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    Home » Main Dishes » Salads/Dressings

    Grilled Romaine Salad with Parmesan

    Published: May 11, 2023 · Modified: Oct 7, 2024 by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    pinnable image for grilled romaine salad with Parmesan

    You can make Grilled Romaine Salad with Parmesan in less than 20 minutes! You'll love the smoky flavor of the charred romaine topped with toasted walnuts, shaved Parmesan and a simple vinaigrette. This is one of the best salads!

    grilled romaine heart with Parmesan slivers and walnuts on plate with fork

    Are you late to the grilled romaine party? Did you even know it's a thing?

    If this is new to you, you're in for a treat! And if you're already a fan, wait until you try this Grilled Romaine Salad with Parmesan and toasted walnuts.

    You'll wonder where it's been all your life!

    Grilling romaine hearts gives them a delicious, smoky flavor that makes you weak in the knees. (This is a proven fact, based on my careful experimentation.)

    It turns plain lettuce into the showstopping star of your meal. And the charred romaine salad has gorgeous grill lines!

    Recipe ingredients

    romaine hearts, Parmesan wedge, walnuts, oil, seasonings, vinegar

    Romaine hearts are smaller, yellowish leaves found at the center of heads of romaine lettuce. The hearts have a sweeter taste and are often crunchier in texture.

    I recommend buying a package of romaine hearts for this recipe, since they'll be cleaner than a head of romaine. But, if you’re starting with the entire head of lettuce, remove the outer leaves and any wilted ones until you find the hearts in the middle.

    Parmesan: Shaved Parmesan cheese brings a delicious, salty accent to this warm romaine salad. It’s so satisfying to munch on a thin slice of Parmesan! I highly recommend it instead of grated cheese here.

    You can either buy shaved Parmesan or simply use a vegetable peeler to shave off a piece from a triangle of Parmesan.

    Walnuts: Toasted walnuts add wonderful flavor and crunch. You can skip them if needed or substitute pecans, cashews, or hazelnuts.

    White Balsamic Vinegar: This has a mild, fruity taste that complements the grilled romaine hearts beautifully. You can find it at the grocery store or buy it online (affiliate link).

    White balsamic vinegar is a game-changer for salads, but if you don't have any, you can use red wine vinegar or dark balsamic vinegar.

    Olive Oil: I recommend using regular olive oil, which is milder than extra-virgin olive oil. It makes a difference in the flavor of this vinaigrette. But, use what you have!

    How to make grilled romaine salad

    See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.

    walnuts in pan, romaine hearts on grill pan, shaved Parmesan, vinaigrette ingredients
    1. Toast chopped walnuts in a pan on the stove for about two minutes or until fragrant.
    2. Place rinsed, dried and trimmed romaine hearts on a greased, heated grill pan (affiliate link) or outdoor grill. Cook them for three minutes per side.
    3. Shave the Parmesan cheese.
    4. Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette.

    Recipe tips

    • It’s important to leave the hearts of romaine intact when cleaning them. Just rinse them and trim off the dark edge of each root end.
    • When toasting walnuts in a pan on the stove, watch them carefully, so they don’t burn. As soon as they become fragrant, remove them from the heat.

    What to serve with it

    To serve, place a grilled lettuce heart on each plate and top with toasted walnuts and shaved Parmesan. Drizzle on the white balsamic vinaigrette. You could even try this with lemon olive oil or yogurt-based ranch dressing.

    This romaine wedge salad would be a delicious first course for Grilled Cod, pasta and pesto sauce with pine nuts, Baked Pesto Salmon, or Broccoli-Cheddar Soup with Parmesan.

    But, if you want the grilled romaine to be a complete meal, you can add Cilantro Lime Shrimp or some leftover Roasted Chicken Thighs and Vegetables!

    forkful of romaine salad

    Frequently asked questions

    What kind of grill do you need for grilled Romaine?

    I always make grilled Romaine indoors with my stovetop grill pan. You also could use a George Foreman pan (affiliate link) or an outdoor grill.

    How do you make grilled romaine without a grill?

