Grilled Romaine Wedges with Tahini Caesar Dressing
by Sidney Fry MS, RD | photography by Big Dreamz Creative
The grill is already hot. Why not throw the salad on there, too? “Meaty” hearts of romaine hold up well on the grill and make a gorgeous and delicious accompaniment to any grill menu.
The Caesar-inspired dressing with a fun tahini twist that brings a nutty, creamy, nutrient-rich boost to a historically calorie-loaded dressing is the start of this dish. I balance the tahini with a little parmesan cheese, fresh lemon and garlic and drizzle the whole mess over the grilled greens. Don’t let it sit long; grilled lettuce has a short shelf-life! Finish by adding a little extra parmesan cheese and a handful of crunchy chickpeas, and you’ll love the summer-kissed spin on this all-too-familiar salad.
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 hearts of romaine
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
3/4 cup sea-salt crunchy chickpeas
FOR DRESSING:
Combine first 9 ingredients (through pepper) in a small blender or food processor; process until smooth (you can also whisk these together). If dressing is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
FOR SALAD:
Cut each romaine heart in half lengthwise, keeping stem intact. Drizzle with olive oil. Place cut side down over medium heat, grill 1-2 minutes or until lettuce is lightly charred. Remove from grill.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over each Romaine wedge; sprinkle each wedge with 1 tablespoon cheese and 2 tablespoons chickpeas.
Serve immediately.
PRO TIP: The dressing can be made several days in advance and kept refrigerated. Just add a few tablespoons of water to thin it out as needed.
Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.