Add a unique twist to your summer salad game with this grilled romaine salad recipe.
Grilled romaine salad is a striking side dish made with romaine hearts charred on the grill and drizzled with a quick mock Caesar dressing topped with parmesan cheese.

Holly’s ‘Grill-iant’ Romaine Recap!
- Flavor: Cooking romaine on the grill sweetens the charred edges while the rest of the leaves stay cool and crisp.
- Skill Level: Make the salad and protein on the grill at the same time for an easy dish.
- Serving suggestions: Keep it vegetarian or make it a main and serve under your favorite grilled meat.
Ro-maine Ingredients
- Lettuce: Choose smaller bunches of romaine hearts and remove any wilted or browned leaves. Cut them lengthwise, keeping the core intact with the leaves.
- Dressing: This low-carb shortcut Caesar dressing is easy to whisk up, but you can use any low-carb dressing you prefer.
- Toppings: Fried capers add a tangy and crunchy bite to grilled romaine salad, but you can use diced green olives instead. Keto breadcrumbs, bacon bits, sliced almonds, or pistachios will also add a crunchy component to the recipe. Grilled halloumi cheese is another topping that’s delicious and makes for an elegant presentation.
How To Make Grilled Romaine Salad
- Whisk dressing ingredients (full recipe below).
- Cut romaine hearts in half lengthwise and grill until the edges are charred.
- Drizzle dressing over the grilled romaine and add parmesan cheese and capers.
‘Lett-uce’ Help! Grilled Romaine Tips & Tricks
- Be sure to drain and thoroughly dry the capers before frying, otherwise, they will soak up too much oil when preparing them.
- Grilling romaine only takes about 2-3 minutes, so keep an eye on the grill.
- Romaine can be charred on high heat in a skillet on the stovetop, too.
Don’t Leaf It Behind!
Store leftover grilled romaine leaves in a covered container for up to 2 days away from the dressing and toppings. Chop up the lettuce and refresh it with more dressing and extra toppings.
Tasty Pairings For Romaine Salad
Have you tried this Grilled Romaine Salad recipe? Leave a comment and rating below!
Grilled Romaine Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 romaine hearts
- olive oil spray
- ¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese
- capers *drained and fried as per note below
Dressing
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, parmesan cheese, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dry mustard powder, Worcestershire, anchovy paste, and pepper. Mix well.
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- While the grill is heating, cut each romaine heart in half lengthwise. Lightly spray the cut side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the romaine on the grill cut side down, and cook 2-3 minutes or just until lightly seared.
- Arrange the romaine cut side up on a serving plate. Drizzle the dressing overtop followed by the Parmesan cheese and crispy capers.
Notes
- Cut the romaine hearts in half lengthwise so the leaves remain attaches to the stem.
- Leave stems on during cooking to keep each half intact.
- Romain hearts should just be lightly seared for no more than 2-3 minutes. Don’t overcook.
- *Capers are drained and fried in oil on medium-high in a pan until crispy and golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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