Of all the things I've fired up on the grill, I don't think anything can compete with grilled romaine. Top that with a creamy, tangy Vegan Caesar Dressing and grilled sourdough and you've got yourself an impressive salad you won't soon forget. In fact, if you're like me, you'll make this salad at least once a week all summer long.
I made this for the first time this summer while we were vacationing in Watercolor, Florida with my family. I ended up making it two more times on the trip per everyone's request!
This recipe is light and refreshing, yet crunchy and warming. It's hearty and punchy. It's zesty.
Equipment You'll Need
There's no substitute for using a grill in this recipe, however if you don't have access to one you can swap it for a cast iron griddle. I highly recommend using a grill here as it really brings out the best flavor and texture in the romaine.
Alternatively, for a quick salad you can skip the grill or griddle and simply prepare the vegan caesar dressing and toss it with raw romaine and homemade croutons.
You'll also need a high speed blender or food processor for making the dressing.
Key Ingredients
In addition to finding a hearty head of romaine and crunchy loaf of sourdough, here are some of the key ingredients used in the vegan caesar dressing.
- Hemp seeds provide the creamy texture for the dressing and boost the protein, making this a filling salad.
- Garlic is a pungent addition, giving this dressing its punchy flavor.
- Lemon juice brings in acidity, brightening each individual ingredient and flavor.
- Tahini is perfectly salty and creamy, helping to balance out both flavor and texture.
- Dijon has a strong, bitter, and sharp flavor that helps distinguish the dressing as caesar.
- Brined capers add a little extra saltiness and tartness with their bright, lemony flavor.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce folds in depth as it's both sour like tamarind and sweet like molasses.
- Nutritional yeast is a vegan substitute for the dairy component of traditional caesar dressing. It's perfectly cheesy!
How to Make Grilled Romaine
Once your romaine is rinsed and patted dry, pull away any wilted or lightweight leaves on the outer layers. Use a knife and cutting board to slice the romaine heads in half from top to root.
Pour olive oil in a small bowl and use a silicone brush to layer on olive oil onto the inner side of each romaine head. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper, then use your hands to rub the oil, salt, and pepper into the grooves of the lettuce.
Place cut side down on a well-oiled grill at medium heat. Use tongs to press the lettuce into the grates. Grill for about 3 minutes or until you reach the desired texture.
How to Make Vegan Caesar Dressing
To make the dressing, simply place all of the ingredients in a high speed blender. Use a spoon or spatula to scoop the dressing into a bowl. Take a spoon to rub the dressing over top of each lettuce half.
How to Make Grilled Sourdough
Finally, slice your loaf of sourdough bread and use the same olive oil bowl from the romaine to brush oil on each slice of bread. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place the oiled side down on the grill at medium heat and grill for 3-5 minutes until desired texture.
You can also try my Sourdough Garlic Bread with this recipe!
Storage Tips
Your romaine lettuce likely won't save. Do your best to only grill the amount of lettuce you need and save some raw romaine heads to use the next day for any leftover dressing.
Store the caesar dressing in an air-tight jar for 1-2 days. You can save it for up to 3 days, but the longer you save it the thicker the texture will get. This is fine, but may be more difficult to spread evenly between all of the lettuce.
Save the bread for up to 2 days in an air-tight container on your countertop. To reheat, pop in the oven or toaster oven at 350F for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat the bread on a cast iron griddle or frying pan at medium heat.
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about your experience grilling romaine! Comment below 😉
📖 Recipe
Grilled Romaine with Vegan Caesar Dressing
Equipment
- Grill
- Tongs
- High speed blender or food processor
Ingredients
- Olive oil for oiling the grates
Grilled Romaine
- 6 romaine lettuce heads
- Olive oil for brushing the lettuce
- Salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
- Vegan parmesan freshly grated, optional
Grilled Sourdough
- 1 sourdough loaf
- Olive oil for brushing
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
Vegan Caesar Dressing
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 3 teaspoons capers with brine
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Prep the romaine by pulling off any lingering leaves on the outer edges. If you hold the lettuce head upright these leaves tend to naturally fall. Cut the romaine in half lengthwise. It's okay if some outer layers fall off during this process. You want the piece that you grill to be sturdy.
- Use a silicone brush or your fingers to rub oil over the cut side of each lettuce half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and use your hands to make sure the oil and seasoning gets into the grooves of the lettuce.
- Once the lettuce is prepped, get the sourdough ready. Slice the sourdough into triangles (see photo above). Brush each piece with olive oil and sprinkle the pieces with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Before grilling, prepare the dressing. Combine all of the ingredients for the vegan caesar dressing together in a high speed blender or food processor. Blend for about a minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Before turning on the grill, use a wadded up paper towel and tongs to brush olive oil onto the grates. Be careful to not use too much oil or else it will drip down and cause some larger flames.
- Turn on the grill and bring the heat to medium. As you grill, keep an eye on the temperature trying not to exceed 500 degrees. I kept my grill right around 450. If it gets too hot you can always turn off the middle knob.
- When ready, place the romaine lettuce cut side down onto the grates using tongs. Grill for about 3 minutes or until the desired texture is achieved.
- If there's room toss the sourdough pieces on at the same time, using the tongs to press each piece firmly into the grill so you get that nice marking on each piece of bread. Grill the bread for 3-5 minutes, or until desired texture.
- Place the finished romaine halves on a tray cut side facing up. Use a spoon to rub the caesar dressing onto each piece, getting into the grooves. Take the block of vegan parmesan and grate some cheese on top. Serve alongside the tray of sourdough.
Notes
- Servings based on each person having two lettuce halves (12 halves total). Adjust as needed if you are serving as a side or main course.
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