    If you don't have a grill, you can mimic the taste by making charred romaine under your broiler.

    Cut the lettuce hearts in half the long way and drizzle them with oil. Broil for two minutes, flip over, and broil for two minutes more. Watch them closely so they don't burn.

    More salads to enjoy

    • The Best Italian Green Salad with Homemade Dressing
    • Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Pancetta
    • Apple Mozzarella Pecan Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
    • Easy Breaded Scallops over Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
    • Buffalo Chicken Nacho Salad
    • Tex-Mex Salad with Catalina

    And, if you love walnuts, don't miss this Creamy Walnut Sauce for Pasta. And check out my collection of 33 Italian Side Dishes!

    Enjoy!

    If you try this Grilled Romaine Salad recipe, please leave a comment and rating!

    grilled romaine heart with walnuts, shaved Parmesan and vinaigrette

    Grilled Romaine Salad with Parmesan

    This Grilled Romaine Salad has a nice, smoky flavor and is delicious with toasted walnuts, shaved Parmesan and a simple vinaigrette!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 269kcal
    Author: Mamma C

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 2 whole romaine hearts (the inner leaves of a head of romaine)
    • ¼ cup shelled walnuts
    • olive oil to brush on grill pan or grill
    • 10-12 shavings of fresh Parmesan cheese

    Vinaigrette

    • ⅛ cup olive oil (preferably regular instead of EVOO)
    • ⅛ cup white balsamic vinegar
    • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 1 pinch black pepper
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Carefully rinse the romaine hearts and pat them dry with paper towels. Trim off just the dark edge of each root end, making sure to leave the romaine hearts intact.
    • Roughly chop the walnuts and place them in a small pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir them around for two minutes, just until they become fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat.
    • Brush your grill pan with olive oil and heat it (or your outdoor grill) on medium high. When the grill is hot, add the romaine hearts and cook them for three minutes before flipping them over. Cook the romaine for three minutes longer, turning if needed to get it browned all around.
    • While the romaine is cooking, use a vegetable peeler to shave off pieces of Parmesan and set them aside.
    • To make the vinaigrette, whisk the olive oil, vinegar and seasonings in a small container. Serve the romaine topped with the walnuts, Parmesan and some dressing.

    Notes

    I've found it's easier to buy a package of romaine hearts, because they are cleaner than a head of romaine. If you are starting with a head of romaine, remove the outer leaves and any wilted leaves until you find the hearts in the middle.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 239mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 9885IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

    (Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C, inspired by a restaurant meal. Originally published on May 13, 2015 and updated now with new photos and additional information. Photos by Kanyi Muraguri for Cooking with Mamma C.)

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    Comments

    1. Tammy Renea @SanPasqualsKitchen says

      May 24, 2015 at 7:24 am

      This looks wonderful. I've never had this before, but I will definitely give it a try. Simple things are often the best things. I love finding new food to love. It makes me wonder what else is out there that can excite my food palate. Thanks for another great recipe!

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        May 24, 2015 at 9:06 am

        I know what you mean, Tammy! I can't believe it took so long for me to discover grilled romaine. I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    2. Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says

      May 13, 2015 at 10:29 pm

      Hi Andrea, yes I love Romaine hearts grilled with Greek Olive Oil and crumbles of feta that melts when taken off the grill, add a dash of salt and pepper and away I go!!! Love you discovered it! I am a big fan of butter lettuce, red bibb lettuce, frisee, many! I eat a salad almost everyday with fruit, nuts, greens, veggies, etc. Woo Hoo for YOU!!!

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        May 14, 2015 at 7:56 am

        Oooh, melting crumbles of feta! I need to try that next. Thanks, Cheryl!

        Reply
    3. Annie @ ciaochowbambina says

      May 13, 2015 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious, Andrea! I've never tried it before but I will, now! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        May 13, 2015 at 4:59 pm

        I think you'll love it, Annie! I had no idea what I've been missing.

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Andrea, also known as Mamma C. I've been sharing family-tested recipes from my Italian-American kitchen for a decade! I hope you'll visit often!

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