Grilled Romaine and Broccoli Tahini Caesar Salad
June 29, 2021
40 min
super easy
serves 4
If you like light salads that taste like grass with a little bit of lemon juice, then you’ve come to the… WRONG place! This salad is the complete opposite of light and leafy. Instead it’s robust, charred and full of personality. I came up with this recipe when one of you requested a dish that was “a vegetarian salad my husband can actually be full from.” While I’m not sure if your husbands will be full from this alone, I can say this is a very substantial and filling vegetarian salad that is perfect to serve at parties as a serve yourself kind of appetizer. You can also half the recipe and serve it as a starter for two, similar to something you would order and share at a restaurant while on a date. Now I’m getting ahead of myself…..just so many possibilities!!!!
Sooo what is this salad? It’s grilled romaine and broccoli paired with grilled sourdough toast and a delicious lime and tahini caesar dressing. I do want to note this is a vegetarian recipe, however it can be made vegan if you substitute the Worcestershire with a vegan alternative. Also make sure to use a dijon mustard that is vegan certified.
If you don’t have a grill: NO WORRIES! Rub the broccoli down with some oil, salt and pepper and roast it at 450 degrees until caramelized and charred. You can also serve the romaine fresh OR broiled for a few minutes to get that same char effect that you’d get from a grill.
You know I love to put these recipes together visually to help you understand, so here’s a little video of the grilling process! The dressing itself is pretty self explanatory
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
| For the dressing | |
| 3 cloves of garlic, minced | |
| 1/4cup lime juice | |
| 4tsp Worcestershire sauce | |
| 1tbsp dijon mustard | |
| 1/2cup tahini | |
| 2-4tbsp water | |
| For the salad | |
| 2 heads of broccoli, sliced into 1-inch thick "steaks" | |
| 2 hearts of romaine, sliced in half lengthwise and washed thoroughly | |
| 4pieces bread of your choice | |
| 2 limes, halved | |
| Olive oil, for seasoning | |
| Kosher salt, for seasoning | |
| Fresh cracked black pepper, for seasoning |
Equipment
Directions
For the dressing:
Whisk together the garlic, lime juice, dijon and Worcestershire. Add tahini and whisk until combined. Add 2 tbsp of water to loosen it up and whisk. If the dressing is still too thick, add 2 more tbsp. Add pepper to taste and adjust seasoning if needed! Trust your flavor intuition here!
For the salad:
Preheat the grill on high and close the lid. Set all burners to direct heat. If using a grill pan, heat on the stove on a high flame for 3-5 minutes, until extra hot.
Trim the top 2-3 inches (the flimsy leafy grean part) off of the romaine lettuce and keep it for a side salad. Don't throw it away!! Set that aside.
Generously season the broccoli and romaine with olive oil, salt, pepper and any extra lime juice (if preferred.) Make sure to get olive oil in all the nooks and crannies in the romaine! Drizzle olive oil on the bread and season with salt and pepper.Â
Once the grill hits 500-600 degrees Fahrenhet, grill the broccoli for 7 minutes with the lid closed. Flip, then grill for another 3-4 minutes. If needed, remove any smaller pieces that cook more quickly than the larger ones.Â
Remove the broccoli and place on a plate. Cover the broccoli with foil to keep it warm. Add the romaine flat side down to the grill. Close the grill and cook the romaine for 2 minutes, then flip it. Add the lime slices (flat side down) and the bread, then grill with lid closed for 2 minutes. Remove the lettuce and plate, then return to the grill to flip the bread. Grill the bread on the other side with the lid closed for another 2 minutes, then remove the lime and bread and plate everything. Enjoy ASAP with generous amounts of tahini Caesar!
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