Featured Recipe
Grilled Romaine Salad Barbecue Style
By Kate
"
Grilled romaine brings smoky crunch paired with charred heirloom tomatoes and crusty bread rubbed with a punchy lime and olive oil. Balanced acidity cuts through smoky fat. Bread toasted just right: crisp outside, still chewy inside. Quick grill times preserve fresh textures and bright colors. Easy to swap tomatoes for zucchini slices or add fresh herbs to the dressing. Perfect for summer grills. Dairy-free, vegan, nut-free. Simple ingredients showcase bold outdoor flavors. Efficient prep: marinade, grill, assemble in under 25 minutes. Focus on tactile doneness and visual cues to avoid overcooking. Serve immediately for best texture contrast and brightness.
"
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
10 min
Total:
30 min
Serves:
4 servings
salad
grilled
vegan
summer
fresh
Introduction
Hot grill ready. You want layers of texture: still-crisp romaine with smoky charred edges. Charred tomatoes that juice but keep shape. Toasted bread with crunchy crust, softer inside. The zing of lime oil wakes up all components, cuts through fat and smoke. Simple, fresh ingredients arranged for maximum impact. Skip heavy dressings; they drown the vibe. Instead, keep it light; lemon or lime juice, olive oil base, fresh herbs if available. This salad doesn’t wait—eat near immediate to preserve the crunch and fresh notes. Perfect alongside grilled proteins or as a standalone light meal. Starter with attitude, not fuss. Enjoy grilling aroma filling the air, that gentle hiss when lettuce hits the hot grill. Keeps your hands busy for about half an hour, most time spent watching color shifts and scent development. No guesswork here; learn to read the food as it cooks.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
The lime zest and juice swap standard lemon for a fresher, slightly sweeter citrus punch. Garlic and thyme are optional but lift the dressing with herbal fragrance and slight warmth. You can use day-old baguette or any crusty bread - stale helps hold up when grilled, no sogginess. Romaine hearts or whole head quartered, size matters here. Thicker lettuce needs more time but don’t overdo or it wilts beyond crispness. Tomatoes: heirloom preferred for thickness and complexity but beefsteak or vine-ripened work fine. Adjust salt according to your tomatoes’ ripeness and sweetness. Olive oil should be good quality; flavor impacts the final dish noticeably. Feel free to sub herbs or omit garlic if you want a cleaner citrus note.
Method
Technique Tips
Oiling grill prevents sticking and helps those iconic grill marks. Brush everything with marinade right before grilling; too early and the bread or veggies soak liquid, losing crust. Toast the bread until just golden; watch carefully, especially bread can burn fast. Romaine needs pressure against grill for even char but resist pressing too hard or you flatten and crush leaves, rendering limp bits. Watch how lettuce changes color and texture; it doesn’t need deep blackening, just enough grill contact to soften edges and develop smoky flavor. Tomato grilling is about fragrance and softening not breakdown; if skin splits or shrinks unevenly, you’re too high heat. Arrange plated components so the warmth from bread and veggies contrasts with cooler vinaigrette. Eat right away, don’t let it sit, or lettuce loses snap and bread gets soggy. Good kitchen practice: prep vinaigrette first, then grill component batches sequentially for smooth timing.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Grill should sing when veggies hit it. Hear that sizzle. Brush oil on grates first. Keeps food from sticking. And makes those grill marks shine.
- 💡 Use stale bread, better for grilling. Soaks less. Soft inside, crisp outside. Cut baguette thick; too thin burns. Stay nearby. Watch color change.
- 💡 Tomatoes should char but not fall apart. Skin side down first. 90 seconds max. Smell sweet when done. Adjust time for different heat sources.
- 💡 Romaine needs contact, press lightly. Should wilt but stay crisp. Color shifts fast; too long makes it limp. Keep eyes alert for changes.
- 💡 Make vinaigrette first. Simplifies timing. Then grill batches, keep warm. Avoid overcrowding grill, heat needs to circulate for even cooking.
