a paste. Add the garlic anchovy paste into a medium bowl, then add: the dijon mustard, red wine vinaigrette, black pepper, lemon juice, and whisk together. Once combined, while whisking, slowly add in the olive oil. Fold in the parmesan and set aside (if it separates, re-whisk prior to serving).
- Place the flat cut side of the romaine hearts on the grill grates and allow them to get a good char for about 4-5 minutes. You can use your tongs to gently push down if any parts aren't coming into contact with the grill grates. (If you aren't getting char marks your grill is either not hot enough or your lettuce was still wet prior to dressing it).
- Once you have achieved your grill marks, remove from grill and place on a plate. Drizzle the parmesan vinaigrette over the top and serve. You can also grate more parmesan over the top as well. This recipe is best enjoyed right off the grill. Enjoy!
Notes
Romaine
- In order for this recipe to work, the romaine must be fully dry after washing. It’s best if you wash right after you purchase and allow it to dry in the refrigerator.
Anchovies
- A lot of people are iffy about anchovies, but try not to skip it in the recipe it gives it so much umami.
Storing
- This salad is best served fresh and not recommended to store. If you need to store, do so without the dressing on it.
