Grilled Romaine with Lemon and Parmesan

Chances are you’ll be grilling this weekend, am I right? So why not grill something a little outside the box…something that is sure to please everyone’s tastebuds: Grilled Romaine with Lemon and Parmesan!

The first time I tried grilled romaine was in Philadelphia during college. The food scene in Philly is incredible and I feel so lucky that I got to experience it for four years. I actually think Philadelphia was a BIG influence on my passion for food and cooking, as it constantly encouraged me to try new cuisines and flavors.

My first grilled romaine experience was at a restaurant called Pumpkin on South Street in Philly. The romaine was a special on the menu that night and the waitress urged us to try it.  I have to admit, I was hesitant at first. Why would you grill lettuce? Wouldn’t that make it wilt or burn? Ooooooooh boy, was I wrong! It was simply incredible – charred to perfection and unlike anything I’ve ever had.

Surprisingly, I haven’t had grilled romaine since that one experience in Philly. This weekend Travis and I were at Whole Foods browsing the many Fourth of July specials. There were large bunches of organic romaine on sale, so we grabbed one and threw it into our shopping cart. All of a sudden I had flashbacks to that incredible grilled romaine from college, and I knew I had to recreate it that night.

This healthy side dish couldn’t be easier! If your romaine comes with extra leafy greens on the outside, simply pull those off and save them for a salad later in the week.  Slice the romaine heart in half and brush each half with extra-virgin olive oil. Then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and throw them on the grill for about 3 minutes total.  Without blinking an eye, you have a very low calorie side dish in a matter of minutes! I decided to add a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese for added flavor, but the romaine is simply delicious on it’s own, too.

We paired our grilled romaine with juicy grilled steak, but it would be great with burgers, chicken, fish, or whatever else you are grilling up this weekend. So easy and healthy!

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Grilled Romaine with Lemon and Parmesan

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

You can make this Grilled Romaine with Lemon and Parmesan recipe in under 10 minutes! Pair it with anything else you throw on the grill for a delicious meal.

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Grill, lemon, Parmesan, Romaine

Servings: 2

Author: Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)

Ingredients

• 1 Large head of romaine lettuce
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon Parmesan, grated or shredded

Instructions

1. If your romaine has extra loose leaves on the top and outer layers, remove these leaves and save them for a salad or another use. Rinse the romaine well, making sure to remove any dirt. Cut the romaine in half, vertically.
2. Place the romaine pieces flat side down on a large cutting board. Brush the rounded backs of the romaine with olive oil. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Flip over and repeat on the other side.
3. Grill the romaine on three separate sides (like a triangle): first, place the romaine flat side down on a hot grill in direct heat. After about 1 minute, turn the romaine so it lays on half of the rounded side and grill for an additional minute. Complete on the final part of the curved side. Be careful - the romaine cooks quickly so do not walk away from the grill during this process.
4. Remove the romaine from the grill and place it on a large serving platter. Squeeze the lemon juice over the romaine and sprinkle with parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

*This recipe was cooked using a charcoal grill.

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