Grilled Romaine with Creamy Tahini Dressing
Smoky, lightly charred romaine is topped with crispy bacon, homemade garlic croutons, shaved Parmesan and briny capers, then drizzled with a creamy lemon-garlic tahini dressing. Finished with grilled lemon and a touch of balsamic glaze, this is an easy salad that feels a little special.
Prep time
20 min
Cook time
15 min
Serves
Ingredients
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Grilled Romaine
- 3 headsromaine lettuce
- 1–2 tbspolive oil, for brushing
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1lemon, halved
Creamy Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cuptahini
- 2 tbspfreshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbspfinely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tspDijon mustard
- 1 small clovegarlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 tspWorcestershire sauce
- 2–4 tbspcold water, as needed
- freshly cracked black pepper and salt, to taste
Homemade Garlic Croutons
- 3 sliceswhite bread, lightly toasted
- 1½ tbspbutter
- 1 tbspolive oil, for drizzling
- 1 small clovegarlic, finely minced
- 1 tspItalian seasoning
- pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
For Serving
- 3–4 slicesbacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- ⅓ cupfreshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbspcapers, drained
- extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
- balsamic glaze, for a light drizzle
- grilled lemon halves
Ingredients
Grilled Romaine
- 3 headsromaine lettuce
- 1–2 tbspolive oil, for brushing
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1lemon, halved
Creamy Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cuptahini
- 2 tbspfreshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbspfinely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tspDijon mustard
- 1 small clovegarlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 tspWorcestershire sauce
- 2–4 tbspcold water, as needed
- freshly cracked black pepper and salt, to taste
Homemade Garlic Croutons
- 3 sliceswhite bread, lightly toasted
- 1½ tbspbutter
- 1 tbspolive oil, for drizzling
- 1 small clovegarlic, finely minced
- 1 tspItalian seasoning
- pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
For Serving
- 3–4 slicesbacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- ⅓ cupfreshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbspcapers, drained
- extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
- balsamic glaze, for a light drizzle
- grilled lemon halves
Instructions
Make the Creamy Tahini Dressing
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
- 2
Add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until the dressing is smooth, creamy and thin enough to drizzle.
- 3
Add freshly cracked black pepper and taste before adding salt — the Parmesan and Worcestershire already add plenty of savoury flavour. Adjust the lemon or seasoning to taste and set aside.
Make the Homemade Garlic Croutons
- 1
Lightly toast the bread, then cut it into bite-sized croutons. Don't over-toast at this stage, as the bread will continue to crisp and brown in the pan.
- 2
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- 3
Add the lightly toasted bread cubes and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss everything together.
- 4
Pan-fry until golden and crisp, stirring constantly to prevent the croutons and garlic from burning. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Prepare & Grill the Romaine
- 1
Remove any damaged outer leaves from the romaine, keeping the cores intact. Slice each head lengthwise in half.
- 2
Wash the romaine thoroughly and dry it very well. The drier the romaine, the better it will char on the barbecue rather than steam.
- 3
Lightly brush the cut sides with olive oil and season with a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- 4
Preheat the barbecue to medium-high heat, approximately 425–450°F.
- 5
Place the romaine cut-side down on the hot grill. Grill for about 1–2 minutes, then turn. Continue turning every couple of minutes until the romaine is lightly wilted with charred edges and grill marks, approximately 3–5 minutes total. Stay close — romaine cooks quickly.
- 6
Place the lemon halves cut-side down on the grill and cook for about 2–3 minutes, or until lightly charred and caramelized.
Assemble the Salad
- 1
Arrange the warm grilled romaine on a large serving platter.
- 2
Drizzle with the creamy tahini dressing, then scatter the crispy bacon, homemade garlic croutons and capers over the romaine. Finish with plenty of freshly shaved Parmesan.
- 3
Add a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and just a touch of balsamic glaze.
- 4
Place the grilled lemon halves alongside the salad for squeezing over the romaine just before serving.
Melissa's Notes
**Dry your romaine really well before grilling.** After washing, allow it to drain thoroughly and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Any excess water will cause the lettuce to steam on the barbecue instead of developing those beautiful charred edges.
Nutrition Information
Per serving
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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