Description

Grilled Romaine Wedge is a vibrant and flavorful salad featuring romaine hearts charred to perfection on the grill, topped with a creamy garlic-Parmesan dressing, crispy grilled sourdough croutons, and extra shaved Parmesan for a delightful crunch and savory finish. This fresh and easy-to-make dish offers a smoky twist on the classic wedge salad, perfect for warm-weather meals or elegant gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Dressing

1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
3/4 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more shaved for serving
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. fish sauce
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad & Garnish

4 (1/2-inch thick) slices sourdough bread
2 hearts romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise

Instructions

Make the dressing: Grate 1 garlic clove into a medium bowl. Add the finely grated Parmesan, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and fish sauce. Whisk everything together until smooth and well combined. Season the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preferred taste.
Prepare the grill: Heat your grill to medium-high heat and preheat it for about 5 minutes. If using a grill pan, heat it over medium-high heat as well. Lightly brush both sides of each slice of sourdough bread and the cut sides of the romaine halves with olive oil. Season the bread and romaine liberally with salt and pepper.
Grill the bread and romaine: Place the bread slices on the grill and cook until they are charred on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the bread and set it on a plate. Next, grill the romaine cut side down until it develops a slight char, about 1 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, rub the remaining garlic clove over one side of the grilled bread slices, then tear the bread into roughly 1/2-inch pieces to make croutons.
Assemble the salad: Spread a few spoonfuls of the prepared dressing onto a serving platter. Arrange the grilled romaine halves on top. Drizzle the romaine generously with more dressing. Scatter the garlic-rubbed grilled bread croutons over the top, and finish with shaved Parmesan for garnish. Serve immediately and enjoy the smoky, creamy flavors.

Notes

If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan or broil the romaine and bread in the oven, watching closely to avoid burning.
For a vegetarian variation, replace the fish sauce with soy sauce or tamari.
Adjust the amount of fish sauce to taste as it adds a complex umami flavor.
The garlic-rubbed grilled croutons add a wonderful smoky garlicky touch; do not skip rubbing the bread with garlic.
Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best texture and flavor in the dressing.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: American

Keywords: grilled romaine, wedge salad, garlic Parmesan dressing, grilled croutons, summer salad, smoky salad